Daisy Edgar-Jones & Glen Powell’s Chemistry Electrifies A Fun Sequel

When people think of movies that deserve some kind of sequel or continuation, Twister probably isn’t at the top of many lists. The 1996 disaster movie was a box office hit at the time of release and has retained fan-favorite status over the years, but nothing about it was begging for a sequel. However, thanks to Hollywood’s franchise-happy mindset, we’re getting Twisters, a movie whose announcement a while back got me to scoff. Now, though, I can admit I was wrong to roll my eyes here.

With a whole host of new characters and only the briefest of references to what came before, Twisters is really only related to the first movie through its subject matter and some of its basic plot points. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung and written by Mark L. Smith (with a story from Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski), the sequel provides ample thrills, solid character work, and great technical effects. Even in the moments where certain elements were lacking, I was happy to go along for the ride.

The Twisters Cast Is A Delight

Especially thanks to Daisy Edgar-Jones & Glen Powell’s chemistry

Daisy Edgar-Jones leads the new Twisters cast as Kate, a meteorologist and storm chaser with big ambitions about learning from and disrupting tornadoes, not unlike Helen Hunt’s character in the original movie. Though Kate is brimming with excitement when we first see her, tragedy swiftly turns her off storm chasing, and five years later, she’s condemned herself to an office job to avoid the cyclones she once studied up close.

One of her former partners, Javi (Anthony Ramos), soon resurfaces with a proposition: He has new technology at his disposal to study tornadoes, and he wants her help in tracking them. Even with Kate’s trauma still very close to the surface (and played brilliantly by Edgar-Jones), there’s no question she’s coming along, and so Twisters really begins. Kate and Javi have their mission, but they’re frequently at odds with hotshot internet celebrity Tyler (Glen Powell, further proving his leading man status), who seems to relish the danger tornadoes provide.

The clashing ideologies of Javi’s team — all men in crisp white shirts and sleek vans — and Tyler’s, a ragtag group in old, battered trucks sets the stage for a delightful push-and-pull as the two sides work to get the upper hand on a tornado. It also provides the perfect foundation for Kate and Tyler’s relationship, which grows from bantering rivals to loyal partners. Edgar-Jones and Powell’s chemistry is a highlight of Twisters, and their dynamic had me questioning my belief that not every action movie needs a romance between its leads.

Kate and Tyler are compelling figures, with the script offering enough details about where they came from to make them well-rounded. They’re also surrounded by intriguing characters, though most don’t get nearly as much attention as they should’ve. As the de facto third lead, Ramos’ Javi has his own arc that, frustratingly, disappears from the narrative for a time before giving him the conclusion he deserves. DC fans will likely be amused to see future Superman David Corenswet, as a grumpy member of Javi’s team, while Tyler’s side is filled with fun performances from Brandon Perea and Sasha Lane.

Twisters Was Made For The Big Screen

It provides perfect summer thrills

Much like its predecessor, Twisters has plenty of moments where its characters are at the mercy of the elements, hunkering down as intense winds and debris whirl around them. With 28 years passing between movies, it has allowed for sharper special effects and even crisper sound design that, when processed in a place like an IMAX theater, have the effect of keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.

Each successive tornado run-in runs the risk of getting repetitive, but Chung makes the most of the new environments every time to keep things fresh. He also smartly keeps the focus on the people we’re watching, the characters we’re invested in. That makes it easier to care about what’s happening onscreen, and to feel the genuine tension when it seems like somebody isn’t going to make it. With the camera moving in disorienting ways, as if it was also caught in the storm, and the sound design perfectly simulating the horrifying impact of roaring winds, Twisters maintains the action’s intensity.

Some characters remark on how extreme weather is only increasing year after year, a not-so-subtle reference to global warming, and it struck me that Twisters might actually have something to say beyond being a follow-up to a successful ’90s movie. Smith’s screenplay doesn’t delve very deep into this idea, leaving that particular throughline forgotten.

Nevertheless, the adrenaline that comes from watching Kate, Tyler, and the others battle Mother Nature at her worst should be enough to smooth over any rough patches. Twisters is the kind of blockbuster the summer movie season was made for, and it proves sequels don’t need to be beholden to what came before.

Twisters releases in theaters on Friday, July 19. It is 122 minutes long and rated PG-13 for intense action and peril, some language and injury images.

A follow-up to the 1996 original film Twister, Twisters is a sequel set years after the original, said to be fast-tracked by Steven Spielberg and Mark L. Smith, with Frank Marshal as producer. Little details exist about the film, but Helen Hunt is expected to reprise her role as Jo, with the film likely to pay homage to the late Bill Paxton. 

Pros

• Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell have fantastic chemistry
• The sequel is grounded by character development
• The special effects are excellent
• The plot and characters are something we can be invested in

Cons

• The film’s potential message is forgotten