film reel image

film reel image

Sunday, July 28, 2024

Twisters 2024 * * Stars

TWISTERS THE NIGHT AWAY

2024's Twisters is one of those movies that's put out at the perfect time, for the warmest season crowd, to make a ton of money at the almighty box office. In other words, it has succeeded (second week worldwide total stands at over $220 mil). So um, why am I hesitating in recommending Twisters? And why are sequels always prone to make you long for the originals? And uh, where's Van Halen's "Humans Being" when you need it? These are questions and I plan on answering them. "If you feel it, chase it." Uh, not quite there big guy.

Anyway, the trailer for Twisters got me really pumped so yeah, I took the bait. And that's considering the litter of summer-themed flicks is real slim pickings this year. I know I know, good trailer bad movie, I should know better. I mean Twisters isn't awful but it lacks the feverish pace and popcorn feel of the first Twister from '96. And hey, the special effects aren't a stepping stone here either. 28 years ago those F5 tornadoes looked scarier than all get out. With Twisters, every destructive vortex is headed for a path of doom but also comes with a collective sigh. It's like Amblin Entertainment forgot to advance its technology via the past three decades. "Some times the old ways are better than the new". Yep-a-dep-a-rooni. 

Filmed mainly in Oklahoma (makes sense), using what looks like one set location for the majority of the tornado chases (yup, it's that obvious), and getting the audience to believe that "Auntie Em, it's a twister!" moments happen every darn day (uh, not!), Twisters is an uneven mix of hard-hitting drama, corny, techy script readings, and impractical action sequences set to some bad country music (revert back to first paragraph). 

Twisters, well it stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kate Carter and Glen Powell as Tyler Owens, two cyclone wranglers who collide and form some pseudo, platonic relationship. One gives a solid performance (that would be Edgar-Jones) while the other becomes a distraction in his own movie, like the Marlboro Man who happens to just wander on set while offering up some sort of sneering advice. If that doesn't seem outre to you then you haven't viewed Twisters yet. "Funnel clouded". 

Written by Jesse Burleson

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