TWISTERS
Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane, Harry Hadden-Paton, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O'Brian, and David Corenswet
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
ADRIANO
In the beginning, Twisters sort of struggles. A lot of it is exposition, cheesy dialogue (granted, probably intentionally), and quite frankly, some of director Lee Isaac Chung's set pieces feel a bit off. But in the second half, the film flips a switch and becomes a fun, classic, 90s-style, summer blockbuster. The tornado sequences are pulse-pumping, Daisy Edgar-Jones is a great lead, and Glen Powell continues to show off his effortless charm. Some of the story beats are underdeveloped, but when Twisters hits, I couldn't not have a blast.
NICK
Let's get this out of the way... Twisters gets off to a rough start. The 90s rom-com tone and over indulgence of "music video moments" creates a cheesy atmosphere that completely dilutes the natural disaster aspect. But, then, there is a shift. A specific scene happens (taking place in an in-ground pool), and from that point on, the pace picks up and the focus is placed on the tornados. It’s a high-octane second half that greatly exceeds the first, but as exciting as it is, it could have been even more so if it didn’t take so damn long to kick into gear.
AMARÚ
With Twisters being director Lee Isaac Chung’s first true foray into feature-film action, I won't fully blame him for the film’s disaster elements feeling manufactured, poorly edited, and anti-climactic. What I can’t forgive is the laughably horrible script that is as subtle as an F5 tornado. Everybody not named Glen Powell gets lost in an exposition fest that lifelessly spells out every plot point, and even with his face plastered throughout the marketing, Powell isn’t in the film enough to save it. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos, two oftentimes charming and bankable up-and-coming stars, could do nothing to help yet another lackluster legacy sequel.
PRESTON
Glen Powell…tsk, tsk. Just when you were starting to gain momentum, you go and do this. It’s not that he is bad in Twisters, but he isn’t really good either. The same can be said about the film itself, but, to be fair, much of what we get is probably the result of a poorly written script and very thin plotline. Being formulaic, uninventive, and cheesy, not to mention the mediocre visual effects, gather to create a storm that is, somehow, neither soothing nor thrilling. Perhaps leaning into the rom-com elements earlier and releasing straight to digital would have made Twisters forgivably enjoyable.
PAIGE
I’m so thankful that Mother Nature gave us Twisters, a good, old-fashioned, crowd-pleasing summer blockbuster. There is no disputing that the movie is mindlessly entertaining, even though the script is a tad wonky at moments, because it embodies everything we all cherished about the original. It features amazing practical and visual effects, thrilling moments, and endearing performances from Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell, as well as their supporting cast. All in all, I applaud director Lee Isaac Chung for sticking the landing and delivering a promising legacy sequel to one of my favorite 90s movies.
SHADAN
Twisters is not a good movie. I wasn’t expecting to be blown away, but I was hoping I’d have a bit more fun in the process. There is very little humor, courtesy of a dull script that gives way to lifeless performances from Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell, as the two are completely drained of their natural charisma. The first tornado sequence is compelling, but all subsequent set pieces fall flat because I was not invested in the characters. Let’s hope the box office success will lead to better projects for director Lee Isaac Chung and his cast because this outing is a miss.
QUENTIN
For better or worse, Twisters is a throwback action movie from the 90s, which means while it’s fun, it’s not without its flaws. The dialogue can be a little cheesy at times, and the “will they/won’t they” dynamic between Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Tyler (Glen Powell) plays out just like you would expect. However, when you have fairly thrilling natural disaster sequences (fire tornado!) that are grounded by showing the true human cost of tornados, not to mention Powell’s charming swagger and movie-star smile, it’s easy to overlook any perceived issues and simply enjoy one of the better legacy sequels out there.
KATIE
I loved the straightforward, nostalgic, and comforting appeal of Twisters. The film unashamedly indulges in exciting spectacle, cheesy rom-com fun, and channels the enduring charm of 90s event movies that are built on incredibly immersive effects, a thunderous score, and genuinely thrilling action set pieces. Glen Powell is in his element as Tyler, demonstrating classic movie star charm, but I wished the film would have allowed his relationship with Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) to be more romantic. Overall, Twisters is an effortlessly entertaining film that lives up to the original, while also offering an interesting perspective on the impact of tornadoes on affected communities.
