If you're a fan of the disaster epic, Twisters far exceeds the danger and excitement of its predecessor. This one is available to own or rent now digitally. Stay tuned for future announcements for a physical release date.
“Twisters brings back the blockbuster disaster epic with a whirlwind of heart-stopping action and exhilarating thrills. Ever since a devastating tornado encounter, Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) gave up chasing storms across the Oklahoma prairie to safely study them on screens in New York City. Lured back to the field by her friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) and a once-in-a-lifetime scientific opportunity, Kate crosses paths with Tyler (Glen Powell), a charming daredevil and self-proclaimed tornado wrangler whose thirst for tornado- tracking adventures made him a social media sensation. As storm season intensifies with terrifying phenomena unlike anything seen before, Kate and Tyler realize they may need to work together if they are to have any chance of taming, and surviving, an unprecedented outbreak of destructive tornados.”
The original Twister has always had special meaning for me. Without sounding too much like a physical media bleeding heart, it was the first movie to be released on DVD, and I before owning what was at the time the next generation of movie-watching experiences, I spent many visits in my local brick and mortar electronic stores immersed in their state of the art 5.1 surround sound systems which had some of the most intense sequences from this film on repeat; specifically, the one with the cow, hearing the “moo” transition from the front left side, to the right, then behind me. I was hooked, and spent countless hours of my young life figuring out ways to save up enough to pay the steep price tag of $600. While this experience isn’t so much about the love of the film itself but of the experience and the world I was introduced to, Twister still manages to entertain, and even frighten, to this day.
After the original announcement and trailer of the film, I’m sure I’m not the only one who was wondering what, if any, connection this would have to the original film. Is it a sequel or not? Well, to temper expectations, I can go ahead and get it out of the way that it is not connected to the original in much of any way besides a piece of equipment used in both films. Despite many opportune moments to have characters from the original involved, sadly, they are not. Now, that may not necessarily be a bad thing. Often studios get too caught up in nostalgia and revisiting long-past franchises and characters. It’s actually quite surprising it wasn’t used here, which may have taken away from the characters the film is trying to focus on today trying to give any ones that came back some forced spotlight for a time. After my initial let-down, that realization put me at ease, especially because of the solid characters this new film has.
Daisy Edgar-Jones is a solid leading-woman who balances the action and drama quite nicely. Glen Powell certainly has been gaining some traction in Hollywood over the past few years, and it’s good to see him in a leading role. Without giving too much away, he isn’t the most likable character to begin with, but his journey may be one of my favorite parts of the film, which is inspiring and heartfelt on many levels.
These ‘disaster epics’ usually come in waves. For all the Volcanos, Dante’s Peaks, Armageddons and Deep Impacts, there is usually a revived trend. Although they may not be as prevalent now as they were during the past few decades, they sure are just as fun. The tornado sequences in this film are by far better than any other in the few films on the subject that I’ve seen. The destruction, the anxiety, and the tragic aftermath are all reminders of the awesome power of mother nature. It may be hard to be entertained by such destruction, especially if you’ve lived or experienced anything close to it, but the film is presented in such a way to not only entertain, but highlight the good will of people who help those in need and put themselves in harms way to gather data that leads to a better understanding of this weather phenomenon.
We were given a digital code for this film, which is available now to rent and purchase digitally, which does include a 4k version of the film as well as Dolby Atmos soundtrack. As of now, there is no announced date for the physical release of the film, although it is rumored to be the end of October, including a 4k UHD release. Video and audio on the digital copy look and sound excellent, however, the physical release is always better. For the lossless audio alone I will be purchasing the 4k disc, because the sequences are that impressive that hearing it on a physical disc will be an entirely new experience.