Feels like a genuine throwback to the days before every action movie was smirky and wore its "aren't we clever?" self-referential attitude on its sleeve. I'm also a big fan of Powell and Shipka-- excited to see them headline a big-budget blockbuster like this.
11/13: Hot Frosty (on Netflix) 11/23: Three Wiser Men & A Boy (on Hallmark) 11/27: Christmas Under the Lights (on Hallmark Mysteries) 12/14: The Santa Class (on Hallmark)
If you're following up a legacy standalone sequel to one of the best summer blockbusters ever made, you HAVE to bring it.
This lacks the tension, danger, and awe the first film had.
Everyone is primarily coming for the big action set-pieces and none of them hold a candle to what Jan de Bont did 28 years ago. In the OG they have them drive through a house. Drop tractors on them. Drop an oil tanker on them which explodes into one of the biggest fireballs ever seen on film (and have them drive through that shit too!). Plus the car chases in the OG are still hard.
This wanted to be a real movie instead of the big dumb blockbuster the first was. And that's fine! But holy shit did I not give a fuck about any of the characters on screen. Daisy Edgar Jones is a fine actress. She has no chemistry with either Glen Powell or Anthony Ramos. Helen Hunt's Jo felt like an actual character with agency who uses her trauma to deal with her issues head-on. And oozed sex appeal. Daisy's Kate feels like a sketch. Glen Powell's Tyler Owens feels like he's from Jackass. Dude has charisma for days and I still didn't give a shit about Tyler Owens. Anthony Ramos is just there as well to chase after a white girl who doesn't care about him (can't believe we're still doing this shit after the last Star Wars trilogy).
One of the beauties of the OG Twister is the breakneck pace. The drama and exposition never slow the movie down. Here. it definitely does. Part of the problem is how uninteresting the characters are. Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton had me invested in their relationship and goals throughout the runtime. The love triangle works in the OG cause it's already been established with Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, and Jamie Gertz making work. I don't feel anything for anyone.
Points for shooting on location and on film to match the look and style of the OG, but this just can't stand up with what came before. I want to see the sequel Bill Paxton on Jan de Bont wanted to do for YEARS until Bill's untimely death. I want to see the sequel Helen Hunt pitched that she wanted to direct and co-write with Daveeed Diggs starring Diggs and a bunch of minority storm chasers.
As is, this is...fine. I'd be hard-pressed to remember anything by the end of the week.
Since everyone under the sun told me the RPX experience was worth it, I went to Times Square on Sunday (the largest 4DX in the world) and did a double-feature of this and the OG.
Seeing this in 4DX with a sold-out crowd is the best possible way to experience TWISTERS.
With that said, the OG is not only the better movie, but it's also the better 4DX experience. And the movie itself played better with the audience.
Highly recommend the 4DX experience before it leaves (again),
Printer-friendly copy 
Email this topic to a friend
Pass The Popcorn
