“Twisters” (2024) is a visually impressive but ultimately underwhelming follow-up to the 1996 classic. Despite raking in over $300 million worldwide, the remake fails to surpass its predecessor while repeating its mistakes.
In “Twisters,” Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a former storm-chaser, reluctantly resumes the chase after being convinced by her friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) to confront their shared trauma which is entangled in the sudden deaths of close friends. While gathering data about the tornados facing Oklahoma, Carter meets Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), another storm chaser who has amassed a large following on YouTube for his elaborate tornado stunts.
One of the film’s biggest flaws is its overreliance on Carter’s trauma. While this exploration can add depth and generate compassion for a character, “Twisters” fails to make Carter a compelling protagonist. Instead, it relies on monologues that feel more obligatory than impactful.
The original film, “Twister,” was commonly criticized for its lack of three-dimensional characters,emphasis on flashy effects and the predictable plot. “Twisters” creators Lee Isaac Chung (director) and Mark L. Smith (writer) failed to learn from these mistakes.
The cast—while talented—is given little room to shine. Ramons is underutilized, serving mostly as a plot device to push Carter back into the storm-chasing world and challenge her morals. Powells’ portrayal of Owens, though charismatic, is reduced to a superficial love interest rather than a fully realized character.
Visually, “Twisters” does impress with daunting CGI tornadoes. The action sequences are well-executed, creating moments of genuine tension and excitement. However, these scenes are rare in the first half of the movie and can’t carry the film on their own. The film’s potential is instead bogged down by weak character development, a lack of originality and corny dialogue.
In trying to recapture the charm of the 1996 original, “Twisters” falls into the same traps: a focus on spectacle over substance and a failure to fully flesh out its characters. While it may succeed at the box office, “Twisters” is likely to be remembered as a missed opportunity rather than a worthy successor to the classic that inspired it.
