Twisters Review — it’s Daisy’s Story
Big fun summer blockbuster
(Originally posted on my review site: https://noadshere.com/movies/twisters-review-daisy-story)
Twisters is a big fun summer blockbuster and we loved it. Very mild SPOILERS to follow so get to your nearest storm cellar, or empty swimming pool, if you don’t want to know anything about the movie!
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Main cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos
Our kids usually roll their eyes when we bore them about how ‘they don’t make as many good movies as they used to’ but we think we’re right. Whether it’s because of Covid, or the rise of streaming, or the over proliferation of Marvel movies, there just isn’t as many “do you want to go see” movies anymore. When we saw the trailer for Twisters however, we knew we’d go see it and that it would do well. Yes it’s a sequel/reboot/whatever but it’s also something rare — a non superhero mainstream movie that will appeal to a lot of people.
It’s not the most complicated of movies (there’s tornadoes and people chasing them) but it’s full of action, characters we can root for, and is never boring. Screenwritten by Mark L. Smith, its story was created by Joseph Kosinski who directed Top Gun Maverick, and we’re not surprised — it’s a simple story, but there’s plenty of emotion and stakes on show. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung who grew up in Arkansas it’s set almost entirely in America’s heartland and like Top Gun Maverick’s setting of Fightertown USA almost seems like an idealised dream, where fighter pilots don’t wear helmets on their motorcycles, the USA on shown here is full of ruggedly handsome men in large cowboy hats, driving really big trucks.
One thing we didn’t realise before we watched the movie is that one of those handsome men — a great Glen Powell, playing Tyler Owens the self named Tornado Wrangler, isn’t the main character — the excellent Daisy Edgar-Jones’ character Daisy is. It was probably the Powell-heavy marketing that made us think it was another Guy Saves the Day movie, but this is really Edgar-Jones’ movie. She plays a genius meteorologist with a knack for understanding tornadoes, who has a fittingly tragic backstory that gets us invested immediately in what happens with her. To emphasise the point, Powell actually says “she is your story, isn’t she?” to a journalist that had been initially following him, and it’s refreshing (and so rare) to see a big action movie where the guy just isn’t automatically the lead. Powell is fantastic aswell, with real movie star appeal to match Edgar-Jones’ and his ability to look like a big rugged cowboy, while also obviously a good actor, shows a bright future. Anthony Ramos also stars as one of Daisy’s friends and fellow tornado chaser, but to be honest he kind of feels like the third wheel, this is obviously the Daisy and Glen show.
All in all, just a great popcorn movie and perfect for the summer. We’ve seen it with our other half, and will be going to see it again with the teenager daughters. Yes — they like that Powell is in it, but they’ll also get to see a female led action movie.
Summary: Big fun summer blockbuster
Rating: 5 stars
All images courtesy of: https://www.universalpictures.com/movies/migration
