“Twisters” 4K UHD Review

A retired tornado-chaser and meteorologist is persuaded to return to Oklahoma to work with a new team and new technologies. (from IMDB)

For 28 years now, the success of 1996’s weather thriller Twister has posed the question as to if we’d ever see a sequel to it or not. Even up until a few years ago, rumors surrounding a long awaited sequel was said to bring back Helen Hunt’s character (with her even maybe directing), while Bill Paxton had said back in 2012 he would have loved to see a sequel involving their characters passing the torch to their daughter. (Sadly, Paxton passed way in 2017 due to complications during a heart surgery.) So with a lot of mystery surrounding 2024’s sequel-sounding-titled Twisters, many are wondering what to expect. (The movie’s title font is also exactly the same as the 1996 original!)

Even while watching Twisters, it was tough to figure out just how connected the film was to the 1996 movie. In the movie’s prologue, a group of young stormchasers are testing equipment as a science project. While testing a new theory, one of the team insists the crew use the exact same “Dororthy” device as from the 1996 movie — complete with an image of Wizard of Oz‘s Dorothy displayed on the outside of it, and the censors contained inside having official little propellers attached to them. From that point on, nothing relates to the original movie. There are indeed parallels to the first movie with different scenes, but that’s where the connection stops. There is absolutely no mention of Hunt’s Jo or Paxton’s Bill at all.

So what in the world is Twisters then? I’d venture to conclude that this is a standalone sequel of sorts that exists in the same “universe” as the first movie, but contains all new characters with an entirely new story. It’s very much like what the original movie might have been if it were first made today. But while the 1996 film is infectiously fun while also being thrilling and exciting, Twisters takes a far more serious – if not even far more grounded – approach. The movie’s adrenaline does tend to come to a complete hault at times to build up the characters, but it’s enough to help get us invested in them. However, I’d argue that, outside of two or three main characters, the stormchasers this time around fail to leave the impression that the original characters did.

Twister really only showed, or implied, three deaths in that film, but they match that pretty early on in this movie. The stakes are much higher in this one, and the filmmakers aren’t afraid to show the life-threatening nature of tornadoes. The love for stormchasing is definitely still exhibited by the film’s characters, and it certainly adds to the excitement of the movie. But this time around, the story is surprisingly more complex. The first movie dealt with a group of lovable, independent science nerds chasing after storms for the greater good, while the movie’s human villain was a competing stormchaser who had government sponsorships and was only in it for the money. Twisters has some of this for sure, but mixes it up to make some of the lines a little grayer, and some other forces pulling strings on the corporate side. Also, Glen Powell’s Tyler is a fame-junkie, replacing Paxton’s retired stormchasing hero with a guy who appears to be much more concerned about YouTube views than the science (He even drives a red truck not too unlike Bill’s). Toss drones into the mix and Twisters feels so much more made for today’s digital world, leaving the original feeling that much more analog (though it definitely wasn’t entirely so). In some ways, seeing the extreme social changes (including the way some of the characters present themselves) makes one long for the original, and makes this one feel like a cheap counterfeit. However, as the story progresses, the similarities to the first film separate further and further from each other, till Twisters boldly stands on its own.

The heart of Twisters is Kate, played by Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where the Crawdads Sing). She, too, is like Paxton’s Bill in that she has an instinct for weather and knowing the way a storm might move or “think.” But like Hunt’s Jo, Kate is suffering significant loss, however for her, it drives her away from stormchasing, intending to leave that part of her life behind. As Kate gets inevitably pulled back to Oklahoma (and stormchasing), we continue to learn more and more about her character and her passions, and it’s not hard to get drawn into it. Meanwhile, Powell’s Tyler becomes completely fascinated by Kate, causing him to distance himself from his “influencer” efforts and try to get to know Kate better. Tyler has the biggest character arc in the story – at first being a guy you want to hate, then becoming one you’re rooting for – and Powell does a great job performing the broader spectrum of the character.

One of my favorite things about the 1996 movie was the humor and camaraderie. There is a little bit sprinkled in for good measure here, but there definitely is a noticeable lack of “fun” to this one. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, since it helps differentiate the two movies, but while the action and suspense might be a little more intense at times in this one, I think it has big shoes to fill overall. Still, it’s obvious – especially with three studios presenting this one: Universal, Warner and Amblin – that there’s a big budget behind this film, and it certainly doesn’t go to waste. Where the action and devastation often centered around the main characters in Twister, this time we get a closer look at, say, what it might be like to be in a town when a massive tornado hits. Knowing these are real phenomenon in parts of the country make it even more terrifying. (I can imagine some scenes might have some serious triggers for those who have been greatly affected by tornadoes in their lifetime.)

The content for Twisters is tamer in some areas, like profanity, and rougher in others, like the body count and intensity. The first movie let two muffled “F” words squeak by and a steady stream of using the Lord’s name in vain throughout. Twisters only uses the “S” word in spurts (with a bunch of them being from Kate in one moment, for example), while the blasphemy is reduced to only a few exclamations of “Oh my G-d” or “Oh G-d.” There isn’t really any sexual content (although it’s kind of implied in two scenes that Kate and her boyfriend sleep together), and the violence only really gets bloody in one instance when Kate suffers a huge, long gash to her thigh (Which is pretty vivid). Aside from another scene where a character has some blood and scrapes on their head and arms, we see some people pulled up into tornadoes, hit with debris, fleeing in terror, and huddling in hopes of evading getting sucked up into the twisters. Again, while the first one did have some intense moments, I would definitely say this one has more, especially with its more serious tone.

If you’re fascinated by storms or a fan of the original movie, 2024’s Twisters is a surprisingly good standalone sequel to the 1996 film. Whether or not it has what it takes to be as loved in 30 years as the first one remains to be seen, but as it is, Twisters is a good time at the movies.

– John DiBiase (reviewed: 7/21/24)

 

2024’s reboot of Twister – appropriately titled Twisters – is now available on disc to own, as well as through the usual digital providers. The 4K disc set includes a Blu-Ray disc and a MoviesAnywhere digital copy. In August, we reviewed the digital debut of the film, with its very limited extras that were included (just Bloopers and Deleted Scenes). With the movie’s disc release, we’re treated to those original extras, as well as quite a few featurettes, and a director’s feature commentary. Here’s a look at the 4K UHD disc transfer and the bonus features that come along with it…

Twisters in 4K UHD – In August, when I reviewed the 4K digital copy, I was surprised at how underwhelming the picture looked. It’s good, don’t get me wrong, but it far from “wowed” me. I’m a firm believer that 4K UHD on disc is always better than streaming, and I have to say that this is definitely true with Twisters. The graininess is still present, but that actually has a lot to do with the movie being shot on actual film (which is rare these days). In a way, it also lends to a grittier feel for the movie. The color pops better on disc, and the clarity is much more noticeable too. So if you are one who still gravitates towards physical media over streaming, I think Twisters plays out better on disc.

Special Features

Tracking the Front: The Path of Twisters (14:53) – This featurette is about the legacy of the first movie, but never mentions that this new movie is a sequel, only hinting that it’s an update of the original. (And no one ever addresses the fact that the storm tracking machinery “Dorothy,” from the first film, has a cameo in this movie… which I find odd.) Daisy Edgar-Jones talks about how much she loved the original movie and was really excited to do this. The main actors of this film talk about working with each other and compliment each other’s talents. The cast and crew also talk about the challenges of shooting on location in Oklahoma’s “Tornado Alley,” and having to take breaks from filming due to actual storms, causing what they dubbed “Lightning Delays.”

Into the Eye of the Storm (24:07) is the meat-and-potatoes of the featurettes, covering the most details of the production. The director, Lee Isaac Chung, and tech crew discuss each tornado and how they were created for the film, starting with the prologue and the first tornado victims (which is also where we learn that the actors did their own wire work for this sequence!). With the different kinds of tornadoes being detailed, we see several effects passes, showing the footage originally shot before effects, and each layer of effects on top of that to create the weather, tornado, and debris. We’re then taken to the tornado devastation set in Oklahoma where the crew built a stretch of houses that were destroyed by a tornado in the movie, and we get a closer look at the details of it. For the now-iconic rodeo sequence, Chung talks about finding the perfect hotel they could adapt to work for the scene. They built a rodeo in an empty field right next to the hotel, and then built the in-ground pool on set as well. Next, they talk about showing the inside of the “fifth tornado,” and then building up the mega tornado for the finale, starting with its attack on an oil refinery, and then the showdown in the small Oklahoma town. For the action in the town, they used two large jet engines to toss debris around, and then built the movie theater set on a sound stage for the actors to interact with (and to enable it to be broken up into pieces). Overall, it’s a pretty solid making-of featurette. (2 “S” words)

Glen Powell: All Access (3:12) – For this short piece, Glen takes us to his hotel room on location in Oklahoma and talks about giving viewers a peek into a day in his life making the movie. We learn that he actually brings his parents to the set for each of his movies, and even gets them a cameo in his films. For this one, they appear sitting behind him and Daisy during the rodeo sequence! We see a couple short bits of him on set and it’s over pretty quickly.

Front Seat to a Chase (5:16) is all about stormchasers and the cast and crew doing their homework for getting ready to play stormchasers in the film. We hear from some actual chasers and see some brief footage inside their vehicles as they head out into a dangerous storm. They talk about how the 1996 movie inspired a whole new passion for actual stormchasing, too. One of the chasers shows us his tricked-out Subaru Outback, which is actually outfitted with the same kind of drill spikes seen used in the film. (1 “h*ll” and one bleeped-out “F” word)

Voice of a Villain (6:16) talks about making the movie feel as real as possible and creating the “majesty” of the tornadoes as the film’s “villain.” For recreating the tornadoes, the crew did lots of sound research. The sound engineer also gives us a look at the “ingredients” of making the sound of a tornado. For the winds, they used things like a Huey helicopter and the howl of a train, and then they added in creature vocalizations for a little extra menace. For the tornado siren, they went out and recorded a real, functioning tornado siren, and for the vehicles, they recorded live vehicles sounds, and used those along with the tried and true efforts of foley artists.

Tricked-Out Trucks (4:31) – Here, they focus on the vehicles that have been adapted specifically for stormchasing. Tyler’s truck pays homage to original movie being bright red – like Bill’s – which is a nice touch. And the crew consulted actual chasers who showed them how to accurately adapt their vehicles for the movie. (1 “bad *ss”)

Deleted Scenes (2:06) – There are about 3 deleted scenes all lumped together in a short, two-minute montage. First, we see Kate walking out of work in New York to meet Javi at his van, and she agrees to help him for one week only. The next scene shows Kate freshening up in a convenience store bathroom before meeting Boone out in the main part of the store to watch a weather report about how intense the storms are projected to be. Boone makes some random remark to Kate about being “emotionally unavailable.” Finally, Tyler and Kate have a little moment while standing on a hill in view of the countryside below, and he wipes some dirt off her cheek. We then see her walking away alone as the rest of the Twister wranglers are seen having fun and laughing in the background. Overall, none of the moments here add all that much to the story, so I see why they were cut. It also makes me wonder if we’ll be seeing more deleted footage with a later release of the movie.

Gag Reel (3:59) – This gag reel is kind of your standard blooper reel, but it’s a peek into the fun the cast had while making the movie. Aside from line delivery mistakes, the montage includes stuff like the cast randomly dancing on set and acting silly in other ways. (1 “S” word, 1 bleeped “F” word, 1 incomplete “mother–,” 3 “Oh G-d,” 1 “G-d”)

Feature Commentary – Lastly, you can watch the whole movie with a feature commentary from director Lee Isaac Chung.

– John DiBiase, (reviewed: 10/20/24)

The long awaited sort-of sequel to 1996’s Twister is already available digitally less than a month since it first hit theaters! The digital release is presented in 4K UHD with two small special features that together clock in at just over six minutes.

The special features on the AppleTV digital copy include:

Twisters in Digital 4K: – Not gonna lie; I was pretty surprised by how the picture looks in digital 4K. Aside from being surprisingly grainy at times, the contrast isn’t all that drastic, and the color isn’t quite as vibrant as one would probably expect. My guess is the forthcoming 4K UHD disc release will look pretty fantastic, and perhaps the Apple digital copy just doesn’t quite capture the 4K stream all that well (which is unusual for Apple if that is indeed the case).

As for the movie on a small screen… it’s still in theaters, and I can’t recommend it enough to see it on the biggest screen possible! I caught it on IMAX twice, and it was impressive (and immersive) both times. Still, the movie is surprisingly pretty solid, so if you’re a fan of the original, you probably won’t want to miss this new one, even on your screen at home.

Deleted Scenes (2:06) – There are about 3 deleted scenes all lumped together in a short, two-minute montage. First, we see Kate walking out of work in New York to meet Javi at his van, and she agrees to help him for one week only. The next scene shows Kate freshening up in a convenience store bathroom before meeting Boone out in the main part of the store to watch a weather report about how intense the storms are projected to be. Boone makes some random remark to Kate about being “emotionally unavailable.” Finally, Tyler and Kate have a little moment while standing on a hill in view of the countryside below, and he wipes some dirt off her cheek. We then see her walking away alone as the rest of the Twister wranglers are seen having fun and laughing in the background. Overall, none of the moments here add all that much to the story, so I see why they were cut. It also makes me wonder if we’ll be seeing more deleted footage with a later release of the movie.

Gag Reel (3:59) – This gag reel is kind of your standard blooper reel, but it’s a peek into the fun the cast had while making the movie. Aside from line delivery mistakes, the montage includes stuff like the cast randomly dancing on set and acting silly in other ways. (1 “S” word, 1 bleeped “F” word, 1 incomplete “mother–,” 3 “Oh G-d,” 1 “G-d”)

– John DiBiase (reviewed: 8/15/24)

 

 Sex/Nudity: We see Kate sleeping in bed and then her boyfriend pop up behind her to put his arm around her, but she wakes up and we realize she was dreaming; One guy yells at another guy the insult “blow me!”
 Vulgarity/Language: 14 “S” words, 7 “h*ll” (plus at least 2 in an end credits song), 4 “a” words, 1 “a**h*le,” 6 “Oh my G-d,” 4 “d*mn,” 5 “Oh G-d,” 1 “For G-d’s sake,” 1 “Oh Lord”
 Alcohol/Drugs: None.
 Blood/Gore: Kate is hit in the thigh with debris, immediately leaving a deep bloody gash on her leg. The camera focuses on it briefly; As we see Kate walking a little later, we get another detailed look at the bloody gash on her leg with blood running down it; In one scene, we see the scar left on Kate’s leg from the injury; We see a man stagger into a field, bend over and vomit; A person crawls out from under an overturned truck and has blood on their head, arms and face.
 Violence: Potential SPOILERS Ahead: We see several people get pulled away up into a tornado. One is hit by debris and injured as well; We see a vehicle get engulfed by a tornado; Tyler rides his truck directly into tornadoes several times and drills anchors into the ground in order not to get sucked up into them; A tornado hits a rodeo, causing people and animals to flee in terror. We see the grandstands get demolished and people sucked up into the tornado. It also hits a hotel, causing destruction and possibly deaths as well; A man is hunkering down on the floor and panicking during a tornado. He then stands up and is immediately caught up in the storm; We see the aftermath of a town devastated by a tornado; A man’s leg is caught under fallen debris, but a couple people come to his aid and free him. A water tower nearby is hit by debris and collapses in front of them; A twister goes through a factory, causing explosions and the tornado to turn into a funnel of fire. A car gets caught up in the mayhem and is knocked on its side. Debris then hits it and rights it; A person hangs on to another person’s hand as they nearly get pulled up into a tornado; A truck is tossed around in a storm and overturned; And other weather-related action violence.