“Twisters”: Whirlwind Emotions and Impressive Special Effects on the Big Screen

Just as space explorers chased their dream to the Moon in Fly Me to the Moon, storm chasers track the fiercest tempests on Earth in Twisters. This is the premise on which the film’s story rests. We had the privilege of being invited by Warner Bros France to the film’s premiere. Here is our review:

‘Twisters‘ is a reimagining of the 1996 blockbuster ‘Twister‘. Produced by the teams behind Jurassic World and Indiana Jones, the film centers on Kate (played by Daisy Edgar-Jones), a former tornado chaser. Still traumatized by a storm that claimed lives in her circle, Kate now prefers to study storms safely from New York. However, the arrival of Javi (played by Anthony Ramos), her former storm-chasing partner, disrupts her tranquility. He proposes testing a new tornado detector, and she agrees. During this adventure, she meets Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a famous influencer known for his storm-chasing videos. Javi and Tyler seem to be in competition to capture the best footage and content of the tornadoes striking Oklahoma.

The characters are well developed in the film. Kate, a tornado enthusiast, has developed a sixth sense for predicting these weather phenomena, using natural elements like wheat or dandelions to guide her team. Daisy Edgar-Jones, who portrays Kate, finds the character’s journey very compelling. Alongside Kate is Tyler, a charming cowboy obsessed with his popularity, who has swapped his horse for a Dodge Ram. A former rodeo star, Tyler is depicted as a daredevil and a rival to the Javi/Kate duo. Javi, on the other hand, is the opposite of Tyler. An ambitious and meticulous entrepreneur, he founded StormPar, a company developing an electronic scanning radar to study tornadoes. This advanced technology is an improved version of the machine seen in Twister.

Twisters is definitely an immersive and captivating experience to watch in theaters, thanks in large part to the excellent performances by the cast. Each member of the cast had the opportunity to prepare for their role with the help of Kevin Kelleher, a former analyst with the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), who provided them with in-depth knowledge about tornadoes. Glenn, having personally witnessed the devastating power of a tornado during his childhood, particularly drew on this experience to make his performance even more convincing.

In addition to the actors’ talent, the special effects play a crucial role in the film. The tornadoes depicted in Twisters are inspired by real tornadoes, created through a combination of practical and digital effects. To bring these tornadoes to life realistically, the production enlisted Scott R. Fisher, who used jet engines to generate powerful winds, water cannons and a 38,000-liter tank for rain, as well as fake hail made of polyacrylamide. Daisy Edgar-Jones recalls the intense and wild filming experience: “It was the craziest adventure imaginable, except this time it was life-sized and I was living it! There’s one scene in particular […] where, while we were trying to dodge debris and take cover, the team used a crane to drop a horse trailer from the sky.“

Making Twisters was a crazy but entirely successful challenge. The realism of the scenes brings intense tension, with each tornado destroying everything in its path, keeping you glued to your seat.

If there’s one critique to be made about Twisters, it would be its soundtrack. A specially composed score to accompany the tornadoes would have made the scenes even more intense and memorable. The silence or typical sound effects failed to fully capture the dramatic scope of these natural phenomena. While this shortcoming doesn’t detract significantly from the film, it would have been a valuable enhancement. An epic musical score could have amplified the tension and left a stronger impression, making each tornado unforgettable.

However, the film managed to captivate us throughout the entire screening. Epic scenes, incredible special effects, and solid performances from the actors make it an incredible discovery. Each moment is intense and beautifully executed, making the viewing experience particularly enjoyable. Don’t miss out—Twisters hits theaters this week!