MPAA Rating: PG-13/Genre: Disaster Thriller/Stars: Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, Jami Gertz, Lois Smith, Alan Ruck, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeremy Davies, Todd Field, Zach Grenier, Nicholas Sadler, Abraham Benrubi, Jake Busey, Scott Thomson, Sean Whalen, Joey Slotnick, Wendle Josepher, Alexa Vega/Runtime: 113 minutes
Among the many things I have been blessed to learn during my time on this planet, there are several which always stand out to more than the others especially as I sit down to write this review. Those are, in no particular order, Mondays are evil, taxes will drive you mad, the right love can be eternal, and above all nature can be the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen….or the most terrifying nightmare you’ll ever witness. Yet while the only examples of the latter lesson I have personally witnessed in my life (as of this writing) are a volcanic eruption in Hawaii (whilst hiking the volcano in question incidentally), massive flooding, and a freak snowstorm there are places in the United States that have a fairly recurring weather phenomenon that perhaps is a bit more volatile and chilling. That is because the part of the country I am writing about is one that deals with something known as tornadoes. A phenomenon that, for what it’s worth, can be quite the harrowing ordeal to witness let alone to have descend upon your residence. I mean not only are we talking about winds that can potentially get up to 300 MPH, but we’re also talking about a storm that can pick up all sorts of debris and turn all of it into flying projectiles, one that has the potential to go from bad to worse in terms of size increase, and above all the fact one that can form a heck of a lot more rapidly than most others of a similar destructive ilk thereby meaning they can totally sneak up on you without you even knowing it (talk about one heck of a surprise party). So, of course, with all of this destructive ability on display it shouldn’t really come as a surprise to learn that besides the terror felt by the majority of people who unfortunately find themselves having to live on a planet where these can spring up there is also a group among us who see these forces of nature and think “well that’s terrible, but what if we could make a narrative where these play a pivotal role at some point during the story?”. Incidentally you might know this other group I’m talking about dear reader and that’s because they’re called Hollywood. Yet among the many slices of cinema that have dealt with these, among many other examples of, forces of nature, there is one that I think is worthy of discussing in this review. That being a film from 1996, and slice of cinema I happen to be reviewing for you today incidentally, known simply as Twister. A film that not only was directed by the guy who helmed 1994’s Speed and had none other than Michael Crichton as a writer, but which also starred a true roster of 90s talent including the late Bill Paxton. As you can imagine with that pedigree of talent involved, this is also a slice of cinema I really enjoy. To be sure, it’s not a perfect film, but even so Twister is one thrilling cinematic outing that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat time and time again.
The plot is as follows: Following a prologue that I shan’t spoil for you here, Twister gets its stormy narrative underway by taking us to the iconic state of Oklahoma where we quickly meet our main hero by the name of Bill Harding. A man whose new job might be that of a TV weatherman, but who in the past was an iconic member of that distinct group known as storm chasers. Yet despite wanting to put that chapter of his life in the rearview mirror, we see that Bill has so far been unable to do so for one teeny tiny reason. That being that fellow storm chaser, and his ex-wife incidentally, Jo has steadfastly refused to sign their divorce papers (gee I wonder why?). As a result, we see that Bill, with new fiancée Melissa in tow, has made the journey to where Jo and their team are located to try and get her to do so in order for all parties to begin their lives anew. Of course, it should come as no surprise to learn that Nature and Fate might have other plans in store for him. Plans that start to take form when Jo reveals a surprise to Bill (no not THAT kind of surprise) involving something called Dorothy being completed. Dorothy, we soon learn, is an experimental device that Bill and Jo had been working on and which utilizes a swarm of small sensors that, if launched into a tornado, could not only change the game when it comes to researching the storms, but also be the launchpad for the potential creation of a better warning system as well. The only problem is that for Dorothy to work her magic, the team has to be willing to get as close to a tornado as possible in order for it to be taken by the storm so the sensors can then proceed to enter into the funnel proper. Yet when Bill learns that a former colleague, and current rival in the storm chasing industry, by the name of Jonas Miller has stolen the idea for Dorothy and has plans to get his take on the device, known as Dot3, into a tornado first we see that he begrudgingly agrees to come back into the field for a few days to see to it that Dorothy is first in the skies. Thus with a string of ever-escalating tornadoes on the line-up and the stage being set for this rather distinct weather-themed clash of the titans so to speak can Bill and Jo, with their team and a reluctant Melissa along for the ride, put aside their estrangement to get this one mutual dream of theirs airborne before Jonas and his team or is this weather about to prove itself deadlier than either team could have imagined? That I will leave for you to discover for yourself……
Now right off the ol’ funnel, it should be said that the work done by the various departments behind the camera is fairly solid even if there is a couple of potholes to be found along this distinct path as well. Without a doubt, this starts with the work done by (now retired) the distinct Jan de Bont at the helm and honestly he doesn’t do too bad here which, when taking a look at some of the other movies he made as a director during his career, is most assuredly a compliment. Indeed what de Bont manages to do fairly well here is give audiences a film that, much like Speed from 1994, yes has thrills and excitement to spare, but which also ensures that even with those elements in play, the characters and the various relationships they have with each other are what primarily get center stage for significant sections of the movie. As a result, yes, we as an audience are blown away by the effects on display and yes we are left constantly on the edge of our seat in suspense and awe, but we also genuinely care about the characters involved in this particular story rather than just see them as mere tornado fodder. Sadly, as good as de Bont’s work at the helm is, he is sadly let down a fair bit by this slice of cinema’s script as penned by the writing team of Michael Crichton and Anne-Marie Martin respectively. This is because as funny as some of the lines in this film genuinely are and as much as I love Crichton as a writer, this slice of cinema’s script is one that sadly feels very much at times like the one found in The Day After Tomorrow and other disaster films of a similar ilk. In other words this slice of cinema might be more scientifically accurate (this IS Crichton we are talking about here), but even so the script this film is saddled with definitely makes it fairly easy to predict how the story is going to go to say nothing of what is going to happen to each and every member of the cast of characters in this respectively. Of course, let’s face it: in a film called Twister I know that you might not be here for the actors, but you definitely are here for the storms themselves. Thankfully, the cinematography and visual effects teams behind the camera is wisely aware of this and as such are able to join forces and work together in such a way that not only will the scenes featuring the titular storms consistently leave you thrilled and chilled even after close to 2 decades since the film’s initial release respectively, but they also manage to do a magnificent job of ensuring that you, the viewer are consistently left with a very real feeling of just how powerful and potentially destructive this type of storm truly can become on the world around it. Lastly, I definitely think that this section would be woefully incomplete if I did not take some time to praise the work done by Mark Mancina (2001’s Training Day, 1994’s Speed, 1995’s Money Train, and 2007’s Shooter among others) in terms of this slice of cinema’s musical accompaniment. Indeed not only does Mancina’s work contribute wonderfully to the overall thrilling atmosphere present in the film, but it also brilliantly showcases the excitement, awe, fear, and even determination felt by the main characters as well. Suffice it to say that it might not be flawless by any stretch, but even so there is no denying that the work done behind the camera most assuredly does its part in bringing this slice of cinema to life in as vivid and thrilling a manner as possible.
Alongside the fairly solid work done behind the camera, this slice of disaster cinema is also the blessed recipient of a collection of engaging performances by a truly well-chosen cast of talent in front of the camera as well. Without a doubt in my mind, this starts with the lost too soon screen icon Bill Paxton in, arguably, the lead role and he is wonderful here. Indeed as Bill, we see that Paxton does a terrific job at playing this stubbornly brilliant to say nothing of snarky at times yet overall decent guy who finds himself, albeit reluctantly at first, being dragged back into this life he thought he left behind only to slowly but surely, as the movie goes on and they repeatedly find themselves coming face to face with nature’s fury, begin to rediscover his passion for it whilst also potentially reconciling with his ex-wife in the process. Suffice it to say it’s an iconic performance from a talent who gave us more than his fair share of those in his career. Alongside Paxton, the film also manages to provide movie goers with an equally as delightful co-lead turn from Helen Hunt (What Women Want, the TV show Mad About You) in the role of Bill’s estranged wife Jo. Indeed Hunt does a terrific job at giving us a heroine that is someone who is an admirable blend of determined, tough, vulnerable, passionate about the science she studies, and protective of both her team and the community at large respectively. Indeed it’s a heck of a turn from one of the more underrated actresses of her generation. This film also gives us an antagonist who is played quite memorably by Cary “Westley” Elwes. Yes, the character of Jonas is a fairly one-note antagonist in terms of what’s on the page, but fortunately Elwes makes up for that by making him so unapologetically sleazy, arrogant, and despicable that you find yourself really rooting against him whilst waiting to see him get his comeuppance in some way which, without saying a lot, I can promise he does in a way that is truly thrilling to see. Lastly, I definitely am of the mindset that this section would be woefully lacking if I did not take the time to praise the work done here by the also late yet equally great Philip Seymour Hoffman in the role of Dustin “Dusty” Davis. To be sure, it’s most assuredly a co-starring role, but even so there is no denying that Hoffman (who was easily one of the best talents of his generation) does a terrific job at bringing a hyperactive, if not borderline delightfully maniacal, energy and enthusiasm to a guy who could best be described as the world of tornadoes’ equivalent to a California surfer dude. Indeed not only is it a wonderful performance, but it’s also one that is sure to make you smile and/or laugh every single time that he is on screen in this. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in solid efforts from such performers as Jami Gertz who, as Bill’s significant other Melissa does a wonderful job of both being consistently exasperated by the situation that her fiancé has put her in whilst also getting some of the funniest lines in the film, iconic character actress Lois Smith, Alan Ruck (Cameron from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), Todd Field, Jeremy Davies, and Zach Grenier (Edward Norton’s boss in Fight Club) among others it’s clear that the script might not give their characters as much in the way of characterization as they would like, but even so the cast still does manage to do the best they can with the material they are given no matter how much or how little in terms of screentime that they are given.
All in all and at the end of the day is Twister “96” a perfect and flawless slice of cinema in every way? Sadly, as much as I would love to tell you otherwise, I am afraid that the answer to that question is a definite no. On the other hand, is this the worst entry in either the genre of disaster cinema, the director’s filmography, or any of the respective talent in front of the camera’s individual filmographies? Thankfully, on behalf of both myself to say nothing of my peace of mind, I can also confirm that is most assuredly not the case either. To be sure, this is a slice of cinema that is in possession of a narrative that is more than just a tad bit on the predictable side. As a result, not only will you most likely be able to determine all the various beats that this particular story is sure to hit, but you can also guess with just as much in the way of accuracy what is sure to happen to a lot of the characters in this film as well. With that in mind however, not only is the work at the helm fairly solid, but the visual effects are absolutely stunning, the cinematography is incredible, the soundtrack is engaging, and the performances (with particular regard to the ones given by Hunt, Paxton, Elwes, and Hoffman) are all an absolute delight regardless of both how much or how little screentime they are ultimately given to say nothing of the fact that by and large most of them are playing archetypes rather than three dimensional characters here. Suffice it to say then dear reader that if you are looking for a thought-provoking, hard-hitting drama with three-dimensional characters and a story that is sure to make you shed a tear just in time for Oscar season then I am sorry, but this is not the movie. On the other hand, if you are looking for a fun and thrilling popcorn film that is sure to leave you hooked and very much on the edge of your seat from beginning to end then I have no doubt in my mind that this is definitely the right extreme cinematic weather system for you. Thus Twister might not be the next Best Picture winner by any stretch, but unlike one of the tornadoes in the film I really would like to urge you to not have a cow man and just enjoy the film for what it is. Make of that what thou will dear reader. On a scale of 1-5 I give Twister “96” a solid 3.5 out of 5.
