Twisters follows the story of a former storm chaser Kate and a social media sensation Tyler, even as their worlds collide amidst a brewing storm. And to counter the tempest, they must join forces. The story here may not entirely be novel but it definitely ticks most boxes of a disaster movie. For starters, the tornado portions are excellent and would immediately gravitate you towards the drama with some high intensity sequences. Secondly, the character motivations are pretty competent as well wherein you are invested in the journey of the protagonist given that you have been witness to her loss early on in the film. Thirdly, the film also works with the viewer’s perceptions with respect to a few characters that adds a sort of an arc while also indulging in the drama entering the feel-good category(only briefly), something that adds the human element in the drama in an otherwise tornado-heavy film. The human element was an important ingredient given how emotions do arise from humans, something that was contrary to the one showcased in Godzilla x Kong film. As a result, the screenplay standing at a shade under 2 hours is compelling and offers a variety of emotions to its viewers while seldom losing sight of the crux of the film which is the tornado destruction.

The key aspect of its drama is the characterization of Katy which is done pretty well. By the time the viewers are acquainted with her new life, you do know that Katy has suffered a personal loss while acknowledging her love for weather and tornadoes. So it hardly comes as a surprise when Katy’s only surviving friend Javi offers her a one week position to gather data from a tornado which would hit the city of Oklahama soon. Once the drama shifts focus to the ‘competitive’ arena, you are introduced to a spate of other characters including Tyler, an internet sensation who does across as a cocky personality. This is where the writers play with the perceptions of the characters so well given that they reveal only one side of the personality of Tyler to begin with.

The proceedings are intense with atleast four to five sequences featuring the tornado that would potentially give you an adrenaline rush. And much had to do with a simmering layer of tension originating from the tempest, as well as a little game of one-upmanship. There is a genuine sense of excitement in all those sequences that are prolonged to paint a holistic picture around a potential threat that is lurking around the corner. But these sequences also have a specific purpose in terms of the motivations of a handful of characters. This, even as the pendulum of morality begins to shift for the protagonist who unearths a sinister plan of her own group while gravitating to the character of Tyler who definitely has a changed perception from the viewer’s perspective.

The drama briefly slows down in the second hour when the focus briefly shifts towards the vulnerability of Katy even as she reflects on her past. This was almost like the calm before the storm although I did feel that the entire sequence could have been slightly trimmed out, while transitioning to the all important third act wherein the entire action lay. I was briefly disappointed by the relatively curtailed final act which could have further being elongated by raising the stakes even further. But the cinematic meta-representation of tornado taking the place of cinema was such an interesting addition. In a scene, you see the screen of a movie theatre blow away while the camera pans on the tornado in that vicinity(and in place of the missing screen). That for me was cinema, even though its final resolution remained cliched and very convenient. But overall, the screenplay is well written and ticks most boxes for a disaster movie.