Twisters: 4K UHD Review
Director Jan de Bont’s 1996 disaster film, Twister was one of the biggest films of the 90’s. It was even turned into a theme park ride at Universal Studios. Surprisingly we never got an actual sequel, which is strange for such a huge summer blockbuster. Then again, natural disaster movies have never been known to launch franchises. I guess even Hollywood thinks throwing the same characters into another storm is just a little too much. It makes sense that Lee Isaac Chung’s Twisters is more of a remake than a reboot or sequel. We get all new characters doing pretty much the same things the other characters did in the 90’s film. While the effects in the original still look impressive at times (still love the drive-in scene), CGI has come a hell of a long way in the past three decades and of course, the storms look much more realistic now.
After former storm chaser Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones) lost her boyfriend and friends in a deadly tornado, she decided to leave the thrill-chasing job behind and move to the city, to work for the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Five years after the life-altering event, Kate is paid a visit by her former colleague, Javi (Anthony Ramos). He now works for a mobile tornado radar company called Storm Par. Kate agrees to work with Javi and his team for a week in Oklahoma, because she believes that the technology they have can help save people from future deadly tornadoes.
However, Storm Par isn’t the only team chasing tornadoes. Celebrity storm chaser, Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), also known as the “Tornado Wrangler” has arrived. While Javi and Kate chase tornadoes in hopes to use their equipment to scan tornados, Tyler and his team, seem to be more interested in capitalizing on it. However, it doesn’t take long for us to learn that not only has Javi not been completely transparent about his financial motivations, but Tyler and his team are a lot more selfless than Kate initially thought.
One of the key elements that made the original Twister such a fun ride, was not only the terrifying situations the characters found themselves in, but the film was filled lined with an incredible cast. Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, Cary Elwes, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Ruck and Jami Gertz helped give us a great human element. Powell, Edgar-Jones and Ramos bring quite a bit of life to their roles, with Powell being the stand-out. He simply oozes charm. While Twisters isn’t as memorable as the original, it delivers on what you want from a film of this (mother) nature.
Twisters arrives on 4K UHD with a stunning 2160p presentation with Dolby Vision. While the recent 4K restoration of the original film looked great, the remake tops it from a visual standpoint. The Oklahoma rural landscape looks incredibly vibrant. I can’t remember the last time farmland looked this great in a film, especially during the calm before the twisters arrive. The deep blacks on display make some of the darker lit disaster sequences pop more. A perfect example would be the flaming tornado that arrives later in the film. The flames absolutely glow and look truly wicked. One of the most important elements in a natural disaster feature, would be the audio track. While Twisters is really meant to be seen on a huge screen with top-notch audio (like in a Dolby Theater or IMAX), the Dolby Atmos track included will definitely give your system a workout. The sound of the wind, rain, debris and total destruction will fill your room to the max. The howl and screams of the twisters themselves are nightmare fuel.
While I still prefer the original film, Twisters does deliver and for the most part, gives you just what you would want in a tornado film.
Bonus Features:
- GAG REEL
- DELETED SCENES
- TRACKING THE FRONTS: THE PATH OF TWISTERS – Trace the trajectory of TWISTERS from its earliest inception to production and get to know the cast as they lead this look into creating their characters, using science to add authenticity, and working through extreme weather wreaking havoc on set.
- INTO THE EYE OF THE STORM – Discover how TWISTERS blends practical and visual effects to turn nature’s most destructive forces into entertaining thrills.
- GLEN POWELL: ALL ACCESS – Glen Powell provides a private tour of a day in his life on the TWISTERS set.
- FRONT SEAT TO A CHASE – Strap in with the cast and professional storm chasers as they brave the elements to track tornados in Oklahoma.
- VOICE OF A VILLAIN* – Hear the creation of the film’s deafening howls with a seat in the studio where the audio team mixes unexpected sounds to give the storms a new dimension of depth.
- TRICKED-OUT TRUCKS – Buckle up for a wild ride in the film’s custom vehicles fitted with unique features ranging from rocket launchers to advanced radar tech.
- FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR LEE ISAAC CHUNG
By: Marc Ferman