‘Twister’ Movie and 4K Review
The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.
“Twister” is a film that is currently celebrating its 28th anniversary. It raises two important questions—where has time gone, and when did I become old? Watching “Twister” for the first-time since its release, it is clear this is a quintessential 1990’s action flick—you have your movie stars, your big budget, and your special effects. If you are able to shut off your brain and sit back and enjoy the ride, there is plenty to like here. If you are looking for logic or a complex story, you have come to the wrong movie. Your enjoyment level of this movie is solely dependent on your ability to suspend your disbelief when it comes to flying cows and off-the-wall tornadoes.
In the opening scene, we see a young woman named Jo Harding who unfortunately loses her father in an F5 tornado. This has stayed with her well until her adult life, as she is now entrenched in the world of tornadoes as a professional storm chaser. She is going through a divorce with her weatherman husband named Bill, played by the late Bill Paxton. He is hoping she will sign the rest of their divorce papers, so he can finally marry Dr. Melissa Reeves, a reproductive therapist, played by Jami Gertz. Jo (Helen Hunt), however, is dragging her feet as she still has feelings for Bill. They soon find themselves in a situation where they need to work together in order to survive because a massive tornado is coming their way.
Jo and Bill have created a storm-device called Dorothy, which can predict if a storm is happening fifteen minutes ahead of time as opposed to the usual three minutes. This will give people more time to prepare for a tornado and make sure they find a safe haven for them and their loved ones. It needs to get close to a tornado in order for the sensors inside of it to track any weather data. Jo has also assembled a talented team which includes Dustin Davis (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Rabbit (Alan Ruck). The scene stealer here is Philip Seymour Hoffman. I would describe him as Jeff Spicoli if he ever pursued a career as a storm-chaser, and he steals every scene he’s in throughout. He’s hilarious, charming and off-the-wall.
“Twister” is an incredibly entertaining action picture that works because of the jaw-dropping special effects and its likable cast. Helen Hunt, in particular, is great as a strongly written female character dealing with grief and trauma by trying to make sure no one ever experiences what she went through as a child. Bill Paxton is a cheesy goofball who doesn’t see what’s right in front of him and the fact he’s better off with Jo. Jami Gertz takes a thankless role as the “other woman” and makes it work to where the audience still likes her, even though we’d rather see Jo and Bill together.
The special effects and tornado scenes are expected to deliver in a film like “Twister,” and they do not disappoint. The film is wise to take some time to have the characters interact with one another, so that when the storm scenes kick up a notch, we care about what happens to the participants. They also build up the storm scenes so when they happen, we are waiting for them and are emotionally invested. “Twister” was directed by Jan de Bont, who had previously directed 1993’s “Speed.” He knows how to blend the action scenes in with the character scenes in an effortless way, and he hits the right balance throughout. After not seeing the film for over two decades, one of my concerns was it would be too action heavy. I’m glad to see he strikes the right chord with his direction. It helps that the film was co-written by Michael Crichton, the smart and talented author and screenwriter.
“Twister”is about fifteen minutes too long, and sometimes there are too many characters here, some of which I did not mention. It’s not a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination. However, for a big-budget action flick, it’s exactly what it needs to be and then some. As mentioned earlier, there is a build-up to the storm scenes, which are bonkers and over-the-top. It’s about making the little scenes and the big scenes matter and co-exist together in harmony. It’s also about having fun. There is a lot of fun to be had with “Twister” even in 2024. It’s an entertaining action film with some big laughs and even bigger explosions.
* * * ½ out of * * * *
4K Info: “Twister” is released on a single disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running time of 117 minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense depiction of very bad weather. This release also comes with a digital copy of the film along with a really cool looking slipcover.
4K Video: This is one of my favorite 4K releases of the year from a visual standpoint. It looks gorgeous, clear, and vivid. When I think of this movie, I think of the colors. The colors really pop here, especially when the sky outside is green. It’s a tremendous looking 4K and it’s an early candidate for one of the best 4K releases of the year.
Audio Info: The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is a fantastic touch here, as this is a big screen movie that is being brought right into your home theater. This film was made for 4K. The big scenes feel big with this Dolby Atmos track. It sounded perfect. It wasn’t too boisterous or in-your-face, but it gets the point across in an effective manner. They did a great job here, too.
Special Features:
The Legacy of Twister – Taken by the Wind (NEW)
Chasing the Storm: Twister Revisited
Anatomy of a Twister
The Making of Twister
Van Halen Music Video – “Humans Being”
Commentary by director Jan de Bont and visual effects supervisor Stefen Fangmeier
Should You Buy It?
HECK YES! If you enjoy a good action flick in 4K, “Twister”is exactly why they made this format in the first place. It’s the movie you show your friends and family when you are trying to convince them to switch from Blu-ray to 4K. It also comes with a brand-new special feature, which is rare on catalog titles from studios. You also have the previously released Blu-ray special features, so you can keep the 4K and have everything that came with the Blu-ray as well. It’s the best of both worlds. Even though this film looks and feels like a 1990’s summer blockbuster, I found it to be a blast because it holds up well while also being a good nostalgia piece as well. If I were you, I’d buy this film on day one of its release. It comes highly recommended.
**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.
The Ultimate Rabbit 