Just in time for fall, we鈥檝e got 鈥淭wisters鈥 on DVD.
This time out, though, we鈥檙e chasing the chasers who have turned twisters into a social media phenomenon. Like the first edition (with Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton), 鈥淭wisters鈥 loads up with a cavalcade of characters, then watches them react.
Key is Glen Powell, riding on a string of hits that began with 鈥淭op Gun: Maverick.鈥 Here he鈥檚 a similar hotshot, recording tornadoes for a YouTube channel. Online, he attracts a strong following of storm chasers who think nothing of their own safety and revel in the adventure.
Along for the ride? An insurance company looking to swoop in when devastation makes it impossible for residents to rebuild. It has a series of meteorologists tracking storms and helping beat others to the punch.

Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones in a scene from "Twisters."聽
The reluctant traveler is Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), who works for the National Weather Service and has reason not to go into the line of fire. An earlier tornado resulted in the deaths of people she held dear. Even though she has an idea how to tame them, she doesn鈥檛 want to go into the field 鈥 until a friend, Javi (played by Anthony Ramos), begs her to track tornadoes for a lifesaving project. She agrees, but recoils when she sees the 鈥渢ornado wrangler鈥 making a profit off others鈥 woes.
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Naturally, storms bring the warring factions together and soon, Powell and Edgar-Jones are making like John Travolta and Debra Winger in 鈥淯rban Cowboy.鈥 The path leads to her childhood home, her mother (nicely played by Maura Tierney) and a science project that led to her choice of careers.
While 鈥淭wisters鈥 is more involved than 鈥淭wister,鈥 it does follow a similar route and does feature a cameo by Paxton鈥檚 son. (More interesting, perhaps, is David Corenswet as a cap-wearing storm chaser who doesn鈥檛 appear to go in for much nonsense. Considering his next big film is 鈥淪uperman,鈥 it鈥檚 interesting how he鈥檚 able to blend into the background and keep Javi from tipping his hand. Clark Kent, indeed.)
Edgar-Jones doesn鈥檛 appear ready to fall for some of the film鈥檚 playfulness, but she does make an interesting lead, even if that means she has to veer into rom-com territory.
While some of the scenes are just plain silly, the twister that spins through an Oklahoma town is frightening enough to make you wonder if the home you鈥檙e sitting in is safe.
Director Lee Isaac Chung uses special effects well and manages to offer a few salient tips for those who may be in a similar situation. He doesn鈥檛 connect this to the 1996 film but he does indicate there鈥檚 worth in reminding people of natural disasters, not just man-made ones.
Like its predecessor, 鈥淭wisters鈥 is primed for a big audience. It has danger, romance and intrigue all wrapped into one. Safer than a basement in fall, it lets you ride out a storm without getting so much as a scratch.