How does “Twisters,” one of the biggest movies of the summer, hold up to the original “Twister,” one of the biggest blockbusters of the 1990s? Separated by nearly three decades, the two Oklahoma-centric films stand apart in the disaster thriller genre. Here is how they stack up to each other, and how “Twisters” blazed its own trail in contemporary cinema.
“Twister” is a cult classic now, but when it came out in 1996, it was a very big deal. CGI was just starting to become a more widely used feature in movies, and the effects in “Twister” were well done compared to what was coming out at the same time, earning two Academy Awards. It had a notable cast, featured music made for the movie by world-famous rock band Van Halen, and was Warner Bros. most successful release up to that point. While it may not meet the standards of modern movies, it is still a great watch, and an essential one for any Oklahoman.
“Twisters” was met with immense box office success, and deservedly so. It has the highest grossing domestic opening weekend for any natural disaster movie, continuing to build steam with trends on social media.
However, for those looking for a direct continuation of the original story, fans were disappointed. Only a small reference at the beginning of the movie, showing a device pivotal to the plot of the first, is the only nod to its predecessor. “Twisters” obviously wanted to make its own impact, but the two movies still had many similarities.
Both romanticize the vocation of storm chasing, but that is to be expected in any Hollywood adaptation of the job. They both have love triangles that add a secondary plot to the movie, adding a little more depth and drama. Both feature a main character who has a knack for “sensing” what a storm is going to do, and both female main characters of the two movies go through a traumatic tornado experience prior to the events of the story.
Both movies had storm chasers using revolutionary technology to aid in better understanding and even stopping tornadoes. While fun to imagine, it wasn’t entirely believable, but still essential to the plot.
While you would expect tornadoes to be the antagonist of the plot, both movies tended to make a rival storm chasing team the villain. “Twisters” kept the “homegrown vs. corporate” theme of the first, but gave it a twist; starting two of the main characters off with the bad guys, a well-funded team with ulterior motives to storm chasing.
This is where the movies start to drift apart. In “Twister,” the main conflict is between the main characters’ storm team and another with more funding that has stolen their ideas. That conflict is resolved by the rival team getting killed, and while it isn’t a triumphant moment, it’s less about the real threat of tornadoes and more about the egos of the chasers.
The main characters of “Twister” suffer from a bad case of “plot armor” and it makes tornadoes feel less dangerous. “Twisters” addresses this better, and is much more intense with significantly more onscreen death and destruction.
The main characters from both teams join together to help people in danger, and do something to help stop the carnage. This unification against a common enemy is an immediate improvement over “Twister.”
Continuing this theme, “Twisters” focused more on the impact of tornadoes on Oklahomans, with much more believable effects, and a spotlight on the relief and aid that goes into helping a community back onto its feet.
At the Shawnee Cinema Centre 8 opening of the movie, there was an American Red Cross emergency response vehicle used in the movie on display, with a technician explaining the role and importance of first responders and others who serve disaster areas.
Overall “Twisters” was very exciting with very few breaks in the action, with those to advance the Hallmark movie-esque romance. It showed the main character overcome her trauma with tornado chasing to use her skills to help people. It highlighted that struggle, instead of blowing off her fears.
“Twisters” also featured music made for the movie, this time from country star Luke Combs. Scenes were shot on location at many Oklahoma towns, including some in Chickasha – just a mile north of USAO. While the shots are attributed to another town, they are still recognizable, and it is still fun to see something so close to campus on the big screen.
In the end, “Twisters” is a movie about all those who suffer from the threat of tornadoes but are still intrigued by their power and unique beauty, and a worthwhile watch. It will no doubt not only continue, but significantly boost the trend of movies telling stories in and about Oklahoma.
Thomas Buchanan is a third-year art major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
