What makes Twister a phenomenal experience? The 30th anniversary of the hit movie, featuring Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, and a stellar cast all around, lands as a truly fun and gripping experience even after all of these years. The dialogue, facial expressions, and the outrageous Dusty (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) measure up to a surreal account of what it’s like to track twisters, while also trying to understand them.
If you’ve never seen Twister, stop, find it online or rent it from your local library, and then make some popcorn. Maybe grab some of your favorite candy and a soda. It’s a film where the idea of what you’re watching is actually terrifying; twisters are scary. The devastation they leave behind feels immeasurable. When you get to watch that on screen, “up close” and personal, the characters amplify those butterflies in your stomach – even if a couple of them are a little too enthusiastic about getting into harm’s way.
30 Years of Twister: Why It Might Land for Younger Audiences
Although my kids liked the movie, at ages 10 and 11 (or 11 and 12), there wasn’t a rave review left behind afterwards. They enjoyed the comedic elements and seeing the twisters onscreen, but the personal story lingering throughout didn’t seem to be as impactful for them. It’s safe to say, like all movies, any one person might like a movie a great deal, while another will think it’s “okay.”
Even if your kids were to watch this movie, they can still come across the notion that some people will push their limits, even if that means putting themselves in danger. Hunt’s character, Dr. Jo Harding, is trying to learn enough about tornadoes to help create an advanced warning system, so families don’t experience unspeakable tragedy, like her own when her father was killed trying to keep them safe during a storm. Parents will do anything to keep their kids safe, and, sometimes, those kids will do anything to make things right.
Jo tries to put her technology in the path of a twister, even if it means she gets swept up, as well. Paxton’s character, Bill Harding, is the one person who won’t leave her side. Yes, they’re in the middle of a divorce, but he understands the pain she’s tormented with, while trying to keep her from going over the metaphorical edge when turning back isn’t an option. Even though their marriage is over, he still cares for her and wants to help her move on. He wants to help her achieve her dreams, and subsequently their dreams, of gaining insight into the inner workings of a twister.
This idea of longstanding relationships, going out of your way to help others, all while blending in some science and incredible tornado sequences, it builds this idea of sticking around for the things that matter. Even if Twister isn’t your little one’s favorite film, it definitely lands some important messages in a very fun package.
Twister Still Does Not Disappoint After All These Years
Twister is a film I keep coming back to. I’ve probably watched it at least once a year since seeing it in theater all those years ago. If there were any gaps longer than that, I’ve made up for it with multiple rewatches through my college years and beyond. The relationships in this movie seem genuine. There’s an authenticity to the “extreme” behaviors and the camaraderie that follows this band of storm chasers. The cast and all of their quirks mesh together in such a way that gale force winds couldn’t even break them apart.
As someone who doesn’t like arguing, Jo and Bill’s back-and-forth almost seems like a stand-up routine, and everyone else around them isn’t surprised by it. As the movie goes along, it’s easy to see there’s something more beneath the surface that encapsulates this tension: their love for each other. Afraid to say what matters, even if what matters is standing right in front of them. It’s not until the end of Twister that Bill shouts at her in the middle of a stalled tornado, telling her he doesn’t want her to die and that he’s there for her.
Although their relationship might not have the healthiest of communication styles, Bill and his new fiancée Dr. Melissa Reeves (played by Jami Gertz) end their engagement in quite possibly the healthiest way. Melissa explains to Bill that she’s leaving and that Jo needs him. She admits that their relationship wouldn’t last and that they both know that to be true. Even going as far as expressing not knowing how to process that she’s not upset about their breakup; it’s a resounding message of clarity in the simplest form of admitting they’re not right for each other.
Maybe Twister also represents another notion, one where the idea of “storm chasing” sounded appealing to me at a young age. Despite having many nightmares about trying to outrun tornadoes as a child, this film plays out that notion, whether realistic or not, and presents a story where the “good guys” are going up against mother nature, and the “bad guy” isn’t something that can be stopped. The realism behind the film (for me) showcases many different types of people who can be a chaser, but amplifies the need for having a group who wholeheartedly trust in each other.
That’s something that never escapes my mind with this film – the unity of this group – while tossing in witty commentary, including seeing two cows when, in fact, it’s just the one going back and forth in the winds.
A Twister Rating Scale
It is one of the best action movies, because it’s not simply an action movie. It has wacky characters and equally wild moments that imprint a positive movie-going experience, even when watching on the small screen after 30 years. There’s also a level of care the group has for one another that lends to wanting to see this cast again and again. Yes, Bill left to become a “weatherman,” but his return was met with a sense that he never truly left at all.
Twister lands a solid 9.1 out of 10. It may be higher, but it’s an imperfect score, much like the characters and their own imperfections. It’s difficult not to adore this story where they squeeze out humor in the midst of terrifying reality and heartbreak. It’s perhaps why it’s never gotten old. Yes, there is the broken windshield of the truck that somehow repairs itself in one scene, but that’s just a continued reminder that not everything has to be perfect for it to be marvelous. That’s what Twister is for me.
Twister
Release: 1996
Rated: PG-13
Length: 1 hour, 53 minutes
Are you a fan of Twister? Did you see it in theater? Do you have kids and have they watched it? Was their experience the same as your own or was it simply “fine” for them? Share your thoughts in the comments or start a conversation with me over on social media.
For more GPG comment, perhaps check out other films I love such as A Knight’s Tale and Mockingjay: Part 2. Until next time, thanks for reading.
