“Twisters” blows into theaters this weekend.
A legacy sequel to 1996’s “Twister,” this time starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell, it follows a new group of researchers as they look to track – and potentially disrupt – an increasingly violent series of tornadoes. It’s a ton of fun, has a kick-ass soundtrack and features very pretty people getting bombarded with rain and hall and all sorts of stuff. What is there not to love?
But prior to heading off to the theater, you probably have a very simple question: do I need to watch “Twister” before I see “Twisters?” Let’s get into it, with a minor spoiler warning, just to cover our bases.
Do I need to watch “Twister?”
Well, yes, you do. The 1996 film, cinematographer-turned-director Jan de Bont’s follow-up to his breathtaking debut “Speed,” is a l0w-key masterpiece, with tornado-chasers (and soon-to-be-exes) Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt chasing an unprecedented storm system. De Bont recently told us that he was drawn to the fact that it was a “His Girl Friday”-style relationship movie nestled inside of a big budget disaster movie, festooned with cutting edge and mostly untested visual effects (by Industrial Light & Magic, who return for the new movie). Also – there’s a gorgeous new 4K UHD disc that restores a scene in a way that de Bont had been trying to achieve for decades.
No, but do I need to watch “Twister” before I see “Twisters?”
Sure.
You don’t sound so sure.
Well, there is very little that connects “Twister” to “Twisters.”
What do you mean?
Well, while the movie seems to be setting up, for much of its runtime, a glorious Helen Hunt reveal, that reveal sadly never comes. This is all about a new storm system, a new bunch of cowboys (and gals) and a new attempt at both documenting and disarming the tornadoes before they are able to inflict as much damage.
Is there anything connecting the two?
There are. For one, our hero (played by Edgar-Jones) uses Dorothy V, a later version of the Dorothy system that Hunt and Paxton deployed in the first movie. (It’s unclear if their system was widely adopted by meteorologists or if something happened that left their technology by the wayside.) There’s also a Dorothy ball behind Edgar-Jones in a later scene, tucked away in her makeshift barn laboratory.
Anything else?
There are certain scenes that, let’s say, echo the original movie. In particular, there’s a version of the first movie’s surprise drive-in movie theater attack, this time taking place at a nighttime rodeo, that is absolutely devilish. You feel the original film coursing through the new movie. And we are sure there are more Easter eggs, but we’ve only watched the movie twice. More will be revealed on repeat viewings, we are very sure.
Just tell me whether or not to watch “Twister” before “Twisters.”
Yes, definitely watch it. You don’t need to see it to understand the new movie, but not only will it inform some of the stuff in the new movie (like Dorothy’s cameo), but it will also make for much discussion on the drive home. Also, you can talk about how far visual effects have come in nearly three decades. The first movie’s effects are still beyond impressive, but what they were able to do in this new movie is downright spectacular
“Twisters” is in theaters now.
