Released in the summer of 1996, the hokey blockbuster Twister is best remembered for its larger-than-life marketing and its (at the time) cutting-edge visual effects, but not much else beyond that. 

As that’s the case, it likely wasn’t up next on many legacy sequel Bingo cards. But 28 years later, we have Twisters. 

Helmed by Lee Isaac Chung, the director of 2020’s superb indie Minari, it’s a disaster movie that would not need to be as good as it is to grab some cash from the cyclonic summer box office and dissipate as mysterious as it appeared. But against all odds, this is the rare belated sequel that not only justifies its existence, but actually bests its predecessor in most every way. 

With help from Amblin Entertainment heads Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall and a story from Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski, the film marries an old-fashioned storytelling sensibility with outstanding CG effects.

Following a stunning prologue that reminds us of nature’s devastating and overwhelming power, we center in on Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a brilliant meteorologist who has seemingly put her storm chasing days behind her. Out of her past comes Javi (Anthony Ramos), a former colleague who runs a mobile radar company whose aim it is to 3-D model tornadoes for research. After some convincing, Kate joins Javi on the road again and swiftly gets sucked back into the wild subculture of tornado chasing. 

Now at the center of this cyclonic coterie is YouTuber Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), the self-appointed “Tornado Wrangler” whose mile-wide, cud-eating smile has riled up more than a million subscribers. Gusts of romance slowly swirl between Kate and Tyler as they track twisters across rural Oklahoma and try to get close — but not too close — to the action.

It would be generous to say that the character development in Twister is not terribly sophisticated, and while Twisters doesn’t have exquisitely rendered types by comparison, they’re an improvement nevertheless. The central conflicts between the two leads in each film hearken back to old Hollywood, with Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt giving big His Girl Friday energy in Twister, while Edgar-Jones and Powell in Twisters conjure up a love-hate tussle out of The Shop Around the Corner. A big reason the bickering between the protagonists works better here has loads to do with the terrific chemistry between Edgar-Jones and Powell, the latter of whom is working hard to secure his Next Big Thing status in Hollywood. Between Kate’s measured approach and Tyler’s roguish impulses, we know the pair will find an overlap, and it’s good fun watching them get there.

Twisters does not quite have as deep a bench of supporting characters as its forerunner, which boasted memorable turns from Philip Seymour Hoffman and Lois Smith, amid a bevy of recognizable character actors of the era. But like Twister, there’s delight here in the colorful cast of characters that the movie is able to wrangle up for this slightly less ridiculous story. 

Tyler’s caravan includes wild-eyed turns from up-and-coming actresses Sasha Lane and Katy O’Brian, while Kate’s crew features future Superman actor David Corenswet and an irresistible performance by Maura Tierney as Kate’s charmingly pushy mom. 

While the two films don’t technically have any characters that overlap, the personalities that pack the cars zooming across the perilous plains are cut from the same cloth.

It may seem strange to talk this long about Twisters and not focus on the visual effects, which have always been the linchpin of the disaster movie genre. While it’s hard to know how well they’ll hold up 28 years from now, the combination of CGI and practical effects certainly look convincing. 

The sound design is equally convincing, and each gale whipping around terrifyingly in surround sound is even more punctuated in IMAX screenings. 

Many films in the genre seem to delight in the damage and the scope of the spectacle, but embedded in this film is a reverence for the human toll that dangerous weather can take. Those looking to leave their homes to escape for a couple hours will find a satisfying shelter in Twisters.

New movies coming this weekend

• Coming only to theaters is Deadpool & Wolverine, a superhero sequel starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, which finds vulgar sword-wielding Deadpool teaming up with an alternate version of X-Men lead Wolverine as they square off against a common enemy.
• Also playing in theaters is The Fabulous Four, a road comedy starring Susan Sarandon and Bette Midler, following three friends as they travel to Key West to be bridesmaids at a surprise wedding.
• Streaming on Amazon Prime is Cirque Du Soleil: Without a Net, a documentary about the titular contemporary circus act which depicts their struggle to reopen their flagship production more than a year after an abrupt global shutdown.