The currentbox office darling,Twisters, has been a hit with audiences and critics alike. Thanks to its big-budget spectacle andfamiliar, yet fun storytelling elements, it makes for a satisfying summer movie outing. It also doesn’t hurt that it’sa sequel to one of the most popular disaster moviesof all time. Interestingly, however, the film largely stands on its own. None of the original picture’s characters appear nor are they even referenced. Outside of their respective titles, many moviegoers have acknowledged thatTwisters reallystands on its own. In theory, one could appreciate the film without having seen 1996’sTwister. However,those familiar with the events ofTwisterare heavily rewardedonce they look deeper into the eye of the storm.
‘Twisters’ Opening Scene Sets Up a Deep Connection to the First Film
Twisters' opening scene certainly packs a punch. Lead character Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is on the brink of a massive scientific discovery. She and herensemble of friendsthink they’ve found a way to make a tornado collapse, potentially saving thousands of lives. But to do so, they need to conduct a risky experiment: “Taming a tornado.” Kate’s friend, Javi (Anthony Ramos) is in charge of collecting data, and he’s a firm believer thatthe best way to get his numbers is by using the device known as Dorothy.
Dorothy, of course, is the brainchild of Jo (Helen Hunt) and Bill (Bill Paxton) inTwister. In 1996, whenTwisterwas released, Dorothy seemed more likescience fiction than reality. It’s experimental, and getting it to work is the main objective of the original plot. It’s a glorious victory when she finally works properly at the end and helpsbring the film to a fantastic close. The prologue ofTwisters(the sequence that features Dorothy) is set sometime in the late 2010s and therefore directly continues the story of Jo and Bill’s research. Despite Dorothy being called somewhat of a relic,Javi is both protective of the instrument and viciously proud of the data it provides. Though the movie may not say it directly, this subtle reference expands the entirety of the first picture’s conclusion. Not only does it mean Jo and Bill’s work continued to be successful after the credits rolled, but it also means that they truly changed the game.
Here’s How Much of ‘Twisters’ Is Actually Real
Separating the science from the fiction.
While the opening is the only actual appearance Dorothy makes, Jo and Bill’s legacy continues to be felt throughout the rest of the movie. FollowingTwisters’ intense opening sequence in which Kate and Javi lose the entirety of their team,the movie jumps forwardfive years. Javi seeks Kate out after she moves to New York. He’s started a new company in hopes of helping twister victims. Thanks to more funding and time, he now utilizes the next generation of data equipment. While the new readers are far more stylish and futuristic by modern standards, within the Twister Universe,they owe their existence to Dorothy and the groundbreaking work of Jo and Bill. But their scientific contributions aren’t the only thing that has progressed within the world of the movies.
‘Twisters’ Makes Storm Chasing a Trend
The story ofTwistersprogressesthe disaster film universein a number of ways. One of the most interesting and realistic is showing how far storm chasing has come. In the first movie, Jo, Bill, and their team are largely seen by outsiders as an odd bunch.Bill’s fiancé, Melissa (Jami Gertz), finds the field insanely dangerous. The oddity of Bill’s work, coupled with hisrekindling relationshipwith Jo, ultimately leads to Melissa leaving him. ButTwistershas a modern take on the edgy career. Thanks in large part to Tyler (Glen Powell),storm chasing has become something of an influencer trend.
In the same way that it brought the technological side of the classic picture into the modern day, shaking up the actual exercise of tornado research is the perfect way to make the world feel real and thriving. It would have been easy to make Kate and Tyler’s antics again feel outlandish but that would have made theTwister-verse feel stagnant and a little too fictional. After all, this is a movie where our hero kills a tornado. It needs to feel relevant and real for audiences tobelieve the grand finale. There’s something exciting in knowing that,even without Jo and Bill present on the screen, their work is alive and well, and the generations that follow will continue to make the world a better place.
Bill Paxton’s Son Has a Cameo in ‘Twisters’
The world lost a one-of-a-kind star when Bill Paxton passed away in 2017. The actorlent his talents to some of the most iconic filmsof all time, andhis legacy lives on through his son, James Paxton. James has amassed an impressive resume of his own, taking roles onEyewitness,Agents of SHIELD… andTwisters!
Paxton’s son has a small role that makes quite an impact.As an unexpected storm approaches while Kate and Tyler try to enjoy an evening of getting to know one another, they take shelter in a nearby motel.There, they find Cody (James Paxton), complaining about his room and the motel in general before he’s violently sucked up — truck and all —by the twister. Inan interview with Entertainment Weekly, Paxton says “ I did this one for dad.” He explained that his agent approached him about an audition for the part, but it took a while to hear back. “Some time went by and I didn’t really hear anything, so I had made peace with, “Oh, I guess maybe it’s not going to work out.” And then, I heard from my team that they were offering a role."
Paxton went on to explain that it was a bit of a surreal experience to be offered the part. Per the EW interview, he couldn’t decide if he wanted to do the role or not originally, considering how essential his father was in the original picture. But, ultimately, accepted, saying “I wanted to be a conduit for his spirit there and cheer everyone in this production on to success because I know he would be.” Paxton goes on to explain that he saw his dad as his best friend and that it felt like “the right thing to do, to be a representative of dad there.”
It’s always a risky endeavor to follow up a popular film, especially when that film is as legendary asTwister. But at first glance,Twistersreally does stand on its own. However, none of the sequel’s events would be possible without the legacy of the original character’s bold experiments or endeavors. Though the iconic characters go unmentioned,their presence and influence are prominent throughout the entirety of the follow-up.
Twistersis now playing in theaters across the U.S.
Get Tickets
