I find movies that focus on weather and peril fascinating. I went into Twisters with great expectations. Given the tornado-related events requiring taking shelter just days before the movie’s opening, I felt pumped. With tornadoes forming around the U.S. and weather watchers on high alert, I thought a rollercoaster of amusement was in store. Unfortunately, Twisters was an adventure that consistently loses its focus. The selling part of the film is that it stars Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones. Powell is rising with blockbuster projects, and Edgar-Jones is tackling more roles. Their characters are involved in a “twister” of madness.

The setting of Twisters is Oklahoma. This location is a tornado alley and provides the landscape for the film’s tension of treacherous territory. Powell plays Tyler Owens, a man with a following for broadcasting his journeys with storms and tornadoes. Edgar Jones plays Kate Carter, a former tornado-chaser and meteorologist. Kate’s colleague is Javi, played by Anthony Ramos, who develops a safety network. The season of tornadoes is immersive and evolving rapidly. The group comes together to figure out how to pan out the storm correctly. With differing opinions on the storms’ danger levels, the thrills lack the fulfillment that the audience anticipates.

Twisters tends to keep the focus on the performances of Powell and Edgar-Jones. Powell’s performance is street-smart while Edgar-Jones’s is book-smart. She plays her part with more seriousness than Powell does. With Powell driving a truck with fireworks, he is sort of like the Tom Cruise of storm chasing in Twisters. This leads to pure mediocrity in what could have been a more interesting portrayal. The pro side is that Edgar-Jones’s role serves a more rewarding purpose. The intelligence of her performance sparks some much-needed enthusiasm.

While reflecting upon the differences between the characters, my mind frequently drifted. What is the intent of the overused cool vibes in Powell’s performance? How is it beneficial to focus on tornado perils? Why does the film keep trying to tackle a bizarre dynamic as Oklahoma faces more severe consequences as the setting of the film? Twisters appears to care a lot more about its blockbuster characterizations than the plot itself.

The blurred continuity comes from a storyline with a mission that lacks structure. There is an inconsistent dynamic mixed with a bipolar weather rendezvous. What helps make up for some of the catastrophe is the background fundamentals regarding resources. Twisters does highlight the importance of safety and shelter. It is just not particularly vibrant in its presentation. Twisters is a rushed thriller with disconnected components. The meaning is somewhat lost amid various tactics involving weather, storms, and science which are ultimately inadequate.

The storms heighten the disasters in Twisters. Frustratingly, they are disappointing, even when they cause significant turmoil. Once that happens, the focus seems to shift to storm party mode for Powell. Edgar-Jones deserved a lot better for her key role in Twisters. The continuity just kept running into ineffective barriers. I rate Twisters just two out of four stars.