Twister (1996)
Average Rating: 6/10
Reviews Counted: 52
Fresh: 30 | Rotten: 22
A high-concept blockbuster that emphasizes special effects over three-dimensional characters, Twister's visceral thrills are often offset by the film's generic plot.
Average Rating: 6.4/10
Critic Reviews: 12
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 4
A high-concept blockbuster that emphasizes special effects over three-dimensional characters, Twister's visceral thrills are often offset by the film's generic plot.
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Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 889,731
Movie Info
Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt and Carey Elwes may be billed as the stars of Twister, but the film's real attractions are the cyclones themselves. Best experienced in a theater, the nail-biting, blow-the-audience-out-of-their-seats computer generated graphics, cutting edge sound and other special effects are designed to take viewers straight into the roaring funnel of a gigantic tornado. In order to focus on special effects and action, the story is simple and the characters are drawn in broad strokes
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Cast
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Helen Hunt
Jo Harding -
Bill Paxton
Bill Harding -
Cary Elwes
Dr. Jonas Miller -
Jami Gertz
Melissa -
Lois Smith
Aunt Meg -
Alan Ruck
Rabbit -
Jake Busey
Mobile Lab Technicia... -
Todd Field
Beltzer -
Taylor Gilbert
Bryce NSSL Scientist -
Zach Grenier
Eddie -
Philip Seymour Hoffm...
Dusty -
Richard Lineback
Father -
Anthony Rapp
Tony -
Nicholas Sadler
Kubrick -
Rusty Schwimmer
Mother -
Gregory Sporleder
Willie -
Scott Thomson
Preacher -
Sean Whalen
Sanders -
Abraham Benrubi
Bubba -
Jeremy Davies
Laurence -
Ben Weber
Stanley -
Joey Slotnick
Joey -
Alexa Vega
Jo 5 Years Old -
Eric LaRay Harvey
Eric -
Wendle Josepher
Haynes -
Patrick Fischler
The Communicator -
Anneke De Bont
Farm Girl -
Paul Douglas
Bodger -
Gary England
TV Meteorologist -
Jennifer L. Hamilton
Drive-In Girl -
Melanie Hoopes
Patty -
Dan Kelpine
Diner Mechanic -
Jeff Lazalier
TV Meteorologist -
J. Dean Lindsay
Dean -
Samantha McDonald
Drive-In Girl -
Rick Mitchell
TV Meteorologist -
Sharonlyn Morrow
Waitress -
John Thomas Rhyne
Paramedic -
Bruce Wright
Murphy NSSL Scientis... -
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Twister Trailer & Photos
All Critics (52) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (30) | Rotten (22) | DVD (26)
You know a movie is in trouble when a cow provides its only moment of authentic human interest.
Top CriticEven more than with most of Michael Crichton's concoctions, this one conveys the overwhelming impression of a mechanical entertainment, a very high concept in which the characters and their problems seem like utterly arbitrary creations.
Effects apart, this is dire: predictable, clichéd, sloppily written, pitifully performed and surprisingly short of real shocks and suspense.
It looks real, and Director Jan De Bont keeps the action coming so fast there's no time to question it.
An expert in making audiences squirm and twist, at making us feel the rush of experience right along with the actors, De Bont choreographs action and suspense so beautifully he makes it seem like a snap.
The movie is wall-to-wall with special effects, and they're all convincing, although it's impossible for me to explain how Bill and Jo escape serious injury while staring right up into the Suck Zone of the Finger of God.
Decent disaster movie for teens.
Extreme-weather buffs, thrill-ride junkies and anyone else in search of mindless entertainment need look no further.
The action starts in the opening frame and never lets up.
It may not be fashionable to like Twister, but darn if it isn't an entertaining electro-shock of action cinema.
Surely the only movie to ever suggest a dumbed-down His Girl Friday, Road Runner cartoon, and The Abyss simultaneously
When it sticks to kinetically portraying the sheer oddness of the tornadic phenomenon, Twister is a breeze. When it tries to recreate Hawks, it falls gracelessly from the green sky.
The plot is thin and the characters are shallow. But who cares! The picture and sound are knockouts.
Twister isn't the brilliant machine that Speed was, but it often packs a comparable wallop.
I am going to recommend Twister for three reasons.
Ugh. Not even a passable popcorn pic, I'm afraid.
Special-effects highlight this Jan DeBont-directed blockbuster that's ruined by cliched plotting and irritating characters.
About as much fun as watching a weather report.
An excellent example of what the Hollywood F/X blockbuster has become -- all show and very little substance.
Formulaic writing is more than made up for by awesome visceral thrills.
Enjoy every cow flying, tractor crashing frame. (published 5-17-96)
Even though the plot is more predictable than the path of a tornado, it's still exciting entertainment.
A furiously paced and fantastically fierce series of tornadoes, each one more intense and more amazing than the last, offer enough exhaustion and thrills for even the most jaded moviegoer.
Audience Reviews for Twister
Super Reviewer
If it were just Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, and no cyclones, this would be one hell of a bad film. The acting is terrible, and the three main cast members, who portray "storm-chasers", need to go to acting school.
On the other hand, the disaster SFX that this film generously offers are amazingly realistic and well-accomplished. If it weren't for the poorly-made opening scene, it would be easy to say that the effects were put to a good use at all costs.
But cows? "We have cows!" (?) That is the most ridiculous film quote mankind has ever come access. Especially for a disaster film. And all the urban legends sparked by TWISTER...don't even make me go there.
Super Reviewer
Movies Like Twister
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- Aunt Meg: Okay but im going to drive myself.
- Rabbit: Honey, your car is in a tree a block away.
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- Bill Harding: Jonas... son of a bitch.
- Melissa: Who is that honey?
- Bill Harding: Jonas Miller, he's a nightcrawler. We all started out in the same lab and Jonas got himself some corporate sponsors! He's in it for the money, not the science! He's got a lot of high tech gadgets... but he's got no instincts... and he doesn't have Dorothy!
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