"Twister" was the first geological disaster movie I'd ever seen. It was a cinematic success such to the degree that I believe it paved the way for the numerous geological disaster movies after it.
Watching it again I didn't have quite the same euphoria as when I first saw it. Not that the CGI was lacking, because it was great for 1996, but I'd forgot all about the love triangle. I hate love triangles.
Billy (Bill Paxton) just wanted his wife, Jo (Helen Hunt), to sign the divorce papers. He dragged his fiance, Melissa (Jamie Gertz), out to the remote location Jo was at to get the papers from her. Before he could get them nostalgia swept over him and the next thing you know he's chasing storms with his old crew with his unnerved fiance in tow.
The next hour and a half was storm chasing with Bill and Jo settling in back to how they used to be and Melissa looking like a total third wheel. She couldn't have been more out of place. While the whole storm chasing crew was this wild bunch of thrill seekers, Melissa was the prude, neat, well-groomed, doctor who was easily rattled and completely out of her element with them and with the tornados.
Billy and Melissa's split and Bill and Jo's reunion was so obviously foreshadowed that it's a wonder they waited two-thirds of the movie to make it happen. Hollywood loves to pretend her audience is made up of children who can't handle difficult situations. They had to make Melissa clearly a bad fit so that we'd all be OK with--or even pine for--Billy to split with Melissa and be with Jo. It's so patronizing.
Billy and Jo get back together (because love), their a-hole competitor was killed (because jerks die), of their four tornado data devices all but the last one was destroyed (because suspense), the final tornado was an F5 (because drama), and he sacrificed his '96 Dodge Ram for the cause (because Dodges suck).
Watching it again I didn't have quite the same euphoria as when I first saw it. Not that the CGI was lacking, because it was great for 1996, but I'd forgot all about the love triangle. I hate love triangles.
Billy (Bill Paxton) just wanted his wife, Jo (Helen Hunt), to sign the divorce papers. He dragged his fiance, Melissa (Jamie Gertz), out to the remote location Jo was at to get the papers from her. Before he could get them nostalgia swept over him and the next thing you know he's chasing storms with his old crew with his unnerved fiance in tow.
The next hour and a half was storm chasing with Bill and Jo settling in back to how they used to be and Melissa looking like a total third wheel. She couldn't have been more out of place. While the whole storm chasing crew was this wild bunch of thrill seekers, Melissa was the prude, neat, well-groomed, doctor who was easily rattled and completely out of her element with them and with the tornados.
Billy and Melissa's split and Bill and Jo's reunion was so obviously foreshadowed that it's a wonder they waited two-thirds of the movie to make it happen. Hollywood loves to pretend her audience is made up of children who can't handle difficult situations. They had to make Melissa clearly a bad fit so that we'd all be OK with--or even pine for--Billy to split with Melissa and be with Jo. It's so patronizing.
Billy and Jo get back together (because love), their a-hole competitor was killed (because jerks die), of their four tornado data devices all but the last one was destroyed (because suspense), the final tornado was an F5 (because drama), and he sacrificed his '96 Dodge Ram for the cause (because Dodges suck).