Effects apart, this is dire: predictable, clichéd, sloppily written, pitifully performed and surprisingly short of real shocks and suspense.
Comment
06/24/06
Twister (1996)
55
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:47
Fresh:26
Rotten:21
Average Rating:6/10
Runtime: 3 hrs 46 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: This special effects-laden blockbuster chronicles one day in the life of a band of gung-ho "storm chasers," who track and follow twisters and tornadoes. The group, led by the gutsy Jo and her... [More]
Reviews for Twister
Top CriticYou know a movie is in trouble when a cow provides its only moment of authentic human interest.
11/05/08
Top CriticExtreme-weather buffs, thrill-ride junkies and anyone else in search of mindless entertainment need look no further.
11/05/08
Even 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.
10/18/08
Top CriticThe action starts in the opening frame and never lets up.
07/23/08
It may not be fashionable to like Twister, but darn if it isn't an entertaining electro-shock of action cinema.
05/21/08
Surely the only movie to ever suggest a dumbed-down His Girl Friday, Road Runner cartoon, and The Abyss simultaneously
05/12/08
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.
05/08/08
The plot is thin and the characters are shallow. But who cares! The picture and sound are knockouts.
05/01/08
Twister isn't the brilliant machine that Speed was, but it often packs a comparable wallop.
07/25/07
I am going to recommend Twister for three reasons.
05/26/06
Ugh. Not even a passable popcorn pic, I'm afraid.
04/07/06
Special-effects highlight this Jan DeBont-directed blockbuster that's ruined by cliched plotting and irritating characters.
01/23/06
About as much fun as watching a weather report.
08/20/05
An excellent example of what the Hollywood F/X blockbuster has become -- all show and very little substance.
04/09/05
Formulaic writing is more than made up for by awesome visceral thrills.
01/08/05
Enjoy every cow flying, tractor crashing frame. (published 5-17-96)
01/02/05
Even though the plot is more predictable than the path of a tornado, it's still exciting entertainment.
06/23/04
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.
05/14/03
The plot is minimal, and the character exposition full of cliches -- the scenes that don't feature tornadoes seem very long and almost unbearable to watch.
01/20/03
Latest News for Twister
November 05, 2008:
Michael Crichton Passes Away (1942-2008)
Best-selling author, screenwriter, and director Michael Crichton has passed away at the age of 66. The medical doctor-turned-filmmaker was best known for writing... More...
May 14, 2006:
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Tom Cruise's spy sequel Mission: Impossible III remained the most popular film in North America for the second straight weekend while the big-budget disaster film Poseidon... More...
April 11, 2005:
Get Ready to Meet "MEG"!
Variety brings some news that's been long-anticipated by fans of author Steve Alten: "MEG" is officially a go project. Although Disney held onto the rights for a... More...
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