User reviews

Jo - Helen Hunt - has lived in Oklahoma all of her life. As a child, her father was whisked away to his death by a tornado when he was a moment too late to enter the storm cellar. Haunted by this, Jo is a storm chaser, analyzing twisters to gain knowledge to help others. Her estranged husband Bill - Bill Paxton - was also a chaser but left to try a more normal life. He now has a weatherman TV job and a new fiancee, Melissa. What he needs is signed divorce papers. Jo makes him visit her to get them. As he and Melissa arrive, a rare storm pattern is looking to produce multiple twisters over several days. Bill learns also that Jo has created Dorothy, a tornado sensor system which was Bills idea. Will Bill be drawn back into the tornado chasing life? This great film has truly breathtaking visuals, as deadly storms arrive one after another. Hunt and Paxton give fine performances, too. After a viewing, most everyone will feel like they've just been through a storm as well. Heed those sirens !

I agree with several other reviewers This movie NEVER claimed to be an accurate depiction of the weather. Just an action film with amazing special effects. The bad reviews are from people who take everything too seriously and love to bash Skillful work

I keep coming back to watch this movie must have seen it about 6 times, one of my best films, dont understand why it has a low rating, its rating should be much higher. It is a good story with loads of realistic special effects.

Not at all bore throughout the story keeps you watching, constantly thinking the crew are at risk. The scenes are amazing and it is action packed throughout I give this film a 9

It's a great movie, like Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion is a great movie. C'mon, don't be afraid to say how much you love these films!

After watching this movie again all these years later, I realize I like it even more than the first time. Maybe it's because movies aren't made like this anymore? I like the pace, the effects still hold up, and the polt is uncomplicated. Its really just so fun to watch, it's now an classic for me that I go back to occasionally.

Greetings from Lithuania.

"Twister" (1996) is a spectacular adventure movie with good performances, good directing by Jan De Bont, great special effects and terrific sound design. Cinematography is very good and distinguishing.

One of "Twister's" strengths lies in its great special effects which were state of the art back then, and are still very good looking today. And sound effects are amazing - those do not age. I also always liked Helen Hunt's energy in this movie - she shines. And then there is one of my all time favorites Bill Paxton - rest in peace my friend Hudson, you will never be forgotten. And finally, what i did not knew back then, we even got Philip Seymour Hoffman in it. His energy and dedication to the material - i couldn't take my eyes of him today watching this flick many years after he past. There is a short scene in a mid movie were Bill Paxton and Philip Seymour Hoffman share the screen together, just the who of them - i paused it for a second, took a deep breath, mourned them for a second, and continued watching it.

Overall, "Twister" is not a great movie, but it's a hell of an entertainment. This is a really fun and fast paced 90's flick with amazing special effects that still holds, terrific sound effects and good energetic performances with good cinematography. It has good energy and a bit of a heart. Sometimes that's all you need.

Hang your science hat by the door when you're ready to watch this fantastically well structured and scripted thriller. It is not a science-based. It is a fun romp and you probably know exactly how it's all going to turn out within the first 10 minutes. It is a joy to watch it unroll.

The writers of this film have Midwestern living and culture down cold (this, coming from a 25 native of the Midwest.) Bill Paxton is, as always, awesome as the reluctant weatherman drafted by his ex to help with a new science project to monitor hurricanes. He's just as funny and as dramatic as in his other best role - in Aliens. Helen hunt was never more appealing than in this film.

These are just the bit players; the real stars of this film are the tornadoes. These tornadoes have such a great on screen presence. I was so glad the movie contained 5 tornadoes, just 2 or 3 would have made for a very disappointing movie. I definitely think that Tornado #4 (the _spooky tornado_) deserved an academy award for best supporting whatever, with Tornado #1 (the home theater tornado) should have gotten an award as a comedic whatever ...

I can say that nowadays when I want to benchmark a home theater scene, there is no better film than TWISTER to play on the system. This is one film that puts you someplace that nobody ever should be, and does it with spectacular success and sound effects that will make the hair climb stand up on your back.

There are a few somewhat corny parts to this film, but they are easily forgiven and forgotten. This is one of the first efforts by Dreamworks and it is a one-of-a-kind type of movie, a big success.

I never understood why people bash this movie. I watched this summer of 96 at a theatre which I still think is the best way to see this.

Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton and Philip Seymour Hoffman are as food as always. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with teh story, the visuals or any of the scenery.

This is a pure summer movie. If you were expecting to watch a Oscar nominated movie go watch one. This is just pure fun every single time you watch it.

It's about a bunch of storm chasers, and how their passion drives them to do things normal human beings wouldn't think of doing.

Again, go watch this in 2024 if you're looking for a fun movie. Let the idiots bash it.

I've always loved 'Twister' and had it at a solid 8. However, upon watching it for the first time in probably close to 20 years, I had forgotten at just how awesome it is, even in todays standards, so it now gets a 9. The visual effects are better, or just as good as most things that come out today.

The late Bill Paxton was also always a favourite of mine and this is arguably his biggest blockbuster as a main, Helen Hunt too.

At nine years old in 1998, I attended the brand new 'Twister... Ride It Out' at Universal Studios, and it was outstanding! That only deepened my appreciation for the film.

All these years later I still quote "we got cows" when I see them on the side of the road. Along with, "Food..... Foooood" from the magnificent late Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

There has got to be a special place in hades, for the person who made Jami Gertz, affect a horrifically, cartoonish Southern US accent. They need to be accompanied by the person that allowed the mother in a Christmas story to have a curly perm on a movie that was set in the 1940s and 50s. The action scenes, in Twister are nothing short of phenominal. There is a lot of bang for your buck, in this one. A tornado, hit our town, when I was a very little girl and I remember going to a neighbors chicken farm and crawling through the wreckage because I was so small to save all the chicks. I was in Miami, just after Hurricane Andrew, you truly cannot imagine the devastation of a natural disaster, until you see it 1st hand.

I think this is a great movie. It has fun, romance, action, beautiful Hunt, flawless acting, chemistry, music, good CGI. And even though there were lots of movies that tried to use these ingredient, this movies gets it just right. It flows so nicely, with the right combination of comedy, action and drama. I never get tired of watching it. I mean, this is not a masterpiece. But it is a really-really-really good movie to watch.

Twister is the story of a team of storm chasers, or a group of people that study tornadoes in the hopes of developing better warning systems. The two main characters are Bill and Jo, a separated couple that are thrust together once more as Bill shows up to serve Jo with divorce papers. The couple is played by the late Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt. This is, to me, some of their best work and they have great chemistry. The day that Bill shows up also happens to be the day that his former tema hopes to deploy DOROTHY, an instrument package that should map out the interior of a tornado. Along for the ride, and not entirely knowledgeable about what exactly storm chasers do, is Bill's fiance Melissa, played with maximum annoyance by Jami Gertz. The rest of the chasers are played by various actors, some great (Phillip Seymore Hoffman), and some not so great, but they all work well together. Just for some extra tension, Bill's former friend and rival Jonas Miller is tossed in, played by CaryElwes.

There are a lot of offerings in the world of disaster films and this one happens to be my favorite. As always, the science is terrible and the acting is at times over the top, but that is what makes these movies so much fun. I probably would have given this a ten, but I cannot overlook some of the glaring editing mistakes, like the one scene where Bill's truck's windshield gets smashed and then suddenly it doesn't even have a scratch on it, but I digress. Great, fun, fast paced film here.

Really good story, Tremendous great job on the visual effects for a 1990's movie, Great Acting, Bill Paxton was outstanding in this movie, R.I.P. Bill Paxton Highly recommend it.

I'm amazed that this film has such a low average score, I thought it was great. Now I know it's not that deep, but what's not to like. The visual effects of all the twisters is breathtaking, having first seen it at the cinema it really worked and every viewing on my rather smaller TV set does not diminish the effect.

The film fair cracks along as we get to chase round the countryside looking for the big bad wind. You get a baddie to dislike, a kindly, yet funky aunt and a collection misfits all played well, after all there are two Oscar winning actors in the cast in Helen Hunt, who I love and Philip Seymour Hoffman who is also very good in this. In fact I think the one thing that set's this apart from other summer blockbusters is the quality of the acting.

I think the fact that it was a summer blockbuster would be enough to put some people off and if this sort of action movie is not to your taste then I can understand some negative comments but as a piece of escapist fun for an hour and a bit then it can't be beaten.

WE LOVE THIS MOVIE & watch it every time we see it on, despite having seen it hundreds of times.

Disappointed to see that this movie is being remade with a cast that looks far too young, far too cool & far too stylized.

What makes the original so special is the passionate ragtag 'family' of geeky scientific nerds & their hoopty-vehicles with CB radios chasing tornadoes to develop better warning systems & save lives.

Id imagine the new version will be over-CGI'd as well.

Like Footloose... the original still holds up HARD - leave it alone!

Tis sad that Bill Paxton & Phillip Seymour Hoffman (sp?) are both gone now.

I remember we had this movie as a kid on VHS. It was one of the most incredible movies in terms of special effects and editing at the time. I love the characters, the setting, the suspense and overall plot. It's rare that certain movies never get old and this is one of them.

Chasing tornadoes seemed like a far fetched idea but in actuality it is a real thing. This movie continues to have a lasting impact on me in terms of enjoyment and nostalgia. I highly recommend watching a few videos on where this movie was filmed as it is in the heart of the Midwest. Small towns in Oklahoma really make the feel of this movie authentic.

9/10 for me. RIP The Extreme.

A classic example of a film that was unpopular among critics but a favorite among fans, "Twister" is one of the most well-known movies about weather ever made. Released in 1996, Director Jon de Bont followed his success with "Speed" (1994) by creating a similarly paced action movie about hero storm chasers instead of LA cops.

Although the film increased awareness in severe weather, some of the film's plot is more scientifically correct than others (Business Insider, 2019).

"Twister" may not have been a groundbreaking advancement in film, but the popularity of the movie with fans increased interest in tornados and increased the public's awareness and appreciation for storm scientists and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

After the movie's release, enrollment in meteorology degrees was at an all-time high (IMDb). "Twister" is an entertaining and mildly accurate movie for those interested in severe weather or for those who just enjoy fast paced action.

I'm just going to say it: if you hate this movie, you need your head checked. Great performances, convincing CGI and a storyline filled with genuine laughs and scares = cinema gold.

Action filled, but great all the same!

This had some of my favorite actors/actresses in it. Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt. Excellent Casting, and beautiful special effects.

A must see for anyone who loves storms.

This was a really good movie that was a little underrated. The f/x blew me sky high. This is one of those movies where hype takes over. If your like me than you should like it because I'm a sucker for hype. If you always want poetry, go see Titanic. The plot is lacking. That happens to all of Jan de Bont's movies except for Speed. His movies just get worse but this was an adrenalin rush of a movie. The plot has a team chasing tornados through the country side. The action stops but pumps back up with extreme tension. It's just a cool thrill ride. The acting was good. Helen Hunt made a good shift from TV to movies. Bill Paxton was great, of course. I really don't see why some people complained. It was a good movie if your into this sort of thing. Were they expecting a Academy Award winning script or something? It's a summer blockbuster. What more should you expect? If you like 'em big, See this. Twister: A-

Question-Why do you go to a movie that you know is 99% special effects? Answer-not for the plot.

Question-if you go a see a movie that you know is 99% special effects and look for a plot why do you complain? Answer-because some people have to bitch about everything.

Question-if you go to see the one of the best special effects movies of all time (Twister) why worry about the plot? Answer-because some people may have mistakenly thought Twister was written by Shakespeare and starred Sir Laurence Olivier.

The reason for the above questions is that Twister is one of the 2 or 3 best special effects movie of all time,it is not art it is good fun,yes there are problems with the plot but who cares it is a great wild ride movie filled with twists and turns. Dont question it just enjoy it. 8 out of 10

Twister (1996) is a movie that I recently rewatched for the first time in a long time on HBOMAX. The storyline for this picture follows two storm chasers that are married but about to get divorced. Together they worked on an invention they believe can help better predict tornados. Meanwhile, their top competition has a similar device and is trying to beat them to the punch. Can the bitter couple work together one more time or will their competition take advantage of their circumstances and prevail?

This movie is directed by Jan de Bont (Speed) and stars Helen Hunt (Cast Away), Bill Paxton (True Lie), Cary Elwes (Saw), Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master), Jami Gertz (The Lost Boys) and Alan Ruck (Ferris Bueller's Day Off).

This movie has everything an iconic action movie needs. The cast is absolutely tremendous with Paxton and Hunt delivering great performances with fantastic chemistry. The supporting characters are fun too with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Alan Ruck giving you laugh out loud moments. The storyline is intense and worth following and the action scenes are legendary. The CGI is really well done and perfectly captures the imagination. There's also a worthwhile romantic subplot and a fantastic soundtrack.

Overall, this is action genre good and an absolutely must see. I would score this a 9/10 and strongly recommend it.

When you had an all star cast, decent writers, good musical composers, and competent directors. They really don't make em like this anymore. I remember seeing this when it first came out for my 10th birthday and loved it. Now rewatching 27 years later, I still love it. It still holds up. Helen looks great (unlike now with that terrible plastic surgery job). I'm smiling the whole time I'm watching this movie.

Twister is a 1996 disaster film that follows a group of amateur storm chasers as they try to deploy a tornado research device during an outbreak in Oklahoma.

This movie is my personal favorite of all the disaster films out there, and definitely the best one that's main focus is on tornadoes. Jan de Bont captured the beauty and the terror of severe weather so well that you'd think he was a professional storm chaser himself. The special effects are visually stunning in this film and alone could captivate an audience. Mixed with a great story and great characters this is one movie that was definitely destined to succeed.

The cast is terrific, the action is exciting, and this is one film that you won't walk away from disappointed. If you haven't seen this before, I would highly recommend checking it out.