Five years on, Javi convinces a reluctant Kate to come and join his outfit Storm Pro to test some new tracking equipment.
Soon enough, in Oklahoma, Kate crosses paths with “cowboy scientist” Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a social-media-savvy storm chaser who even has his own catchphrase (“If you feel it, chase it”).
He may be reckless – letting fireworks off into the storms – but he cares about the people whose homes are being destroyed. “Sometimes the old ways are better than the new,” he says, typical of his Deep South homespun wisdom.
While Kate and Tyler invariably are initially wary of each other, the script does not ram their romantic potential too far down audience throats. But there is not much else to Twisters either, beyond the dizzying set pieces as cars and houses get ripped up and tossed aside.
Admittedly, the visual effects are splendid, notably in one scene where a rodeo arena gets torn apart and luckless bystanders get whirled away by the storms.
Edgar-Jones (Normal People) also partners well with Powell, showing the right blend of vulnerability and action-heroine chops.
While the final act includes some daring stunt work, including one impressive sequence involving a water tower, Twisters does not really come packed with an explosive conclusion. Which, given the way the film starts, feels like a real missed opportunity.
It is a watchable blockbuster if all you want to do is leave your brain in neutral. If it is substance you are looking for, you will need to look elsewhere.