Twisters - 4K Blu-ray Review

Michael Scott said:

Twisters


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Movie:
4K Video:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:



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View attachment 74889 Movie
This is just been a WEIRD couple of years for cinema. In years past trailers were usually a good indicator for what would be a good film, and usually decades old sequels were not the thing (unless they were a long running horror franchise). My personal radar seems to have gotten some sand in it, because I have been proven wrong at least 4 or 5 times over the last couple of years with sequels that I thought would crash and burn HARD, and others that looked fantastic turned out to be absolutely slop. No way in a million years would I have guessed that Top Gun: Maverick would turn out to be one of the biggest hits of the last few years. No way I saw Joker 2 literally crashing and burning within a few weeks at the box office (especially after how great the first one was), and I REALLY didn’t expect Twisters to be as fun as it was based upon the trailer. I actually laughed when I saw the trailer and said to myself “really?”, going on to dismiss it until my best friend was bored out of his mind and offered to pay my way to go see Twisters. Who am I to turn down a free theatrical movie? And it being one of the best 2024 offerings to date made it all the sweeter.

Not really a sequel, and not really a remake, Twisters lives in the same universe as 1996’s Twister, but only really references a couple of things from the original film, instead deciding to stake their own claim and make a movie that utilized many of the same tropes, but went their own way. The film starts out with storm chaser Kate (Daisy-Edgar-Jones) and her crew of friends and colleagues making their own version of the Dorothy probes in an effort to actually figure out how to squash a tornado dead in its tracks instead of simply gain data from it. Only thing is, mother nature is a finicky mistress and a routine drop of the probes turns into a nightmare for Kate as the tornado turns into an E5 and absolutely decimates the project, killing several co-workers including her boyfriend Boone (Brandon Perea).

Fast forward a few years and Kate is working a desk job after having given up her dream. However, things change for her when her old colleague Javi (Anthony Ramos) ask her to come out and give his team of storm chasers some extra help in hopes of learning more about the tornadoes. Reluctantly agreeing, Kate saddles up and heads out to the Midwest where they run into YouTube storm chaser Tyler (Glenn Powell) and his brash and brazen younger millennial nerdowells who seem hell bent on tagging along for the ride. Add some romance, some danger, and TONS of tornadoes (literally 3 or 4 times the amount from the first film) and you have a dangerously fun times.

View attachment 74890 Like I said above, I really didn’t expect to get much out of Twisters, but I walked away from my theatrical viewing with a huge grin over my face and this feeling inside that this was way better than it every had a right to be. Don’t get me wrong, 1996’s Twister was no 5 star film, but it was a fun bit of 1990s disaster film making that set off the glut of late 90s and early 2000s disaster movies that defined the turn of the century. Couple that with the fact that this was literally made 28 years AFTER the original and you can understand my skepticism. So many modern films these days have gone under the proverbial knife of scrutiny due to politics, poor writing, and general lack of loving FILM these days, but Isaac Chung’s Twisters bypasses all of that. Instead opting for just having fun and making a good movie.

It doesn’t hurt that Glenn Powell is the thing right now, and making waves in Hollywood as the guy who can star in comedies, action, and romance dramas with equal alacrity, making girls knees weak all over the world. He’s absolutely having a blast here, grinning from ear to ear much like he was in Top Gun: Maverick. Daisy Edgar-Jones is a bit weaker in my opinion, but she makes a serviceable lead. Even Anthony Ramos does a solid job as the ex-coworker with a secret (much better than he did the latest Transformers film). There’s no politics, there’s no nothing but FUN adventure. And to be fair, I almost think that this was a better FILM than the original. It’s more intense, makes great use of the premise that wasn’t as attainable due to the special effects limitations of the day, and well, it’s just FUN.




Rating:

Rated PG-13 for intense action and peril, some language and injury images.




4K Video: Video:
View attachment 74891 In a fun twist of habit, Twisters was actually shot on a mix of film and digital, using Arri Alexa cameras and Panavision to create a wonderfully textured event. The 4K UHD disc sports a very healthy grain structure, with clean shots and nice layering of natural looking grain that doesn’t spike or look noisy/swarming. The Oklahoma landscape looks absolutely breathtaking, with clear clean field shots, fantastic colors, and fine details that really reveal more than expected. Black levels are really great, with some impressive interior shots (such as inside the theater where every one is hunkering down and praying for a miracle at the end) and really amazing close up shots (those exterior shots of Tyler’s truck are awesome, especially with all of the swirling debris). There were a few moments where I noticed some mild artifacting, usually in regards to fast motion CGI effects that seemed to look out of place on the screen. Especially when slowed down. However, those are few and far between, making this one of THE best demo discs of the year.









Audio:
View attachment 74892 Twister’s audio track is quite the stunner, with just a few minor modifications for most viewers. Right off the bat I noticed that the track was recorded a bit low. I had to tweak the gain knob on my receiver a good 6-8 DB’s over my usually listening volume, but when level adjusted sounds INCREDIBLE. One thing that actually surprised me was how nuanced and balanced the track was. My first instinct was that this was going to be a whale of a track with unbelievably punishing bass. And while we have some fantastic bass, it’s not the bass bomb that I was expecting. However, after adjusting to the mix and getting the most out of it, I have to say that I don’t miss the over aggressive bass bomb that I was hoping for. The track is really well balanced, with great dialog, and absolutely incredible use of the surround channels. The overheads and sides get some absolutely jaw dropping content during all of the chaos, and the LFE channel is well done as well. It wasn’t AS aggressive as I was expecting, but it blends seamlessly with the track, fading into the background when not needed, and adding some serious weight to the country-pop sound track as well as the tornadoes themselves. BUT, when called upon, the bass is absolutely gut punching, making the finale confrontation with another category 5 tornado a punishing experience. As I said, I was expecting the over cooked bass bomb that made the first film so “tee hee!” inducing, and it also suffers from some dynamics being squashed. That being said, this is EXACTLY how it was in the theaters and I can't blame them for that. It's just a bit less than what I was HOPING for.












Extras:
View attachment 74893 • FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR LEE ISAAC CHUNG
• GAG REEL
• DELETED SCENES
• TRACKING THE FRONTS: THE PATH OF TWISTERS – Trace the trajectory of TWISTERS from its earliest inception to production and get to know the cast as they lead this look into creating their characters, using science to add authenticity, and working through extreme weather wreaking havoc on set.
• INTO THE EYE OF THE STORM – Discover how TWISTERS blends practical and visual effects to turn nature's most destructive forces into entertaining thrills.
• GLEN POWELL: ALL ACCESS – Glen Powell provides a private tour of a day in his life on the TWISTERS
• FRONT SEAT TO A CHASE – Strap in with the cast and professional storm chasers as they brave the elements to track tornados in Oklahoma.
• VOICE OF A VILLAIN* – Hear the creation of the film's deafening howls with a seat in the studio where the audio team mixes unexpected sounds to give the storms a new dimension of depth.
• TRICKED-OUT TRUCKS – Buckle up for a wild ride in the film's custom vehicles fitted with unique features ranging from rocket launchers to advanced radar tech.
• Optional English, French C

Final Score: ​

Twisters is the very epitome of a classic summer blockbuster. It’s big, it’s loud, it’s FUN, and the cast is a blast to watch on screen. It’s got CGI effects out the ears, and it manages to bypass all of the online controversy that seems to plague modern day films. The 4K UHD disc is a great demo disc and the film just WORKS. Extras are pretty solid as well, making this one of those crowd pleaser discs that is definitely going to be going on the holiday gift guide this year. This is highly recommended.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glenn Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane
Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung
Written by: Mark L. Smith, Joseph Kosinksi, Michael Chrichton (Novel)
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 AVC
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core), French DD+ 7.1, Spanish DD 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Studio: Universal Studios
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 123 Minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: October 22nd, 2024
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Recommendation: Great Watch

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