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Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, Jami Gertz, Lois Smith ... see more see more... , Alan Ruck , Jake Busey , Todd Field , Taylor Gilbert , Zach Grenier , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Richard Lineback , Anthony Rapp , Nicholas Sadler , Rusty Schwimmer , Gregory Sporleder , Scott Thomson , Sean Whalen , Abraham Benrubi , Jeremy Davies , Ben Weber , Joey Slotnick , Alexa Vega , Eric LaRay Harvey , Wendle Josepher , Patrick Fischler , Anneke De Bont , Paul Douglas , Gary England , Jennifer L. Hamilton , Melanie Hoopes , Dan Kelpine , Jeff Lazalier , J. Dean Lindsay , Samantha McDonald , Rick Mitchell , Sharonlyn Morrow , John Thomas Rhyne , Bruce Wright , William S. Burroughs

Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt and Carey Elwes may be billed as the stars of Twister, but the film's real attractions are the cyclones themselves. Best experienced in a theater, the nail-biting, blow-the-aud... read more read more...ience-out-of-their-seats computer generated graphics, cutting edge sound and other special effects are designed to take viewers straight into the roaring funnel of a gigantic tornado. In order to focus on special effects and action, the story is simple and the characters are drawn in broad strokes with little depth. Jo Harding (Hunt) became a storm chaser (a meteorologist who photographs and scientifically studies tornadoes in the field) after a large twister sucked her hapless daddy into oblivion when she was a girl. Bill (Paxton) was a storm chaser too, but left to become a successful weatherman. His change of profession ruined his marriage to Jo. Before separating, the Hardings invented DOROTHY, a gizmo designed to release thousands of tiny sensors when a tornado passes over it. The Hardings hope the information transmitted by the sensors will provide insight into the nature of the whirling windstorms. Backed by a large corporation, the villainous Dr. Jonas Miller (Elwes) has created a similar machine. Neither gadget has been field tested and both groups of storm chasers are anxious to find tornadoes. At the peak of the worst twister season in decades, Bill shows up at Jo's truck with his prissy fiancee Melissa (Jami Gertz) so Jo can sign divorce papers. Suddenly a twister is spotted. With little hesitation, Bill rejoins the mad rush to reach it in time to activate DOROTHY. Jonas and his team are right behind them. Throughout the day the storms become worse and the rivalrous race becomes more intense. As they continue facing incredible dangers together Jo and Bill find renewed love while poor Melissa finds only an intense desire to get away from these storm-obsessed lunatics. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Flixster Users

62% liked it

825,568 ratings

Critics

59% liked it

51 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 53 min.

Directed by: Jan de Bont

Release Date: May 10, 1996

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DVD Release Date: June 6, 2000

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Stats: 32,421 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (32,421)

  • FiLmCrAzY
    March 23, 2012
    FiLmCrAzY
    One of my favourite movies in this genre! Its a suspenful drama! If you enjoy disaster movies and are intrigue with nature and twisters, and with a hint of a blossoming romance then you'll enjoy this movie, very muich worth the watch!!
  • spielberg00
    October 16, 2011
    spielberg00
    TWISTER surely is not the best disaster film (come on, rarely does one ever get really good), but it does not deserve all the critical hate it gets, as it is quite decent.

    If it were just Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, and no cyclones, this would be one hell of a bad film.... read more The acting is terrible, and the three main cast members, who portray "storm-chasers", need to go to acting school.

    On the other hand, the disaster SFX that this film generously offers are amazingly realistic and well-accomplished. If it weren't for the poorly-made opening scene, it would be easy to say that the effects were put to a good use at all costs.

    But cows? "We have cows!" (?) That is the most ridiculous film quote mankind has ever come access. Especially for a disaster film. And all the urban legends sparked by TWISTER...don't even make me go there.
  • fb729949618
    September 27, 2011
    fb729949618
    Disaster movie made for teens.
  • DreamExtractor
    August 30, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    Twister is not a good movie, but if was fun to watch. The plot was really boring and dumb, but so are most summer blockbusters like this. The cast was okay, i had no complaibnts really, but I guess they did okay. The effects were really cheesy and bad, but if some people liked... read more them thats up to them. This movie was fun to watch if your in to these movies, but overall it bored the hell outta me.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    August 28, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Aside from Speed 2: Cruise Control this is director Jan de Bont's worst film. I've seen a few times when I was younger, and with each viewing I found something that I hated about this film. I thought the story was way too thin for my liking, and the cast was wasted here. Not that... read more it matters, because of these"actors" are terrible anyway. Twister is a special effects extravaganza and uses those special effects to create its story. Unfortunately for this film, the story itself is almost absent. or poorly developed. Twister is a poorly stitched together disaster film, and I'd say its one of the worst that I've seen. The acting is way too over the top, very laughable and you're just hoping that a Tornado will drive right through this mess of a film. The only thing that's fun about this film is the number of goofs. In one scene, you see a chaotic tornado scene, and in the corner you see very well it was filmed on a back lot because you see cars driving along the road as if everything is casual. I hated this film, and I thought it was a pointless film with absolutely no entertainment value whatsoever. The film enters the disaster movie category because it deals with tornados and such. But I'd say it's a disaster movie because nothing works in this horrid picture, and everything about is laughable. Avoid if you're looking for a good disaster film.
  • blkbomb
    July 11, 2011
    blkbomb
    Melissa: I gotta go Julia, we got cows.

    Twister is a mindless yet very exciting and entertaining disaster film. Fans of the genre know this one well and like it. Those who hate the disaster genre hate this movie. So before going in, you should already have a pretty good idea wh... read moreeather you are going to like it or not. I had a pretty good idea I was going to like it and I got out of it exactly what I expected. The special effects are outstanding and there are a few scenes that absolutely mesmerizing.

    As for the acting, it's horrible. No one is good besides Philip Seymour Hoffman, but he's not even that good. I just always enjoy watching Hoffman in anything doing anything. But it really doesn't matter that the acting is bad. The movies called Twister and the tornadoes are awesome. Well worth a watch if you are a fan of disaster movies.

    Dusty: Jo, Bill, it's coming! It's headed right for us!
    Bill: It's already here!
  • ajv2688
    July 9, 2011
    ajv2688
    This movie was huge when it came out, and it's still an exciting movie. The special effects are cool, the actors are good, and it's got the right balance of story and action. This is the best movie about tornadoes I've seen.
  • murphmann93
    June 24, 2011
    murphmann93
    Always been fasinated with the weather so this was a good film for me!
  • bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    June 24, 2010
    bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    gets boring every now and then, it's okay. C+
  • fb733768972
    January 29, 2010
    fb733768972
    I absolutely get sucked into the vortex of this film every time I watch it! It gives me chills thinking about, what if I was there! This is a fine piece of work!

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Critic Reviews

Richard Schickel
November 5, 2008
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

You know a movie is in trouble when a cow provides its only moment of authentic human interest. Full Review

Todd McCarthy
October 18, 2008
Todd McCarthy, Variety

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 s... Full Review

Mick LaSalle
June 18, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

It looks real, and Director Jan De Bont keeps the action coming so fast there's no time to question it. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
February 14, 2001
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

An expert in making audiences squirm and twist, at making us feel the rush of experience right along with the actors, De Bont choreographs action and suspense so beautifully he makes it seem like a snap. Full Review

Mike Clark
January 1, 2000
Mike Clark, USA Today

A summer crowd-pleaser worthy of its wind.

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The movie is wall-to-wall with special effects, and they're all convincing, although it's impossible for me to explain how Bill and Jo escape serious injury while staring right up into the Suck Zone o... Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

It's a perfect motion picture roller coaster -- fun, fast, and furious... as long as you don't think too hard. Full Review

Janet Maslin
January 1, 2000
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Science aside, it's not hard to feel that these excitable characters are a wee bit berserk. But the movie works as escapism even if you do know enough to come in out of the rain. Full Review

M. Faust
January 2, 2011
M. Faust, Common Sense Media

Decent disaster movie for teens. Full Review

November 5, 2008
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Extreme-weather buffs, thrill-ride junkies and anyone else in search of mindless entertainment need look no further. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Aunt Meg: Okay but im going to drive myself.
    • Rabbit: Honey, your car is in a tree a block away.
    • Bill Harding: Jonas... son of a bitch.
    • Melissa: Who is that honey?
    • Bill Harding: Jonas Miller, he's a nightcrawler. We all started out in the same lab and Jonas got himself some corporate sponsors! He's in it for the money, not the science! He's got a lot of high tech gadgets... but he's got no instincts... and he doesn't have Dorothy!
  • Laura Dern was considered for the role of Jo Harding.
  • Don't Breathe. Don't Look Back.
  • The Dark Side of Nature.
  • The movie is seen playing at the Drive-In Theater.
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Twister Trivia

  • What movie was playing at the drive-in in the movie Twister?  Answer »
  • In the movie Twister, what movie was playing at the drive-in right before the tornado took it out?  Answer »
  • In the movie Twister there is a scene on a drive-in. What is the movie people are watching?  Answer »
  • What actress played in Twister, Project X, Girls just want to have fun, What women want and Cast Away?  Answer »
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