Despite the fact that the beats and the story here are played pretty straight, and therefore become predictable, this formula really works. Some neat visual ideas as well (the sequence at the movie theatre was a particular standout for me).
I was shocked at the humanity they managed to find in what should be a pretty rote disaster movie. I should not have been shocked, because director Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari was one of the most affecting films I’ve seen in recent years. But at this point, my trust in Hollywood to tell human stories has been completely eroded. The studios have replaced the humanity in our summer blockbusters with quips and snark, and I am no longer amused by any of it. So Twisters was a genuine surprise. I wasn’t moved, but I found it shockingly tasteful.
In short, you can tell that Chung and his crew actually cared. In today’s world, that empathy for the story (and the audience) feels increasingly rare.