After the monumental Speed, director Jan De Bont wisely chose Twister as his follow up allowing for him to employ many of the tricks that made the Keanu Reeves blockbuster work on his new venture. Therefore Michael Critchton's script gets an uncredited Joss Whedon re-write allowing for a tough and cynical lead female (Helen Hunt), a instinctive and charismatic male hero (legend Bill Paxton) and a witty, misfit bunch of supporting characters. Like Speed, Twister uses a similar structure of ever escalating set pieces (five, one for each tornado) that ramps up the destruction and tension as the film progresses, only this time the Twister represents the whirlwind relationship of the leads.
There's a stunning Marc Mancina score, vast American heartland locations, rich photography, a decent selection of soundtrack songs and some great stuntwork on show. Best of all, De Bont ratchets up the fast, low travelling helicopter shots that translate to an audience the feeling of pure exhilaration. The more he does it (and he does it a lot) the more exciting and involving stormchasers quest becomes. In fact, his trademark helicopter shots are so effective that he scuppered his own career when he dumped them for insipid CGI-fest The Haunting. The twat.
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