Twister

Twister follows a team of storm chasers in Oklahoma who are testing an experimental instrument meant to improve tornado warnings. Dr. Jo Harding leads crews into violent weather to place a probe that would gather data from inside tornadoes. Complications arrive when her estranged husband Bill turns up with his new girlfriend, sparking old tensions and rivalries. The film keeps a brisk pace, alternating massive, practical storm sequences with scenes of on-the-ground problem solving and banter among scientists. As the storms intensify, the crew makes risky choices to collect life-saving information, and personal loyalties are tested amid the adrenaline and danger. They face equipment failures, unpredictable conditions, and the constant threat that a split-second decision could be fatal, testing resolve.

Directed by Jan de Bont, Twister was released in 1996 and credits a story from Michael Crichton with contributions by Anne-Marie Martin and Fireball Tim Lawrence. The cast includes Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Jami Gertz, Cary Elwes and Lois Smith.

It opened as a major summer blockbuster, drawing large audiences with its practical effects and IMAX-caliber spectacle. The movie became one of the year's top earners, cementing its status as a high-profile 1996 disaster picture, supported by major marketing campaign.

Twister's practical tornado effects and on-location filming created several iconic sequences that entered pop culture, spawning references in TV, advertising and videogames, and documentaries. The film helped popularize storm chasing as a hobby and career, and its visual effects raised audience expectations for realistic disaster scenes in later Hollywood blockbusters.

Critics gave mixed to positive reviews, praising the special effects and spectacle while noting lighter character development and dialog. The current user rating sits around 6.55 out of 10. Key themes include scientific risk versus reward, obsession with data, teamwork under pressure, and the human costs of chasing extreme weather.