'Twisters' review: Special effects is the real star in stormy saga

“The finger of God,” is how a minor character describes a tornado in “Twister,” one of the most satisfying blockbusters of the 1990s. Co-written by Michael Crichton, of “Jurassic Park,” it had a healthy respect for nature: Like the shark in “Jaws,” the tornado was beyond good or evil. And like the ancient relic in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” it destroyed those who tried to control it.

Nearly 30 years later, the sequel, “Twisters,” arrives with bigger and better effects, two radiant new stars and an oddly simple-minded approach to its subject. That’s not to say the movie isn’t entertaining. Energetically directed by Lee Isaac Chung (of the 2020 indie “Minari”), “Twisters” rehashes the original film’s storyline effectively (the screenplay is by Mark L. Smith, of “The Revenant”) and doesn’t stint on action, giving us at least six fearsome tornadoes. Seven, if you count the one that splits in two.

Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Normal People”) plays onetime science whiz Kate Carter, who lost her enthusiasm after some friends died during a storm-chasing expedition. Newly minted screen idol Glen Powell plays Tyler Owens, a yee-hawin’ “tornado wrangler” with his own YouTube channel. When the idealist and the egotist clash on the plains of Oklahoma, you might expect sparks to fly, but instead they give off a chummy, almost childlike vibe. (When Kate boldly offers to buy Tyler a drink, he orders iced tea.) That’s alright — the actors are both dazzling looking, and we can still gaze upon them.

Kate is back in the storm game thanks to her old friend Javi (an appealing Anthony Ramos), who now works for a well-funded outfit called StormPar. We’re told something fishy is afoot here, but it’s never made clear; you’ll have to take it on faith, much like the “science” behind Kate’s method for making a tornado evaporate. It’s inspired by Dorothy, the cleverly named device from the original film, which is somehow in her possession. (“This thing is so old,” she complains, elbowing the ribs of viewers who first saw it in 1996.)

One nagging question: What’s causing this sudden rash of deadly tornadoes? Hmmm, could it be … climate change? “Twisters” never mentions that loaded term, perhaps wary of alienating half its audience. Fair enough, but now the tornadoes look like America-hating monsters: Nearly every action sequence is followed by sorrowful aerial shots of small-town devastation, while Benjamin Wallfisch’s weepy score reassures us that the flag is still there.

I’m no scientist, but Kate’s plan to stop tornadoes entirely — as if they were aliens or terrorists – strikes me as something that could seriously backfire. Maybe that’ll be the premise of “Twister III.”

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com@raferguzman