Into The Storm - review

Into The Storm is essentially just Twister done in a found footage style minus Bill Paxton.

It combines two recorded story threads (storm chasers trying to document tornados and two brothers tasked with filming the local graduation ceremony) although apparently edited into a "documentary", at times it is difficult to know who filmed certain moments and how they got footage from cameras that must have damaged during the storms.

Putting aside those technical implausibilities, the main problem with the film is not the effects which are adequate (although why they didn't release it in 3D is beyond me. Surely an ideal candidate for conversion), but characterisation.

The people threatened by the tornado are completely one-note. They include "dad who lost his wife and has difficulty bonding with kids", "boy who secretly fancies girl", "single mom who left daughter behind at Grandma's to chase storms and money", storm chaser who will stop at nothing to get the shot" and "teenager who won't stop filming despite impending doom approaching".

They all feel like cardboard cut-out characters so it is no surprise to see them get swept up and carried away with the wind, which is more than the audience will be.

The film ends with what the reporters refer to as "the biggest storm ever recorded" but in cinematic terms, Into The Storm will amount to little more than a storm in a teacup.

1 star