Film Review - Into The Storm

Twister and Shout

Film: Into the Storm
Cast: Richard Armitage, Sarah Wayne Callies
Directed by: Steven Quale

Duration: 1 hr 30 mins

Rating: * * 1 / 2

Almost two decades ago, Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton played scientists chasing storms and tornadoes in that thoroughly enjoyable Jan De Bont film Twister which was co-written by Michael Crichton.

Into the Storm is pretty much on the same lines as Twister and while the visuals look very good, there doesn’t appear to be a great deal of improvement since that 1996 film. Director Steven Quale has worked as an assistant with James Cameron on films like Titanic and Avatar, Into the Storm is his second feature film. 

The slight difference in story here is that Quale uses the found-footage method to tell a disaster story.  Pete (Matt Walsh) heads a team that chases storms for a living. He wants to capture the footage while literally being in the eye of the storm. The rope as far as his funding though is concerned, is running out.  His team has videographers and a meteorologist (Sarah Wayne Callies) who are criss-crossing chasing the storm in a virtually indestructible vehicle which is tailor made for this purpose.

When nature’s fury strikes and it strikes hard, they meet Gary (Richard Armitage) who is searching for his teenage son who is caught unaware when hell breaks loose.

While the special effects are captivating and no matter how many times you have seen those storms and twisters, they still grab your attention when you see them on the big screen.  A scene where aero planes are lifted off the ground by the wind is quite spectacular. But when it comes to the characterization and the drama, the film falls flat.  

They behave in a rather absurdist way and surely it is not that difficult to write a decent human drama set in testing times?

If you venture into this film, enjoy the visual effects and leave the slender story alone. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 10th Aug 2014
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