"The shelter is full, get to the movie theater!" barks out a character as the final set piece of Lee Isaac Chung's Twisters begins. This summer blockbuster is a standalone sequel to 1995's Twister. The film follows Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a storm chaser who survives a deadly tornado that kills her colleagues and friends, including her boyfriend.

Five years later, she is reluctantly recruited by Javi (Anthony Ramos), the only surviving member of her team. Javi needs Kate's help on a tornado scanning project in Oklahoma for his business, Storm Par. Upon arriving in Oklahoma, Kate learns storm chasing has changed, attracting thrill-seekers and amateurs alike. There, she meets Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a popular storm-chasing YouTuber.

As they chase tornadoes, Kate struggles with panic attacks but gradually bonds with Tyler's team. After an argument with Javi about their past, Kate retreats to her mother's farm. Tyler follows, learning about Kate's previous tornado disruption research. They decide to retry the experiment with modifications.

Twisters is a top-tier summer movie. Lee Isaac Chung's third film and the follow-up to his Oscar-nominated semi-autobiographical Minari provides more than the roadmap to some big dumb summer fun. While the story does nothing to puzzle or surprise you, it provides more than the familiar beats of a blockbuster and allows you to fall for the characters between the spectacular set pieces.

I feel like there are not nearly enough natural disaster movies. And, with the evolution of visual effects and the increased presence of weather events, I am not sure why. The storm chasing in this movie is exciting, suspenseful, and looks great. Mixing practical effects, on-location shooting with visual effects creates a number of great set pieces.

I came into the movie prepared to be delighted by Hollywood's number one himbo Glen Powell. And for the most part I was, with his square jaw and his character's aw-shucks country charm (he is somehow both a meteorologist and former bull rider). But the star of this movie is not Glen Powell or even the thrilling tornado sequences. It is Daisy Edgar-Jones; she provides the perfect mix of haunted and charming. Kate is reluctant and determined throughout the movie; she allows her past to seep into all of her decisions and interactions in a subtle but impactful way. I was blown away by Daisy Edgar-Jones' performance, and I think it helps elevate what is a good summer flick into a spectacular seasonal blockbuster.

Even if the shelter is not full. For Twisters you need to get to the movie theater.

Rating: 8.4