Review of Into the Storm (2014) by Olivia K — 31 Aug 2014

Back in 1996, 'Twister' was ahead of its time thanks to superb special effects and strong performances from (then) A-listers Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt. Fast-forward 18 years and we have 'Into the Storm,' a B-list action attempt at capturing some of the magic found in big budget projects like the aforementioned 'Twister.

' Helmed by Steven Quale, 'Storm' follows the concurrent story lines of a widower and his two teenaged sons who are in the middle of filming their lives for a video time capsule and a professional team of storm chasers as the "storm of the century" barrels down on the town of Silverton, Oklahoma.

As you might expect, there's not much substance to 'Storm,' as it follows a predictable plot that's chockfull of cliches. While the acting is bad (likely the result of a second-rate cast), the dialogue is by far the worst part of the film, as it rivals the dialogue used in your run of the mill Lifetime channel movie.

Naturally, a movie about killer tornadoes requires CGI to be top-notch, and it's pretty apparent the majority of 'Storm's $50M budget went toward getting the special effects right. From a fire-filled cyclone to a series of rapid-fire twisters that disappear without a trace as quickly as they appear out of thin air, and of course, an F5 mother of all tornadoes, there's no shortage of visually captivating elements on-screen.

Despite all of the shortcomings of 'Into the Storm,' it still manages to have a goodhearted sentiment throughout, focusing on love of family and determination to survive.