In terms of carnage, destruction and awesome special effects, INTO THE STORM makes TWISTER seem like scattered showers. Too bad I can’t say the same for story and characters!
In a matter of a day, the town of Silverton is decimated by relentless onslaughts of tornadoes. The entire town is at the mercy of powerful cyclones, even as storm trackers predict the worst is yet to come. Most people seek shelter, while others run towards the vortex, testing how far a storm chaser will go for that once-in-a-lifetime shot. Told through the eyes and lenses of professional storm chasers, idiotic thrill-seeking amateurs, and courageous locals, INTO THE STORM places you directly into the eye of the storm to experience Mother Nature’s bitchful wrath at its most extreme!
I know, I know, it’s been a while. So…finally…a natural disaster film has landed in order to keep us grounded about how we as humans are not as strong and/or in control as we think we are. Yes, we have all those educational channels on cable, but most (NOT ALL) global citizens rather Hollywood present the news instead of reputable, educational channels.
INTO THE STORM is the first flick in a while to attempt such a complex formula, and while the first twenty to thirty minutes of this piece is a wrist-slitting, bore-fest, the film slowly morphs into one hell of an intensified, adrenalin-rush action experience you just have to admit you cynically loved and had fun with.
The color-by-number dialogue and one-dimensional characters (with the exception of Richard Armitage) are all very stereotypical, adding zero to this piece. However, the film somehow in its final climax, made me care for everything that was happening to them. That of course is all owed to the soulful purpose of what this film is about and that’s these cool, drawn-out scenes entailing twisters coming from all directions, ultimately combining themselves into a BIG ONE. Looking far more impressive than those before it, the film provided what it was meant to, and I can admit I respect that aspect about INTO THE STORM.
Honestly, as I level out this piece, INTO THE STORM isn’t a bad flick, but it will NOT be remembered as a 2014 summer blockbuster. However, it will carry its own weight as a film that started out dull, but became more and more visually entertaining as it went on. I think kind of like TWISTER, only TWISTER focuses a bit more on story than storm, which made its heavy landing towards the final act. But, realistically, most movie-goers don’t give a shit about story. They want chaos, carnage, and fueled atrocity which is what INTO THE STORM is!
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Grade: C+ / Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Action, and Drama / Rated: PG-13 / Run Time: 1 hr. 30 min.
Starring: Richard Armitage, Sarah Wayne Callies
Directed by: Steven Quale
