The storm is the star. Storm chasing scientists, redneck stuntmen as well as high school staff and students are among those who find themselves going Into the Storm, whether they like it or not.
We say, “It’s Twister on steroids, with inferior actors.”
TAYLOR: The audience doesn’t really need to know much going into this one. It’s a movie about surviving a freak series of tornadoes. You can expect to see the establishment of the characters: the broken family, the crazy thrill seekers, the cold-hearted scientist, the vice-principal authority figure, all about to be blown away by a windy special effects bonanza. The effects are very good but the acting is often terrible. What we have here are actors you probably have seen around, but don’t know the names of. They are what I would call TV grade.
HOWE: TV grade acting is being a little kind I feel, I’ve seen better acting on billboards. But I found it entertaining and did its job well enough for what it is, an action flick. The first 30 minutes is pretty slow and dull, trying to get you to connect with the characters, but I found I wasn’t that bothered about them. The film seems to have an identity crisis as it is filmed in two types of styles. At first it tries to make out it’s a documentary with characters talking and looking into a handicam that’s shaking badly, but it also is filmed like a regular movie. So which is it?
TAYLOR: True, but still I found myself quite titillated by this poorly defined film. After all, it’s one thing to place an actor in the middle of a hail storm then say “action” it’s another to have them point up into a green screen and say “Oh my God, look at that!” I can let some poor acting slip by my radar, none of these actors are meant to carry the film. I did, however, grow weary of everyone being saved just in the nick of time. The one death we do see, (there were other deaths in the film, just unseen) was awesome. Not awesome that he died, but what a way to go! (Sorry, I can’t tell you how he dies, that would spoil what is probably something you’ve never seen before.)
HOWE: I thought the effects were very good for being a smaller action movie, but I am surprised they didn’t cash in on the whole 3D thing. Into the Storm could have been better using that technology with trees, flames and bits of cars flying towards you. It will get compared to Twister for what it is and is it any better? I would have to say no. Twister had some nice cheese to its acting, whereas this cheese stinks.
TAYLOR: This film has no meat on its bones. It’s not trying to make a comment about global warming, it’s not about the American spirit and its ability to rebuild. Into the Storm just wants to put you inside a tornado and scream into your ear, “Well, whattaya think?”
— Taylor gives Into the Storm 2 eyes out of 5.
— Howe gives it 2 school buses out of 5.
The feature is currently playing at Galaxy Cinemas in Vernon.
