What Year Does Twisters Take Place?

In an era dominated by superhero epics and sequels, it’s refreshing when a good old-fashioned disaster movie makes waves at the box office. Twisters, directed by Lee Isaac Chung, is the latest cinematic whirlwind to sweep audiences off their feet over its opening weekend. With its blend of thrilling tornado chases, dramatic rescues, and a star-studded cast, it’s no wonder this decades late sequel film managed to rake in $80 million domestically and $40 million internationally (that’s a whopping $120ish million worldwide). But amid all the flying debris and high-stakes drama, there’s one question that keeps nagging at us: What year does Twisters actually take place?

Right from the cold open, Twisters throws us into a time-bending conundrum. The movie begins with a group of doomed storm chasers documenting their tornado encounters using an old-school handicam. This nostalgic nod to the ’90s is cool. We like handicams. But what year is this? Before you can get too comfortable, disaster strikes, sucks up most of our cast, and the film leaps five years into the future, where Glen Powell’s character, Tyler Owens—a YouTuber and storm chaser—captures tornadoes on the latest iPhones and drones like some kind of more demented Mr. Beast.

This curious mix of technology continues throughout the film, creating a delightful dissonance that leaves you both puzzled and amused. On one hand, you have the high-stakes science of launching barrels of sodium polyacrylate solution into tornadoes, led by Daisy Edgar-Jones’ character Kate Carter and her team. On the other, there’s the undeniable charm of Glen Powell’s Tyler Owens, who, with his flashy gear and social media savvy, steals the show.

So, does Twisters take place in the past, present, or some mishmash of both? Does anyone know? Did Jones’ original team just want to make their tornado chasing look cool and retro? Are they broke after shelling out for their data capturing devices? Or, you know, time travel.

The movie’s opening weekend success has nothing to do with the movie making sense, it’s all aboutthe cast’s charisma and chemistry. Alongside Powell and Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane, and Harry Hadden-Paton (not to mention Tunde Adebimpe from TV on the freaking Radio) deliver compelling performances. Their characters’ interactions, whether in the heat of a tornado chase or the calm before the storm, make the film feel lived-in in the best way.

And let’s not forget the real star of the show: the tornadoes themselves. The special effects team deserves kudos for creating some of the most realistic and terrifying tornado sequences ever seen on screen. From the initial twister to the final, fire-tinged EF5 monster, each tornado is a character in its own right, driving the plot forward with relentless intensity.

But back to our original question: What year does Twisters take place? Who cares? The film’s charm lies in its refusal to be pinned down by anything - be it the film’s thoughts on climate change (oddly there are none), to a specific time period. It’s a love letter to both the nostalgic disaster flicks of the past and the tech-savvy thrillers of today. The juxtaposition of handicams and drones, old-school storm chasing and modern meteorological science, creates a unique viewing experience that’s both retro and refreshingly current.

Twisters is a fun, dumb action movie about tornadoes that hit just the right spot for audiences craving something different. Its success is a reminder that sometimes, all we need is a good old-fashioned thrill ride, complete with flying debris, dramatic rescues, and a charming cast of characters. And as for the timeline? Just sit back, enjoy the chaos, and let the storm carry you away.