Into the Storm is an exhilarating film mainly because of its unbelievable special effects. Besides that, there are also some other characteristics of the film that are positive: likable characters; some character development; dramatized, suspenseful moments that could mean the difference between life and death; and the overall theme of the film. It is a perfect mix of action, turmoil, and drama that will keep the audience interested the entire time.
So the plot is not the focus of this film, but there actually is a story line and its pretty good. We have stormchasers who have been unlucky of late trying to find a tornado to intercept and film, we have two brothers making a time capsule for graduation and a father they have issues with, we have a bit of a love story between Donnie and Kaitlyn (who eventually become trapped and need to be saved), and we have a series of deadly tornadoes impacting this town. So basically, there's a lot going on! To be honest, the time capsule thing was a little boring in the beginning, but there is a purpose for it by the end of the movie, I swear. The story is good because dramatized moments are woven in perfectly. Whenever tornadoes strike, somebody important to the plot almost gets swept away. At one point, Kaitlyn and Donnie become trapped and are about to be drowned, so they take video of their final words to their parents and loved ones. This was an emotional high point for me, I had tears in my eyes. Their grief was actually pretty convincing and it had an effect on me. The set-up was actually really good: draw the audience in with the smaller tornadoes first, then finish off with the massive beast of a tornado for the climax of the film. The audience is thrilled and wants more and guess what, you get what you wish for! It just keeps getting more intense as the movie goes along. I was also happy for the semi-love story that was being portrayed between Donnie and Kaitlyn. They knew they might not survive and in these situations emotions always grow high and it did between these two. I was routing for them to survive with all my heart! So good job there! Although the plot wasn't elaborate in any way (it's a natural disaster movie what do you expect?), it was still more than I asked for.
Now, I'm going to be a meteorologist when I'm done with college and I know a lot about thunderstorms and tornadoes and the dynamics that come together to create these massive whirlwinds of destruction. So basically, I was looking for a bit of weather terminology to be spoken from Allison, the chief meteorologist. It was incorporated into the script and it was used accurately as well. I was happy with the way the science was explained. It is simple enough that any audience should understand the phenomena but also complex enough to satisfy weather buffs like me. If you plan to see this movie, let me just clear up confusions about a few terms:
1.) Wind Shear- Wind moves at different speeds and at different directions at different levels in the atmosphere. The greater this variety is at different levels, the more wind shear there is. Winds moving in different directions at different heights aid rotation of the storm's winds, increasing the chance of tornado development.
2.) Updraft (Mesocyclone)- The "power house" of the storm. This is the movement of warm air upward into the center of the storm. the quicker and higher the warm air rises, the higher cumulonimbus clouds reach and the more powerful the storm. Storms with stronger updrafts are more likely to last longer and produce tornadoes.
3.) Supercell- A strong to severe thunderstorm with a very strong updraft that is usually rotating. supercells tend to be isolated from lines of storms and they are the most infamous and create the most damage out of all thunderstorm types. They can produce extremely large hail, deadly tornadoes, destructive winds, heavy rain and flash flooding, and dangerous lightning.
4.) Hook Echo- A signature on radar that literally looks like the precipitation is wrapping around something. This signature indicates strong rotation at a certain location in the storm and indicates that a tornado has developed or most likely will very shortly.
5.) Wall Cloud- A lowered cloud base at the leading edge of a thunderstorm. These structures can exhibit rotation and signal the possible development of a tornado.
Okay I think I have covered all the meteorology terms used in the film. Now you will know what they mean when Allison says them! Now, according to this film, the massive tornado's center is calm and there are no winds at all, much like the eye of a hurricane. Is this true of tornadoes in real life? I really don't think so but I have never been inside a twister so I cannot know for sure. I kind of thought that was a bit of a mistake because the eye of the hurricane is calm, but not the center of a tornado.
The special effects were the single best aspect of this film. The tornadoes looked realistic and were actually very scary looking, even the little ones. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a tornado in this movie and a tornado in real life. The "armageddon" tornado at the end was freaking terrifying!! It was so massive, so black, so ominous looking I couldn't even believe it. It was like a black hole was coming to suck up the town and it looked REAL! Great job to the special effects team for that! The destruction was widespread and devastating and it was well-done. It too looked like what an actual tornado would leave behind. The action scenes where we were close to or inside a tornado were simply exhilarating! There is a scene where the armageddon twister is picking up airplanes and throwing them away like toys. The audio was great too! When the tornadoes struck, it was loud and frightening, sounded like a freight train. The winds were strong and powerful as well. Everything from impact to conclusion was done perfectly. It was life-like and it was scary. What brilliant effects! So satisfied, could not have asked for more in this department!
The acting was not top-notch, but it was good enough to satisfy me. there were some characters and some performances that I really liked. Sarah Wayne Callies did an excellent job playing Allison. Allison is a mother who is separated from her little girl a lot due to her job and so part of her struggles as a storm chaser is to deal with this sometimes long-term separation. Callies does a good job portraying the grief attributed to this situation and I liked this in general because it realistically conveys what a storm chaser sacrifices when committing themselves to a job in this field. Allison is also the most kind, caring, and compassionate character in the film. She helps Gary as he's trying to save Donnie and Kaitlyn. Allison doesn't know him but she puts that and the fact that she's supposed to be storm-chasing aside to help him out. Very admirable. I also thought Alycia Carey did a nice job portraying her grief on camera when she was saying her potential final words, so good performance there too! I thought it was also cool how Trey gets to act like a storm chaser when he's inside the Titus and Nathan Kress does a good job acting all of this out. Everyone else was average to good. There is some character development: In the beginning of the film, Pete, the lead storm chaser, is obsessed with filming the tornadoes and is insensitive to everyone else's needs but comes through to help them in the end, Gary is insensitive to his boys in the beginning but is loving and compassionate in the end, and overall, all of the characters learn a very valuable lesson. They learn to live every day as if it's your last. Care for each other as much as you can while you have the chance. You never know when your time here will be up. Live in the moment, take it day by day. This powerful theme was a great conclusion to this action-packed thriller!
Into the Storm is most definitely a great movie to see, especially if you love destruction, mayhem, and natural disasters. Give this one a shot! I highly doubt you will be disappointed!
BaD BiRdS: 3.5/5- GREAT FILM!!!
~MJ Aufiero
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