Tornado a Fúria

I've had a morbid fascination with tornadoes for more than 40 years, since my 5th grade teacher, a native Texan, told stories of ones he saw in his youth. Fortunately, I've lived my whole life in the middle Atlantic states, where tornadoes are rare and usually not as violent as the ones in the Midwest, but I have had two close encounters, one in PA and the other in NJ, in the past decade.

I enjoyed the family scenes, particularly the conflicts between Jack and Dan Hatch. When the tornado was close, Dan knew most of what he had to do, and he probably learned this in school, since I know that tornado safety is an important subject in parts of the U.S. where these storms are more frequent. However, characters in the movie did two things that some people think are supposed to be done or are safe to do in tornadoes but are actually not supposed to be done or are unsafe.

When the siren first sounded, Dan and Arthur went through the house and opened the windows. For years, this is what people were told to do, but tornado safety web sites now advise against doing this. Also, people were shown hiding in a highway underpass. This method was made popular by an early 1990s video made by a T.V. crew during a relatively weak twister in Kansas. However, in the most serious tornadoes, people can be sucked out from these underpasses. This happened during a May 1999 outbreak in Oklahoma.

The tornadoes in this movie hit in the fall, which is not a common time for them to happen. (Then again, one of my close encounters took place in late September.) Also, they traveled from northwest to southeast, while most such storms in the northern hemisphere go from southwest to northeast. However, this is not all that unusual. A famous tornado that struck Joliet, IL, in the early 1990s traveled in that direction (as did the one involved in my other close encounter).

I think that the movie should have been set in the spring. This movie was based on a book that in turn was based on an actual event that happened on June 3, 1980. But it was still a compelling story.

A lot of people feel this movie is just a knock off of 'Twister', I would beg to differ. The real plot deals with the relationship between the teenage step son, and his step father. The storm is more the random element that brings them closer together.

I won't outline the plot, because it's already been done. However,I like this movie because it's more about the people, than the storm. So, it's not just another disaster flick. It has more heart then 'Twister'.

I like 'Twister' too, but in a different way. I try not to criticize something for being what it's not. So, I don't compare the two to each other. If you like movies that have heart, I think you'll like this one.

... And in my humble opinion does a better job of it! Okay, so NIGHT OF THE TWISTERS is a family movie, and it does gloss over the realities a bit. Also, because it's set at night, you don't get to see that much of the tornadoes.

But, for all this, I still like it better than TWISTER. At least the tornadoes in this film are comprised of real footage!

My kids and I have almost memorized the lines to "Night of the Twisters", we've seen it so many times! We have so many favorite scenes and lines that it's difficult to compile them all here! One thing for sure: You can watch this with your mother and not be embarrassed. It's about a family facing a natural disaster and its aftermath with courage and compassion. The filmmakers didn't succumb to any sexual innuendoes or "bad attitude" dialogue either. Some parts are kinda corny, but all in all, it's a refreshing change from the usual TV movie fare. I really enjoy watching Dan and Arthur "jamming" up in Dan's room before the storm hits; plus, how Dan so nonchalantly checks on his baby brother in the storm's beginning stages. Watch it when you can.

As I prepared to watch this film, I expected a cheap spin-off of that "OTHER" block-buster tornado movie. But I was pleasantly suprised and proven wrong. GRANTED, this made-for-television doesn't have the same budget as the Hollywood feature, but it does a GREAT job of story-telling and creating likeable characters. It even has cool special effects considering it was a television film. It was good to see John Schneider (Dukes of Hazzard's) again, even though his acting hasn't improved much. It is the break-out performance of Devon Sawa which carries this family-thriller, he has a natural talent that could bring him to greater things, keep watching for him in future projects. I was also impressed with it's ability to remain a FAMILY film without dipping into profanity and sex, yet still have it's fair share of thrills and tense moments. This is a good movie that is worth your time and rental fee. You can invite you parents over and let the kids stay up for this one. Good Job FAMILY CHANNEL, we salute you!