Film Review: ‘Into the Storm’ Maybe Needs Some Sharks

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly versionE-mail page to friendE-mail page to friendPDF versionPDF version
Average: 5 (1 vote)

CHICAGO – What is there to say about a movie whose chief attraction lies in action set pieces involving CGI tornadoes? You either like this sort of thing or you don’t. I took my ten year old, who seemed to have a good time, and I know I felt pretty captivated by some of those visuals – but I’m a sucker for a thrill ride. Sound indecisive?

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 2.5/5.0
Rating: 2.5/5.0

Herein lies the problem. Even though the tornadoes don’t suck (pun intended), the rest of the film is generally as flat as the aftermath. The wisest move that “Braveheart” scribe and “Into The Storm” director Steven Quale makes is keeping the film to a tight 89 minutes and paying minimal attention to the less than original or engaging aspects of its plot.

A group of storm chasers led by Peter (Matt Walsh) are in the middle a very rough season. They have constructed a vehicle called the Titus, which can pin itself to the ground allowing it to pass through actual tornadoes. Their goal, besides collecting scientific data, is to get the first ever shot of a twister from the inside out.

Their attempt at a groundbreaking documentary has been thwarted by an inability to second guess where the next twister will land, leaving them with footage they might as well upload to YouTube. Funding has been pulled – and it looks like the team is out of luck – until an educated guess leads them on one last quest to the small town of Silverton, where an unprecedented series of storm fronts produces twister after twister, devastating the area, and testing the character of everyone it encounters.

‘Into the Storm’ opens everywhere on August 8th. Featuring Matt Walsh, Richard Armitage, Sarah Wayne Callies, Max Deacon and Nathan Kress. Written by John Swetnam. Directed by Steven Quale. Rated “PG-13”

StarContinue reading for Dave Canfield’s full review of “Into the Storm”

Into the Storm
Force of Destruction: One of the Tornadoes from ‘Into the Storm’
Photo credit: Warner Bros

StarContinue reading for Dave Canfield’s full review of “Into the Storm”

User Login

Free Giveaway Mailing

TV, DVD, BLU-RAY & THEATER REVIEWS

  • Manhunt

    CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 21st, 2024, reviewing the new streaming series “Manhunt” – based on the bestseller by James L. Swanson – currently streaming on Apple TV+.

  • Topdog/Underdog, Invictus Theatre

    CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.

Advertisement



HollywoodChicago.com on Twitter

archive

HollywoodChicago.com Top Ten Discussions
referendum
tracker