Common Sense Media Review
By M. Faust , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 13+
'90s weather disaster movie has violence, some language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
A child watches as a tornado sucks her father in and carries him away. There are many very intense encounters with tornadoes. Houses, semi-trucks, trucks, and cows are shown going airborne by the force of tornadoes. A tornado demolishes buildings and tears off roofs in a small town, leaving a lot of debris. A character tries to keep a storm cellar shut before getting violently blown away and killed by a tornado in front of his wife and young daughter. Another is impaled and killed by a piece of metal that shoots through his truck windshield due to a tornado; the truck flips and explodes, killing the passengers who die off screen (no blood is shown).
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Language
some
Language includes one use of "f--k," plus "s--t," "bulls--t," "hell," "Christ," and "goddamn." A doctor exclaims without context, "She didn't marry your penis!"
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
Mention of a character being drunk and naked. Father appears to be drinking alcohol.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Main characters are married but separated. One character is a reproductive therapist who says, "She didn't marry your penis!" A character explains "suck zone" to another in a way that could be interpreted as sexual innuendo.
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Positive Messages
a little
Encourages scientific research and teamwork. But reckless behavior is glorified, portrayed as bravery.
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Diverse Representations
a little
Co-written by female writer Anne-Marie Martin, the movie follows meteorologist Dr. Jo Harding's adventures of chasing tornadoes to collect scientific data. Jo is smart and independent and takes on the leadership role in a team of scientists and technicians who are mostly men (except for assistant driver Haynes). Her estranged husband and fellow storm chaser Bill takes on a supporting role in her mission despite the difficulties in their marriage. Bill's other love interest is a reproductive therapist who has a clear idea of what she wants, but her profession is sometimes played for humor. The creators and cast are predominantly White, except for Jo and Bill's teammate Eric, who's played by Black actor Erik LaRay Harvey in a minor role.
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Positive Role Models
very little
Dr. Jo Harding perseveres in her mission to collect scientific data by chasing tornadoes, but she and fellow storm chasers neglect protocol and their own safety in the process.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Twister is director Jan de Bont's disaster thriller that dramatizes the dangers and exhilaration of pursuing tornadoes on the Oklahoma plains. It follows a team of storm chasers led by meteorologist Dr. Jo Harding (Helen Hunt) that includes her estranged husband, Bill (Bill Paxton). Cows, vehicles, and houses whirl around and crash violently to the ground during the action sequences. A small town is shown devastated after a tornado strikes, and a character tries to keep a storm cellar shut before getting violently blown away and killed by a tornado in front of his wife and young daughter. A man is impaled by a piece of metal that crashes through his windshield, causing his truck to flip and explode, killing both passengers (no blood is shown). Language includes one use of "f--k," plus "s--t," "bulls--t," and "hell." A tornado chaser talks about the "suck zone" in a way that implies he's not just talking about tornadoes; a woman revealed to be a reproductive therapist exclaims, "She didn't marry your penis!" To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Twister
Parent and Kid Reviews
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- Parents say (18)
- Kids say (49)
age 12+
Based on 18 parent reviews
goldengiraffe Adult
December 29, 2021
age 12+
The effects are still impressive 23 years on!
My children are 13 and 11 and we watched this together as a family. I think the language makes it a 12. My son has seen this kind of language in films but it really depends on your child.Overall it's a great action packed film that you can watch with your kids, when many other films are too violent or have way more language issues.The effects are still as impressive as when I saw it as an 18 year old in the cinema in 1996!
heatherg4 Adult
August 20, 2015
age 11+
I First Saw This Movie When I Was 8
I saw this movie for the first time when I was 8 years old. It was the first pg-13 movie my dad let me watch with him. I remember enjoying the tornado chasing scenes and the action. Things I don't remember: the sex therapist, the language, the violence. The only scenes that still creep me out are the very beginning scene and the drive-in movie scene . When I was 8, the talk about the girlfriend being a sex therapist went over my head so I didn't even question that. The language was no more than what I'd heard my parents say and the violence, I dot know why, but I didn't really see it back then. Most things go over kids' heads so there's a lot of worry by parents for no reason. I think this movie is appropriate for 11 and up overall even though I was younger when I first saw it.
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See all 18 parent reviews
What's the Story?
When conditions create a perfect storm for multiple tornadoes in TWISTER, storm chaser Jo Harding (Helen Hunt) finds herself re-teaming with her ex-husband, Bill (Bill Paxton), to collect valuable data using their high-tech invention called DOROTHY. Meanwhile, corporation-funded Dr. Miller (Carey Elwes), armed with a similar device, tries to get the vital statistics before Jo and Bill do.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (18):
Kids say (49):
This film's entire point is showing off elaborate special effects that create the experience of being near and even in a tornado. And though Twister tries, a tornado isn't an easy phenomenon to build a plot around—they can't be predicted more than three minutes in advance, and they don't last very long. So it's partly forgivable that the filmmakers didn't come up with much of a story. The relationship woes and scientific rivalries only serve as filler between scenes of huge objects hurtling through the air.
The opening scene, about Jo's first experience with a twister, is both exciting and scary. After that, the filmmakers satisfy themselves with thrilling viewers rather than frightening them. They also drop so many references to The Wizard of Oz that families can make a game of counting them. It's a bit of a disappointment that scientist-turned-scriptwriter Michael Crichton didn't challenge the audience a bit more here. Still, despite being clichéd, the characters are likable. In particular, Hunt is just as great of an example of a woman working in STEM as Jodie Foster is in Contact.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popularity of disaster films like Twister. What aspects make them universally appealing to audiences of all ages?
How does the movie compare and contrast the two tornado-chasing groups? What can you learn from them? What are some of their behaviors and actions you might want to avoid?
The opening scene is a flashback showing a pivotal moment in Jo's life. What purpose do you think that scene serves in the movie?
Has the movie aged well? What aspects have, and what parts haven't?
Have you seen the sequel Twisters? How do the two films compare?
Movie Details
- In theaters: December 9, 1996
- On DVD or streaming: August 27, 1996
- Cast: Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes
- Director: Jan De Bont
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Female writers
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Genre: Thriller
- Run time: 113 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: intense depiction of very bad weather
- Last updated: August 4, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Twister
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