Let Them Kiss! 'Twisters' And The Anti-Romance Movement

Tornados are all about chemistry. Everything has to come together perfectly in the skies — a chaotic cocktail of weather conditions — in order for a vortex to touch the ground. And that’s what we want in a Summer blockbuster too. Lots and lots of chemistry. After all, would the formula be complete without it?

In this regard, Twisters moviegoers weren’t left disappointed by the film when it opened over the weekend. Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) had palpable chemistry on-screen. Whether it be in playful banter or near-death experiences, the two had an undeniable energy together, and the tension was obvious to both the on-screen characters and moviegoers everywhere. In fact, so much so that it was evident in just the promotion materials for the film, and this chemistry perhaps played a big role in what drew audiences to see the hit film in the first place. 

Twisters is Lee Isaac Chung’s sophomore feature following his critically-acclaimed indie film Minari. Partnering with Universal Pictures and securing a much bigger budget of over 150 million dollars, Chung had a lot to work with. This in combination with a star-studded cast and a legacy status that brought in audiences from all generations was a recipe for success. And, in a financial sense, the success is evident. Twisters received a gross of over $123 million globally in its opening weekend, flattening box office projections. And that’s not all. The film is going viral on social media, with impressive numbers across all platforms. It seems that everyone’s talking about it. So then why are people upset?

Well, the chemistry between Kate and Tyler was never given the payoff we were all waiting for — the two never kissed. This alone isn’t enough to have viewers up in arms, but after leaked footage was released that showed there had been a kiss scene filmed on set that didn’t make the final cut, people started to ask questions. Turns out, none other than legendary director Steven Spielberg advised the director to omit it, claiming that the "reward" of Kate's success in her career field should be enough. But our question is, why can't she have both? Why does it need to be either/or?

Twisters is in every respect an exhilarating film, but it wasn’t just about the chemistry in the sky. It was about the chemistry between its main characters, and the lack of any romantic climax for them is like the perfect weather conditions failing to produce a tornado — it’s just disappointing. Perhaps it's a symptom of a wider, more fundamental problem with global audiences being less comfortable with romance subplots on-screen. A swath of recent films and TV shows have pat themselves on the back for not allowing any romance to flourish for its main protagonist (usually a woman), or give up their chance at love for power or success (because, again, she can't have both!), in some misguided perception that it's more "progressive". And audiences seem to agree, with many online commentators openly decrying any hint of romance in their fictional media, especially if it's sci-fi, action, or fantasy projects, and claiming to prefer "platonic" relationships. Why this sudden shift away from romance? It's hard to say. All we know is, the kiss should have made the final cut of Twisters, and we hope filmmakers will learn from this event. Never try to prevent a chemical reaction — it’ll only make it fire up even stronger!

Twisters is now in theatres everywhere!