Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong
Films like Into The Storm seem to be second nature for Director Steven Quale whose last outing, Final Destination 5, was another extremely entertaining work of ridiculous exhaustion. For a Film like Into The Storm, the level of entertainment is key and thankfully Quale and Screenwriter John Swetnam deliver an absurd amount of entertainment and suspense in their 90-minute Tornado-Thriller.
The Movie opens by introducing itself as a Documentary-style Film where we see Pete (Matt Walsh) and his crew of Storm Chasers; Allison (Sarah Wayne Callies), Daryl (Arlen Escarpeta), and Jacob (Jeremy Sumpter) who are all deeply invested in tracking Tornados or other forms of storms so they can sell their footage. The Team has consistently missed their chances all season and is left to find one last Tornado before they will be unable continue. We then meet Gary (Richard Armitage) and his Sons Donnie (Max Deacon) and Trey (Nathan Kress) who live in Silverton, where the largest Tornado ever is about to strike.
After the Storm hits, the Film switches between three separate Stories: the Storm Catchers, Gary and younger Son Trey with the rest of the Silverton High School, and Donnie and Kaitlyn (Alycia Carey). With all of the chaos and threat of the Storm spiraling further out of control, we wonder what it will take for our Heroes to survive.
For a Movie like Into the Storm, the focus always is the action sequences themselves, and the action – which comprises almost half the Film – is thoroughly entertaining and fast-paced. The edge-of-your-seat sequences manages to keep the Audience at the edge of their seats. What Into The Storm does better than several other Disaster Flicks in recent memory, is that it engages and tells the Story concisely – filler-free. It is the mindless fun we’ve been craving so desperately at the Movies this Summer!
Warner Brothers Canada releases Into The Storm August 8th, 2014
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