"INTO THE STORM" (2014) Review

"INTO THE STORM" (2014) Review

When I first learned about the theater release of the 2014 disaster movie, "INTO THE STORM", my first instinct was to go see it. The summer of 2014 proved to be a very hot and dry one for Southern California. And I had longed to see rain of any kind - even on the movie screen. But in the end, I never did. 

Caution eventually overrode my desire to see "INTO THE STORM" and I had decided to skip it. After all, movie tickets these days are not as cheap as they used to be. I was enduring a period of financial straits at the time. And "INTO THE STORM" had been released in August . . . a graveyard period for summer movies. So, I decided to watch the movie after it was released on DVD. And you know what? The movie turned out to be everything I had imagined.

"INTO THE STORM" is basically as disaster movie about how a team of storm chasers and citizens of a small Oklahoma town deal with a series of major tornadoes and rain storms. The movie begins with the deaths of a group of teenagers killed by a major tornado in some nameless small town. Unfortunately, the storm chasers led by a wealthy man named Peter Moore, failed to be in the storm's vicinity, thanks to the team's meteorologist, Dr. Allison Stone. The latter eventually discovers another storm/tornado heading in the direction of Sillerton, Oklahoma. Among the Sillerton citizens unaware of the incoming storms are Gary Fuller, vice-principal of the local high school and his two sons, Donnie and Trey; and Donnie's fellow classmate, Kaitlyn Johnston. Since his wife's death, Gary has been somewhat withdrawn and brusque toward his sons. Donnie seems to resent his father's cold behavior, despite his willingness to video record the upcoming graduation ceremony for the town's time capsule. In fact, Donnie has no trouble handing over the video recording task to younger brother Trey, when the latter suggests he do the job. Instead, Donnie helps Kaitlyn video record a school project at an abandoned paper mill as a means to get emotionally close to her. In the end, the lives of the Fuller family, other Sillerton citizens, Allison, Pete and the rest of the storm chasing team are endangered by on coming hail storms and tornadoes.

I would never classify "INTO THE STORM" as a major disaster movie on the scale of "EARTHQUAKE" or "2012". It felt more like a small scale production limited to a small town or farm community setting. To be honest, it reminded me of movies like "DANTE'S PEAK" or "TWISTER". Especially the latter. And like the last two mentioned films, "INTO THE STORM" almost seemed to have a B-movie veneer. Only the film's special effects, which impressed me very much, made it difficult for me to view it as a B-movie. In the end, I am not surprised that "INTO THE STORM" was released in August.

Brining up "TWISTER" reminded me that this movie has more in common with the 1995 movie than any other. Both featured the following - heavy rain, hail, tornadoes, storm chasers and a Midwest setting. "TWISTER" was publicized as more of an "A" quality film and featured well-known actors in the lead. And yet . . . I came away feeling more impressed with "INTO THE STORM". How odd. Mind you, "INTO THE STORM" was not perfect. As I had earlier pointed out, it seemed to have a B-movie veneer about it, despite the production values and special effects. But the movie also possessed two aspects that failed to impress me. One, I could have done without the two yahoos who had decided to face the storms for the sake of thrills. I found their characters so idiotic and not worthy of remembering their names. And two, I was not that impressed with the movie's dénouement in which the storms' survivors express their relief over being alive and what their experiences meant to them. I found the sequence a bit wince inducing, pretentious and a bore. I honestly could have dealt without the "meaning of life" speeches.

Despite these annoyances, "INTO THE STORM" proved to be an entertaining movie for me. Director Steven Quale and John Swetnam's screenplay kept the narrative taut, well-paced and to the point. Some might say that the screenplay could have delved more into the characters' background before placing them in the midst of the storm. I am not sure if such a ploy would have been necessary. The few scenes that focused on the private lives of the Fuller family and the storm chasers pretty much told me all I needed to know about them. Swetnam was pretty blunt about the characters' personalities and their situations in their lives before the storms hit Sillerton. I also have to comment on the movie's production values. I was very impressed by Brian Pearson's photography. Surprisingly, the movie was shot in Michigan, instead of Oklahoma. Michigan or Oklahoma, I cannot deny that I found Pearson's photography sharp, colorful and rather beautiful. Pearson's photography also enhanced the work of the movie's special effects team. Speaking of speacial effects . . . I thought the movie makers did an outstanding job in creating both the storms and tornadoes featured in the movie. I was especially impressed by the movie's last tornado and one particular scene in which one of the characters ended up in the center of the storm - namely the eye.

I was also surprised that "INTO THE STORM" avoided the usual cliché of a romance between the two leading characters. There was a great deal of potential for romance between the Gary Fuller and Allison Stone characters. Both were portrayed by very attractive performers. Gary Fuller was a widower with two sons and Allison Stone was a single mother with a five year-old daughter. Whether she was divorced or single, I have no idea. The chemistry between the two seemed pretty obvious when they first met. And yet Swetnam's screenplay merely allowed them to become friendly acquaintances and co-survivors . . . and nothing else. I would have been disappointed, if I had not found their lack of a romance surprisingly refreshing.

Considering that "INTO THE STORM" was not exactly a major Hollywood production, I felt rather relieved that the cast managed to give decent performances. Aside from the two actors who played the two thrill seeking yahoos, I was very satisfied with the rest of the cast. Both Richard Armitage and Sarah Wayne Callies clicked on screen as Gary Fuller and Dr. Allison Stone, despite the fact that they were not portraying a romantic pair. And Armitage's American accent struck me as a bit of an improvement over his accent in 2011's "CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER". Max Deacon and Nathan Kress gave solid support as Fuller's two sons - Donnie and Trey. I could also say the same about Alycia Debnam Carey, who portrayed Kaitlyn Johnston, and the actors who portrayed other members of Pete Moore's storm chasing team. Speaking of the Pete Moore character, he struck me as quite a pip. I could not decide whether to like or dislike him. And I have to give kudos to Matt Walsh for making him such an effectively ambiguous character. I thought he gave the best performance in the movie.

In a nutshell, "INTO THE STORM" did not strike me as a particularly mind blowing or memorable film. I am not saying that it was terrible or even mediocre. I would say that it was a pretty solid and entertaining film, despite its flaws or 89 minute running time. I thought director Steven Quale did a good job in creating a decent film, backed by superb special effects and competent acting by a solid cast.