Into the Storm **½ (PG-13) Disaster movies invariably follow a standard formula. Something horrible is coming. We meet a bunch of people who will be affected, learning enough about them to have players to root for ...or against. The level of menace must escalate, with the biggest moment of danger coming just before the end. In recent years, the most significant variance among such flicks isn’t in plot or character development, but how much of an adrenaline rush the computer-effects department can deliver? It’s all about the degree of sizzle for the same old steak.
This one gives us a group of storm chasers and the residents of a small town in America’s Tornado Alley. The first group is frustrated from its long, failed pursuit of the Big One for a documentary. The others are mostly locals who’d rather not be anywhere near what’s coming. Comic relief comes from a couple of dopes seeking YouTube fame from their dimwitted daredevil exploits. The individual stories and performances are pure paint-by-numbers. But the f/x are sensational, making the experience more satisfying as a thrill ride than story. The technology for scaring the crap out of viewers has evolved greatly since 1996 when we were blown away (sorry ‘bout that) by Twister.
If that’s what you’re looking for, these storm scenes won’t let you down. Those craving more of a bloodbath should stick with the Syfy Channel’s Sharknado flicks. At the other extreme, Heartlanders given to excessive worry might find these events too potentially prophetic to enjoy. (8/8/14)
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