The Hype For ‘Twisters’ Is A Throwback To A Sillier Time For Blockbusters

My (and I’m sorry to begin this post with the word “my,” but this is going somewhere, I swear) most popular tweet in the the blurst-of-times era of X, the everything app, is about a bag of chips. But not just any bag of chips: the mad geniuses at Frito-Lay constructed a limited-edition bag of Fritos that are half flamin’ hot and half ranch. I made some easy “we are so back” joke about the salty snack, not expecting the tweet to do much — it has since been viewed over 1.3 million times. There’s two reasons for this, I think: people like stunt food, and they love promotional tie-ins.

The “twisted” flamin’ ranch Fritos were introduced in conjunction with the release of Lee Isaac Chung’s Twisters, the not-a-sequel to 1996’s Twister starring Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos. The film is a throwback to a different era of blockbusters when movie stars and spectacle (and CGI cows), not lore and cinematic universes, were the main draws to get people to the theater. But before they were welcomed to Regal Cinemas on a roller coaster, they were bombarded with months of capitalism-fueled hype.

This is still true, as movie tie-ins have been around for decades — the first Happy Meal promotion was for 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture (kids love punishingly long shots of the Enterprise undocking). But at least to me, the Twisters-themed Fritos feel uniquely 1990s. They’re of a piece with the Terminator 2: Judgment Day “Thirst Terminator” cups from Subway, the “dino-sized” meal at McDonald’s for Jurassic Park, and the ubiquitous Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Pepsi cans. (I’m looking for a Watto if anyone has one.) These products (and don’t get me wrong, these are products) were selling a movie rather a brand.

Twisters is a movie, and even though it technically exists in the same universe as Twister, it’s not dependent on the original in any way. Based on reviews, Twisters sounds like it’s aware of its own silliness, as has the marketing for the film. There’s been billboards that look like they’ve been upended by storms; a tie-in soundtrack — a Barbie the Album for yeehaw America — with song titles like “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma,” “Stronger Than A Storm,” and “Chasing The Wind”; and Twisters wind booths in movie theater lobbies. Unless a Xenomorph is involved, the popcorn bucket is played out; give me Tom Cruise doing his part to get people “back to the movies” by teaching his protégé the correct way to hold a popcorn bag.

Powell and Edgar-Jones have been particularly charming during the press tour: they seem to enjoy each other’s company (even when she’s calling him a “capybara-looking piece of shit”), and their enthusiasm makes me enthused to see the movie they’re promoting. All that’s been missing is the return of Universal Studios Florida’s Twister… Ride It Out (that ride being replaced with the utterly baffling Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon is one of life’s greatest injustices).

And, of course, there’s Brisket.

“It’s a ruff world out there, so I thought it was about time I hire a proper bodyguard… Meet BRISKET – 1.5 pounds of raw power,” Powell wrote on Instagram when debuting his rescue dog. “Thank you to @thelabellefoundation for all the incredible work you do to advocate for dogs and for making me a dad. I can’t wait to tackle all the adventures of life with this guy!” Most of their adventures together so far have involved Brisket — named after the tastiest BBQ dish from his caretaker’s hometown city, even if he’s more of “a ribs guy” — stealing the show from Powell.

Brisket is a star.

Now, is Brisket in Twisters? Nope. Does Twisters have anything to do with dogs? Probably not. So why is Powell bringing him along to Twisters events? Because it’s entertaining, that’s why.

Think of Twisters this way. After Seth Meyers introduced Daisy Edgar-Jones on Late Night this week, a scene from the movie was played. It’s thrilling, and stormy, and dangerous. But once Edgar-Jones sat down on the couch, Meyers admitted, “I felt terrible watching that clip because your character was so concerned, rightly so, and I was so excited to watch a truck go up in a tornado.” That’s Twisters! It’s not trying to be anything more than – and I say this with respect and admiration — extremely silly entertainment. And the marketing, from the chicken interview to whatever is happening here, has followed suit. Which is what promoting a movie like Twisters should be!

It’s a blockbuster spectacle about hot people chasing storms in Oklahoma. Things, whether a movie or a bag of chips, can just be a mindless (complimentary) delight sometimes. Enjoy the ride.

Twisters opens in theaters on July 19