In fact, the climax of the movie is somewhat overdramatic, showing Ryan Hatch floating in the air and hanging onto the hand of his father while the tornado chases the car around town. Vince Miller, a real-life storm chaser and consultant for the movie, defends its authenticity but notes that twisters rarely line up neatly in a row, and weather observers actually don't get to the storm scenes very often or very quickly. IN SOME ways, it's disconcerting that millions of people will see both of these films and come away with misinformation about the tornadoes and Grand Island. Mrs. Rozendal said she hopes teachers will discuss the differences between the book and the movie when they talk about tornadoes with young children. My hope is that people don't start equating tornadoes with roller-coaster rides.
Tornadoes are fascinating and even thrilling.
But they also are extremely dangerous. The greatest disservice from the twister movies is not in converting facts into fiction but blurring the line between fantasy and reality. When the sirens sound, people need to be seeking shelter, not adventure. Bill Brennan is executive editor of The Independent. All rights reserved.