It’s hard to imagine a tornado picture worse than Twister, yet Into the Storm takes the found footage scenario to a whole new sub-level. To be honest, I was expecting something along the lines of The Day After Tomorrow or 2012, two well-made Roland Emmerich movies. Instead, Steven Quale’s direction hews closer to The Blair Witch Project. 

Amateur hand-held coverage predominates as students film each other, and a documentary crew follows Mother Nature’s Blender. The latter drive around in a vehicle nicknamed The Titus. As it thunders across the screen, one can’t help thinking, “Here comes the Batmobile.”

Interspersed with the main characters, there are two individuals from the Jackass fan club, who capture approaching twisters on their cell phones, totally nonplussed about personal safety. Other times, we hear nonsensical one-liners such as “I've been waiting my whole life for a storm like this!” 

Ultimately, Into the Storm becomes a high-profile advertisement for dangerous weather. However, good special effects and Brian Tyler's atmospheric score cannot divert attention away from 2014's most awkward screenplay, written by John Swetnam (Step Up All In). (Capsule review)

(Released by Warner Bros. Pictures and rated "PG-13" by MPAA.)