I’ve always been fascinated by tornadoes, and this interest started when I was a kid. My childhood dream was to become a tornado chaser. Seriously, just ask my family because this natural disaster is something I talked about a lot, especially after seeing the movie “Twister” for the first time.
So when I heard that Netflix was adding the documentary “The Twister: Caught in the Storm,” I knew I had to watch it on day one. Now that it’s streaming, and after sitting through all 89 intense minutes, I can confidently say it’s a harrowing watch.
“The Twister: Caught in the Storm” pretty much sums up how unforgiving mother nature can be. It centers around the 2011 tornado in Joplin, Missouri, which was one of the deadliest in U.S. history. The mile-wide EF-5 twister leveled thousands of homes, businesses, and even St. John’s Regional Medical Center.
Tornadoes are among the most dangerous natural disasters, and this documentary makes that painfully clear. So if that piques your interest, here’s more about “The Twister: Caught in the Storm” and why I think it’s worth watching.
What is ‘The Twister: Caught in the Storm’ about?
Amid the apocalyptic predictions for May 22, 2011, this documentary follows a group of young people in Joplin, Missouri, as they face the devastating force of a rare EF-5 tornado.
With winds reaching 200 mph, the tornado caused widespread destruction, killing 161 people, injuring over 1,100, and leaving nearly a third of the city in ruins.
Each individual’s journey is shaped by the harrowing experience, and their stories unfold throughout the documentary. Though the tornado left Joplin ruined, the town's community came together, rebuilt, and emerged as a powerful symbol of hope.
Featuring real-life footage filmed by Joplin residents, this doc offers a heart-pounding look inside the storm’s fury.
‘The Twister: Caught in the Storm’ shows the brutal force of mother nature
Mother nature is both beautiful and terrifying. While there’s so much beauty to experience, like sunsets, mountain hikes, and swimming alongside ocean life, there’s also the raw, destructive power that can ruin your life in seconds. Tornadoes are a perfect example.
“The Twister: Caught in the Storm” captures just how fast the sky can shift from blue to black and how a tornado can strike without warning, right in the heart of a busy city. Through firsthand footage of the storm intensifying and the skies swirling, the documentary weaves in personal accounts from those who lived through the devastation, bringing their harrowing experiences to life.
There’s the high school football captain, Keegan, who left graduation just in time, narrowly avoiding the tornado by being on the outskirts of Joplin. Cecil is another young teen working at a frozen yogurt shop, watching in shock as the building was torn apart around him. A trio of storm-chasing friends, including Mac, found themselves racing to escape the twister and taking shelter in a convenience store.
A group of local teens were also caught inside a truck right in the tornado’s path, surviving a terrifying airborne toss. And among them all, 13-year-old Chad happened to be in Joplin that day with his mother, hoping for a chance to shadow the local weatherman, never expecting to witness one of the deadliest tornadoes ever recorded.
Each person shares their experience and how it shaped them as they grew up, since they were just young teens when it happened. These stories hit even harder when paired with chilling audio recordings that include voices shouting to their friends as the tornado tears through the city, ripping apart homes and buildings where people were desperately seeking shelter.
Of course, a documentary like this runs the risk of feeling exploitative when finding footage for streaming content. However, this one avoids that pitfall. Instead of focusing on just the devastation, it also prioritizes the personal experiences of those who lived through it, giving survivors a platform to share what they saw, heard, and felt in those moments. And when it does focus on the aftermath it shows how people came together for support.
Above all, “The Twister: Caught in the Storm” emphasizes the crucial warning signs to look out for when an EF-5 tornado is approaching. This is the highest rating on the Enhanced Fujita scale and is considered extremely destructive. It can flatten houses, toss cars and trucks like toys, and destroy entire neighborhoods in minutes.
The disaster itself (and a key takeaway from the documentary) led to significant improvements in emergency preparedness and tornado warning systems. It’s an important but harrowing watch, showing the terrifying power of tornadoes and the devastation they can cause.
Stream ‘The Twister: Caught in the Storm’ on Netflix now
“The Twister: Caught in the Storm” is a must-watch documentary on Netflix, and I’m not just saying that because I’m fascinated by this natural disaster.
The doc actually takes time to focus on the chaos and devastation while showing the improvements made in emergency preparedness and tornado detection systems that followed this tragedy. With chilling first-hand footage and personal stories, we get insights into how this tornado formed so suddenly.
It’s a compelling look at how an entire community came together to rebuild and thrive despite the overwhelming odds. “The Twister: Caught in the Storm” is an emotional and eye-opening experience you won’t want to miss now that it’s streaming on Netflix.
If you’re not convinced, see our guide on the most harrowing documentary thrillers. You can also check out what’s new on Netflix in March 2025.
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