Storm Seekers
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''Storm Seekers'' (also known as ''Hurricane Hunter'') is a 2009 American/Canadian
made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
action Action may refer to: * Action (philosophy), something which is done by a person * Action principles the heart of fundamental physics * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video gam ...
/
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
directed by
George Mendeluk George Mendeluk () (born March 20, 1948, in Augsburg, Bavaria) is a German-born Canadian film director, television director and writer of Ukrainian descent. His television credits as director include ''Miami Vice'', ''Night Heat'', '' The New A ...
and starring
Daryl Hannah Daryl Hannah (born December 3, 1960) is an American actress and environmental activist. She made her film debut in Brian De Palma's supernatural horror film ''The Fury (1978 film), The Fury'' (1978). She has starred in various films across the ...
,
Dylan Neal Dylan Jeremy Neal (born October 8, 1969"Catching up with....Dylan Neal". ''Soap Opera Digest''. July 22, 2013. p. 73.) is a Canadian actor. He is known for his portrayal of the character Dylan Shaw on the soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' ...
,
Barclay Hope Barclay Hope (born February 25, 1958) is a Canadian actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Clifford and Claudius Blossom on '' Riverdale'', Mike Hayden on '' Street Legal'', Peter Axon on '' PSI Factor'', Col. Lionel Pendergast on ''St ...
,
Gwynyth Walsh Gwynyth Walsh (born 1956) is a Canadian actress best known for her role of the ''Star Trek'' character B'Etor, one of the Duras sisters. She also played constable Nimira in the '' Star Trek: Voyager'' episode " Random Thoughts", and provided th ...
,
Terry Chen Terence Chen (born February 3, 1975) is a Canadian actor. Early life Chen was born on February 3, 1975, in Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the ...
and
Mackenzie Gray Alexander Mackenzie Gray (born 22 November 1957) is a Canadian film, television, and stage actor. He is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Canada. He divides his time between Toronto and Vancouver. Life and career Gray was born in Toront ...
. The supporting cast includes Sean Bell and William MacDonald. The story is based on the missions of
hurricane hunters Hurricane hunters, typhoon hunters, or cyclone hunters are aircrews that fly into tropical cyclones to gather weather data. In the United States, the organizations that fly these missions are the United States Air Force Reserve's 53rd Weather ...
who locate and track hurricanes.


Plot

Meteorologist Leah Kaplan (Daryl Hannah) and her team of National Storm Center (NSC) scientists set out from
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
on a routine tracking mission to gather data on Hurricane Josephine, forming up over the Atlantic Ocean. Along with Leah, technician Tommy Cramer (Terry Chen) and meteorologist Steve Pastor (Sean Bell) have been joined by a reporter, Ryan Stewart (Dylan Neal) gathering information on a feature article on the hurricane hunters. Both Leah and Tommy worry that Steve, recently
furlough A furlough (; from , "leave of absence") is a temporary cessation of paid employment that is intended to address the special needs of a company or employer; these needs may be due to economic conditions that affect a specific employer, or to thos ...
ed because of a drinking problem, will be unreliable. Ryan also is an unnecessary complication to the flight as he continually probes for details about the mission and Leah's background and motivation. Leah reports back to her supervisor Eli Harder (William MacDonald) who is involved with a full-scale evacuation of
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
called by NSC Director James McCaffee (Mackenzie Gray), due to the proximity of
Hurricane Ike Hurricane Ike () was a powerful tropical cyclone that swept through portions of the Greater Antilles and Northern America in September 2008, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and agriculture, particularly in Cuba and Texas. Ike took a sim ...
. As Hurricane Hunters Flight 263 enters the hurricane outer wall at 1,500 ft where the winds and turbulence are at their greatest intensity, the data that is being returned from the launching of
dropsonde A dropsonde is an expendable weather reconnaissance device created by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), designed to be dropped from an aircraft at altitude over water to measure (and therefore track) storm conditions as the dev ...
s indicates that the hurricane is gathering strength. Relaying the message back to headquarters does not bring an immediate response as the Director worries that Leah's past background in losing her parents in
Hurricane Edna Hurricane Edna was a deadly and destructive major hurricane that impacted the United States East Coast in September of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. It was one of two hurricanes to strike Massachusetts in that year, the other being Hur ...
has clouded her judgment, a concern that Leah's psychiatrist Dr. Johnson (Gwynyth Walsh) has been exploring. The sudden pitching and turbulence pitches Steve headfirst into his control console, precipitating a fatal heart attack. For a brief period in the
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
of the hurricane, Leah, Ryan and Tommy are able to deal with Steve's death. Leah again tries to alert the NSC that Hurricane Josephine has shifted and is headed directly to Jacksonville. Announcing a second evacuation is problematic, the NSC Director, despite Eli's pleas to look at the data Leah is sending, refuses to change the evacuation plans already in progress. The violent storm suddenly turns into a level 5 hurricane with winds at over battering Flight 263. Captain Henry Gersh (Barclay Hope) and co-pilot Ben Tillner (Chad Cole) on his first hurricane hunters flight, wrestle the aircraft through a climb that abruptly turns into an out-of-control dive to wavetop heights. After a fire in one of the engines is doused by the violent rain storm outside, electrical systems begin shorting out, with both Henry and Tommy blinded by the sparking equipment. Leah is abruptly hurled into the ceiling as the aircraft enters a parabolic maneuver. Turbulence increases with the rear exit door torn off, and the sudden depressurization sucks both Leah and Tommy out of the aircraft. Caught in the cargo netting, Leah is still alive but badly hurt. Ryan reacts quickly to haul Leah back inside, with the two crawling their way to the cockpit for safety. Leah has a dislocated shoulder that Ryan attempts to reset but with Henry blinded, she convinces Ryan that he has to help Ben fly the crippled aircraft. Receiving Flight 263's
mayday Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice-procedure radio communications. It is used to signal a life-threatening emergency primarily by aviators and mariners, but in some countries local organiz ...
distress message and on the ground reports of the hurricane already battering the coast, Eli finally convinces the Director that Hurricane Josephine is the greater danger. Ben and Ryan manage to bring the aircraft down safely at Jacksonville, and as Henry and Leah are brought out by emergency crews, all the surviving members of the flight find out that their loved ones are safe.


Cast

*
Daryl Hannah Daryl Hannah (born December 3, 1960) is an American actress and environmental activist. She made her film debut in Brian De Palma's supernatural horror film ''The Fury (1978 film), The Fury'' (1978). She has starred in various films across the ...
as Leah Kaplan *
Dylan Neal Dylan Jeremy Neal (born October 8, 1969"Catching up with....Dylan Neal". ''Soap Opera Digest''. July 22, 2013. p. 73.) is a Canadian actor. He is known for his portrayal of the character Dylan Shaw on the soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' ...
as Ryan Stewart *
Barclay Hope Barclay Hope (born February 25, 1958) is a Canadian actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Clifford and Claudius Blossom on '' Riverdale'', Mike Hayden on '' Street Legal'', Peter Axon on '' PSI Factor'', Col. Lionel Pendergast on ''St ...
as Captain Henry Gersh *
Gwynyth Walsh Gwynyth Walsh (born 1956) is a Canadian actress best known for her role of the ''Star Trek'' character B'Etor, one of the Duras sisters. She also played constable Nimira in the '' Star Trek: Voyager'' episode " Random Thoughts", and provided th ...
as Dr. Johnson *
Terry Chen Terence Chen (born February 3, 1975) is a Canadian actor. Early life Chen was born on February 3, 1975, in Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the ...
as Tommy Cramer *
Mackenzie Gray Alexander Mackenzie Gray (born 22 November 1957) is a Canadian film, television, and stage actor. He is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Canada. He divides his time between Toronto and Vancouver. Life and career Gray was born in Toront ...
as Director James McCaffee * Sean Bell as Steve Pastor * William MacDonald as Eli Harder * Chad Cole as Ben Tillner *
Jocelyne Loewen Jocelyne Rae Loewen (born 1976) is a Canadian actress working in Vancouver, Canada. She is known for her roles in the English dubs of anime series. She is best known as the voice of Yai Ayano in the '' Mega Man NT Warrior'' series, Mii from '' P ...
as Melissa (credited as Jocelyn Loewen) *
Luisa D'Oliveira Luisa D'Oliveira (born October 6, 1986) is a Canadian actress who has had roles in '' 50/50'' (2011), '' Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief'' (2010) and '' Cracked'' (2013). She is also known for her role as Emori in The CW’s ...
as Paloma *
Emily Hirst Emily Hirst (born July 9, 1993) is a Canadian former child actor. Her last screen appearance was an uncredited role in '' A Fairly Odd Movie: Grow Up, Timmy Turner'' (2011). Career Hirst was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Hirst firs ...
as Sarah Stewart * Megan Charpentier as Young Leah *
Christine Chatelain Christine Chatelain is a Canadians, Canadian film and television actress. She had a recurring role on ''The Collector (Canadian TV series), ''The Collector' as Taylor Slate. Originally an art student in Vancouver, she tried acting as a hobby a ...
as Jessica Tillner * Michael Strusievici as Parker Pastor * Olivia Rameau as Nurse Maddie *
Dean Redman Dean Redman is a British-born Canadian actor. Career He is known for his work on '' War for the Planet of the Apes'' (2017) and appeared in two roles, playing the characters Varis and Caged Frost Wolf in the live action film, ''Warcraft'' (2016 ...
as Cop * Keith Martin Gordey as Senator Maddock * Tosha Doiron as Parker's mother * Susan Milne as young Leah's mother * Stephen Boersma as Zach


Production

Principal photography under the working title of ''Hurricane Hunter'' took place in 2008 with location shooting at Maple Ridge and
Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
. One of the important elements was in the use of a
Nolinor Aviation Les Investissements Nolinor Inc., trading as Nolinor Aviation, is a charter airline based in Mirabel, a suburb of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It operates passenger charter and cargo services within Canada and to the United States. Its main base ...
Convair 580 The Convair CV-240 is an American airliner that Convair manufactured from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement for the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. Featuring a more modern design with cabin pressurization, the 240 series made some inro ...
, tail number C-FTAP. The aircraft appeared as a "hurricane hunter", with its interior modified to accommodate computer and radar monitoring equipment. Besides the use of a full-scale aircraft, many of the flying scenes were made through
computer-generated imagery Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is a specific-technology or application of computer graphics for creating or improving images in Digital art, art, Publishing, printed media, Training simulation, simulators, videos and video games. These images ...
(CGI).


Reception

''Storm Seekers'' was, at best
B film A B movie, or B film, is a type of cheap, low-budget commercial motion picture. Originally, during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood, this term specifically referred to films meant to be shown as the lesser-known second ...
"potboiler" fare, but whose topic was not only timely but also appeared at a time when networks were looking for material to fill newly emerging broadcast channels. Well over a dozen network premieres took place across Europe, Asia and North America. The film was released in 2010 for home media. Eveliene Sanders in a review for ''Cinemagazine'' in The Netherlands, reviewed ''Storm Seekers'' as an example of a disaster film where a disparate group of characters are faced with a dilemma. She considered it, however, "... too ordinary and predictable."Sanders, Eveliene
"Storm Seekers".
''cinemagazine.nl (in Dutch)''. Retrieved: November 24, 2014.


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* Kotsch, William J. ''Weather For the Mariner''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1983. . * McCright, Aaron M. and Riley E. Dunlap. "Challenging Global Warming as a Social Problem: An Analysis of the Conservative Movement's Counter-Claims". ''Social Problems'', Vol. 47, Issue 4, November 2000.


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Storm Seekers American aviation films Canadian aviation films English-language Canadian films 2009 action films 2009 films Films set on airplanes 2000s English-language films Films directed by George Mendeluk 2000s American films 2000s Canadian films English-language action films