Directed by: Anthony Russo & Joe Russo
Distributed by: Netflix
Written by Nick McCann
58/100
In recent years, flagrant budget spending has only become more apparent with each new mega blockbuster released. Giant amounts of money being thrown at a production It no longer appears to be a big deal when production behemoths shell out hundreds of millions for every other film. That wouldn’t be so bad if the movies weren’t quite so flimsy. Such is the case with Netflix’s latest release, which happens to be the most expensive in their history
Based on a 2018 novel, “The Electric State” has plenty of makings for a sub-standard young adult novel adaptation circa the mid-2010s. There’s lots of potential in all the themes on technological reliance, basic human connection, and even straight-up racism. Yet it goes about relaying these messages in the most blatant, brain-dead, and basic way it can. The fight for robot independence is real, but it’s hard to take seriously with the Planters peanut guy being the tip of the spear. Whatever point the story is trying to make is overtaken by plain cliches, lots of nostalgia-baiting, and distracting product placement. If you can get past that, the Russo brothers channel some of their Marvel tenure here into a sometimes exciting adventure for better or worse.
This baby can fit so many actors in it! And you wouldn’t even know it. The likes of Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Jenny Slate, and more certainly do a fine job breathing some life into the various robots. Perhaps proven voice talent would’ve been just as effective (their audio is going to be manipulated anyway), but they reliably got the job done. On the human front, Millie Bobby Brown does as fine of a job as she ever does, despite this role only having minor variation compared to her previous works. Chris Pratt, on the other hand, is having a total blast! Essentially doing a riff on his Peter Quill character, his comic timing is effortlessly on point, and he lives for the screen time. Other performances vary in their contributions, whether it be Stanley Tucci bringing a classy flair to your typical evil suit, Ke Huy Quan crushing it, or Holly Hunter being relatively disposable as an expositional reporter—bonus points for wasting a Colman Domingo cameo.
Not for nothing, the visuals look quite nice. Much of the CGI verges on photorealistic, damn near making me double take if they built live puppets and animatronics in areas. Portions of the art direction also manage to evoke some history of the world and blend nicely. Additionally, the action scenes are as big as you expect, with lots of scrap metal getting smashed and explosions stimulating the eyes. When considering what films like “Godzilla: Minus One” or “The Creator” have achieved in their effects with far less to work with, “The Electric State” quickly diminishes when it is compared to its contemporaries, a sentiment that is only furthered by the wonky storytelling.
Although enjoyable in places, “The Electric State” is less than the sum of its parts. All the flashy effects and funny quips don’t cover up a shoddy narrative that punches too high above its weight class. Any attempts at substance prove laughably surface-level or get lost in spectacle that’s amusing without being outstanding. Try as they might, it’s yet another flick destined to fall into the black hole of the ever-increasing streaming catalog.
“The Electric State” Trailer
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