A Visually Stunning Misfire That Sparks but Fizzles
On March 14, 2025, Netflix unleashed The Electric State, a $320 million sci-fi adventure directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the duo behind Avengers: Endgame. Adapted from Simon Stålenhag’s 2018 graphic novel, this retro-futuristic tale stars Millie Bobby Brown as Michelle, an orphaned teen in an alternate 1990s where sentient cartoon robots, once humanity’s helpers, now languish in exile after a failed uprising. Alongside Chris Pratt as Keats, a scruffy smuggler, and a roster of voice talents like Anthony Mackie and Woody Harrelson, the film promises a dazzling road trip across a dystopian American Southwest. With its hefty budget and MCU pedigree, expectations were sky-high—but does it deliver the jolt it teases, or is it a short circuit? After streaming it today, here’s my take.
The premise is electrifying: Michelle, reeling from her brother Christopher’s supposed death, discovers he might be alive when a robot named Cosmo (voiced by Alan Tudyk) contacts her, hinting at his consciousness within. She teams up with Keats and his wisecracking bot Herman (Mackie) to venture into the Exclusion Zone, a robot-run desert wasteland, uncovering a conspiracy tied to tech mogul Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci). It’s a setup ripe with potential—grief, technology’s double edge, and a quirky robot rebellion straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon gone rogue. The visuals, helmed by cinematographer Stephen F. Windon, are a feast: neon-drenched deserts, towering animatronic oddities, and a palpable ‘90s nostalgia with ‘80s undertones (think lunchboxes and action figures Keats smuggles). Alan Silvestri’s score hums with retro charm, amplifying the film’s aesthetic ambition.
Millie Bobby Brown anchors the journey with a fierce yet tender performance, her expressive eyes carrying Michelle’s quest with conviction. Pratt, channeling a Han Solo-lite vibe, brings charm but feels like a reheated Peter Quill—quips and all—lacking the depth he’s shown in projects like The Tomorrow War. The robots steal the show: Mackie’s Herman delivers snappy banter, while Harrelson’s Mr. Peanut—a peanut mascot with a drawl—adds absurdist flair. Brian Cox’s Popfly and Jenny Slate’s contributions inject life into the mechanical menagerie. Visually and sonically, it’s a technical triumph, with CGI that dazzles (save for a few clunky moments fans on social media have flagged, like “poor CG” in the robot designs).
Yet, for all its flash, The Electric State stumbles where it counts: the story. The Russos, alongside writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, dilute Stålenhag’s bleak, introspective novel into a family-friendly romp that sacrifices depth for accessibility. The 2-hour-11-minute runtime feels bloated, packed with set pieces—like a robot ambush riffing on Return of the Jedi’s Ewok battle—that prioritize spectacle over substance. The nonlinear hints at Michelle’s past and the robo-apocalypse are rushed, leaving emotional beats—like her bond with Christopher—underdeveloped.
The tone is a muddle. It swings from somber sci-fi pondering oppression to goofy comedy (Keats’ bumbling antics, robot slapstick) without finding a groove. This disconnect—highlighted by critics like David Rooney, who dubbed it “neither funny nor exciting”—robs the film of impact. The conspiracy plot, involving Tucci’s Skate and Giancarlo Esposito’s underused bounty hunter, fizzles into predictability, echoing better films like Blade Runner or Who Framed Roger Rabbit without their soul.
The supporting cast—Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander—feels like window dressing, their talents squandered in thin roles. Esposito’s robot avatar is a cool visual but narratively hollow. The film’s themes—grief, humanity vs. tech—get lost in the noise, a far cry from the novel’s haunting despair.
The Electric State isn’t a disaster—it’s watchable, even breezy at times, per Empire’s John Nugent. The visuals and Brown’s grit keep it afloat, and Netflix will likely tout massive streams. But it’s a hollow shell, a $320 million imitation of a movie, as Rooney quipped, lacking the spark to linger. For a Friday night distraction, it’s fine; for a genre-defining epic, it’s a letdown. Catch it for the eye candy, but don’t expect it to recharge your faith in blockbuster cinema.
Rating: 2.5/5
A stunning but soulless sci-fi jaunt—The Electric State has the wattage but not the current to truly shine.
A stunning but soulless sci-fi jaunt—The Electric State has the wattage but not the current to truly shine.