The Russo brothers (Anthony and Joe) are the directors of this incredibly expensive Netflix sci-fi film that’s hitting our screens today, a true retro-futuristic spectacle starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt.
Netflix is betting big on spectacle with this movie based on Simon Stålenhag’s book. However, it’s an adaptation that takes quite a few liberties. Those expecting a faithful adaptation or some transcendental reflection should quickly forget about it, because “The Electric State” is all about spectacle, comedy, and reaching wide audiences with a very light, yet entertaining movie.
Plot
Set in an alternate 1990s America, “The Electric State” follows Michelle (Brown), an orphaned teenager on a desperate quest to find her missing little brother. Accompanied by a mysterious robot and Pratt’s character, a roguish smuggler, Michelle navigates a world of decaying technology and vast desolate landscapes.
Alan Silvestri Returns for the Soundtrack
Legendary composer Alan Silvestri brings to life the film’s unique aesthetic, which blends 90s nostalgia with advanced but decaying technology.
About the Movie
We know it’s difficult, but if we can forget about the movie’s budget for a moment, “The Electric State” is entertaining, very funny, and achieves what it sets out to do: be a spectacle for all audiences and reach the widest international viewership. In this sense, it was impossible to please everyone and offer the deeper movie that many wanted. The Russo brothers, and especially the producers, opt to offer a well-executed, entertaining, and fun spectacle.
It leans more towards comedy than action, showcasing itself more in terms of setting and retro-futuristic reconstruction rather than telling a more or less coherent story. “The Electric State” seems to want to show us more of the power of its effects, the quality of its setting, and the team’s effort in creating this world full of amusing robots.
The story of the two siblings takes too much of a backseat, and all the philosophy from the novel, the reflections, seem to dissolve in this spectacle that Netflix proposes.
That said, looking on the bright side: the movie is a visual and effects spectacle. It knows not to overwhelm the viewer and gives the story an appropriate pace, taking its time to introduce the characters and, above all, make the viewer feel comfortable in this newly created reality.
Thus, everything in “The Electric State” seems created for easy consumption, ensuring no one gets lost in complicated plots (even the explanations about quantum reality are understandable by anyone): “The Electric State” wants to be a simple, accessible movie for everyone and give wide audiences what they want.
Will it convince everyone? No, that’s almost always impossible, but “The Electric State” has more than enough quality to entertain and amuse. We can criticize the initial vision, the tendency towards simplistic spectacle, but in accordance with the film’s intentions, “The Electric State” achieves what it wants: to entertain.
Enjoy it!
Where to Watch “The Electric State”
The Cast
Giancarlo Esposito
Stanley Tucci
Anthony Mackie
Brian Cox
Jenny Slate
