The Electric State | Average Guy Movie Review

Set in an alternate 1990's, in which a robot uprising has been crushed, and the people experience life through VR headsets. When Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), an orphan who lost her family in a car crash, encounters a strange robot, it sets her on a journey to find her long lost brother. Along the way she'll team up with smuggler, Keats (Chris Pratt) and his robot pal, Herm (Anthony Mackie).

The Russos' latest project for Netflix may be rather expensive - one of the most expensive movies ever made - but that hasn't really translated into anything significant. The Electric State is a fun adventure flick with likeable characters and some stunning visuals. Strange to say, but the fact the robots look so incredibly real is the one thing that makes it possible to immerse yourself in this world - that and their quirky interactions with our two human heroes. However, the movie is far from anything spectacular - apart from the aforementioned visuals - and it would certainly have benefitted from a bit more action in its more than 2 hour runtime. Like me, you may not agree with all the negative reviews it's getting, but you're unlikely to walk away from it thinking anything more than 'I liked it'.

There's definitely something Amblin about the whole thing, mixed with a little WALL-E, I, Robot and Surrogates - remember that Bruce Willis movie in which most people experience the world through haunting mannequins? Sure, there's probably a message in there somewhere about putting down our smartphones. Trouble is the movie doesn't do anything beyond what you'd expect. It will never surprise you or challenge you, and the message is inevitably lost. The same can be said of the cast; all in all a fantastic gathering of actors, and they all deliver good performances, but they are all playing the type of role they are well known for. So it feels like Netflix and co. are playing it safe the whole time.

That said, The Electric State is entertaining. At times even compelling. A perfect movie for streaming. If you're looking for something easy to watch, that has likeable characters, some good action - albeit not enough - and will make you laugh, this is still a good choice. I mean who knew the humble fridge was so versatile! And Chris Pratt is sporting a pretty decent handlebar moustache, so points for that, even if he does spend most of the movie looking like Bodhi's moustachioed stunt double. Then there's his amusing relationship with Anthony Mackie's 'Herm', which is one of the movie's high points. While Millie Bobby Brown and Woody Norman give the movie just enough heart with their charming brother/sister relationship, thanks in no small part to Brown's sweet interactions with Cosmo the robot (voiced by Alan Tudyk).

A fun, but far from mind-blowing journey into the 1990's... with robots.

6/10

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