Film Review – The Electric State

March 15th, 2025 | POSTED BY Allen Almachar

Anthony and Joe Russo’s directorial output post Avengers: Endgame (2019) have been, well, uneven to say the least. Sadly, that trend continues with The Electric State (2025). This is a big sci-fi adventure loaded with special effects, well-known stars, and plenty of splashy set pieces. And yet, it lacks thrills, excitement, and a sense of awe. It’s a movie that aims for a heartfelt tale of family and togetherness but comes off as cloying and superficial. The internet tells me that the production cost an astronomical $300+ million, becoming only the sixteenth film in history to do so. Yikes. That’s a lot of money for something this forgettable. I’m glad the cast and crew got paid, but that might be one of the few positives coming out of this one.

Working off a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (based on the book by Simon Stålenhag) the Russos bring us to an alternate world of the 1990s, where a war between humans and robots resulted in a state of fear and instability. We meet Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), a young woman who tragically lost her brother Christopher (Woody Norman) a few years prior. Things change when a robot named Cosmo (Alan Tudyk) shows up and convinces her that it contains Christopher’s consciousness. Essentially, it is him, just in mechanical form. Determined to find the location of her brother’s actual body, Michelle (with Cosmo) goes on a quest into “The Exclusion Zone” – an area no longer inhabited by humans and where banished robots are sent away. Along the journey they join forces with Keats (Chris Pratt), a former soldier turned black market smuggler, and his own robotic friend, Herman (Anthony Mackie).

Humans vs. Robots, Control vs. Free Will, What It Means To Be “Human” – these are all themes that have been around almost as long as the movies. From Blade Runner (1982), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), to The Matrix (1999), The Creator (2023) and on and on, the conflict between mankind and technology is not something new. The Electric State does not add any interesting take on the genre. It constantly reminds us of other, better films that have tackled the same topics, as noted above. The narrative tries to add a layer of inclusivity, empathy, and earnestness into the material, but it comes off as saccharine. It tries so hard to convince us that humans and robots should live in harmony that it ends up feeling phony. It’s as though everyone should join hands and sing “Kumbaya” and everything will magically become better.

I will say this though: the special effects are very good. If there is one big accomplishment, it’s in the way the CGI renders the robots. They all look tangible – they move with weight and presence, and each one has its own unique characteristics. Several are modeled by brands – mascots, sidekicks, and cartoon characters. Jenny Slate voices Penny Pal, who is designed as a US Postal Service Worker. Woody Harrelson voices a robot version of Mr. Peanut who, interestingly enough, becomes one of the leaders of the robotic population. During an action-packed scene, I noticed a droid run by shaped like a 7UP can. On a visual aspect alone, we can appreciate the variety put on screen. Imagine all the animatronics from Chuck-E-Cheese, Disneyland, Universal Studios, and any science-oriented convention coming to life and you’d be close to what we get here.

Is it weird to say that I found all the robots more interesting than any of the humans? Everyone we meet are stock archetypes with single minded motivations. Millie Bobby Brown is set in the lead role, but the character of Michelle is completely flat as a personality. She is stuck saying generic phrases, constantly reminding us that she wants to find her brother. Chris Pratt plays a discounted version of Starlord, once again coming with quippy one-liners while wearing the most unfortunate wig. His hairpiece is a distraction, making him look like a beefed-up Shaggy from Scooby-Doo. The cast list reveals big time names put in parts that have little to do. From Stanley Tucci’s tech-billionaire villain, Ke Huy Quan as a medical doctor, Giancarlo Esposito as a colonel who enjoys hunting robots, to Holly Hunter as a news journalist, these are talented performers that are relegated to neutral roles. They all lack texture or nuance – they act according to the basic attributes assigned to them.

The biggest problem with The Electric State might be its soundtrack. This could very well be the most egregious use of needle drops I’ve seen and heard in a long time. Every song choice is on the nose, spelling out exactly what is happening on screen in the most obvious ways possible. I don’t know if the songs are meant to be cute, clever or ironic, but it plays out as obnoxious. “I Fought the Law,” “Breaking the Law,” “Wonderwall,” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “I Will Survive,” – just look at those titles. It’s as though the production took a book filled with songs related to survival and resistance, opened it up and picked the ones at the very top. When a soundtrack works, it helps set the tone of a film. Unfortunately, the exact opposite happens in this instance. The songs make their presence felt so blatantly that they take away from the overall effect.

Needless to say: The Electric State is not very good. Granted, it was fun to see a cast with so many recognizable names (I didn’t even get to the abundance of cameos), but that is just one highlight in a house filled with lowlights. With Cherry (2021) and The Gray Man (2022), this is now the third outing in a row by the Russos that has left us with a bitter taste. We know they can tackle a big scale blockbuster – they have proven that with their work in the MCU. I just hope they can get back to that level sooner rather than later.

Alan Tudyk, Anthony Mackie, Anthony Russo, Avengers: Endgame, Blade Runner, Cherry, Chris Pratt, Christopher Markus, Featured, Giancarlo Esposito, Holly Hunter, Jenny Slate, Joe Russo, Ke Huy Quan, Millie Bobby Brown, Netflix, Simon Stålenhag, Stanley Tucci, Stephen McFeely, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Creator, The Electric State, The Gray Man, The Matrix, Woody Harrelson, Woody Norman