We all saw the trailer and had the haunting visage of Woody Harrelson’s Mr. Peanut seared permanently into our minds, and at long last, the wait is over. Netflix’s latest budget-breaking star vehicle, The Electric State, is finally upon us, and, well, it’s about as good as you’d expect. Starring Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, and a slew of other misplaced A-listers, this adaptation from the Russo Brothers promises comedy and adventure and delivers little of either, instead offering up a shallow commentary on technology’s ability to unite and divide, complete with a nightmarish cast of leering robot sidekicks.
What Is 'The Electric State' About?
In an alternate 1990s where robots seek to have rights equal to humans, we're introduced to siblings Michelle (Brown) and Christopher (Woody Norman), the latter of whom is shown to be a genius through his Will Hunting-esque knack for solving complex equations. War soon breaks out between humans and robots, throwing the world into chaos. Humans come out victorious by using Neurocasting technology invented by Stanley Tucci's Ethan Skate, which allows them to fight back by transferring their consciousness into robotic bodies. They banish all robots to the “Exclusion Zone,” but Neurocasting becomes commercialized until humans become unknowingly dependent on the very technology they used to overthrow the bots.
Cut to Michelle four years later with heavy eyeliner and a fresh set of bangs, indicating that something terrible has befallen her, and we learn that Christopher and their parents died during the war. However, a rogue robot soon appears and promises to lead Michelle to her apparently-alive brother, and the two embark on a perilously boring rescue mission. They're joined by useless-human-junk salesman, Keats (Pratt), and his snarky robot friend, Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie), and the team must fight to survive nefarious robots and humans alike.
Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt Lead a Sleepy, Star-Studded Cast
Millie Bobby Brown has earned her status as one of Hollywood's (or at least Netflix's) brightest young stars, but here, she seems almost bored with the material. While the Stranger Things star snarks, cries, and dutifully drags her robot companion to adequate results, we don't get to see the spark in Brown that she's brought to roles in the past. Meanwhile, The Electric State features Chris Pratt at his most Chris Pratt-y, firing off lame one-liners and bro-ing out with his robot bestie over microwave burritos and Big Mouth Billy Bass. The wisecracking slacker is a schtick we’ve come to expect from the Marvel star, but Keats just feels like Chris Pratt in a wig and a handlebar mustache, rather than a unique character. While they’re both talented actors, Brown and Pratt have little to no chemistry in their scenes together, and their sibling-like banter consistently falls flat.
Likewise, we've seen throughout their illustrious careers that Stanley Tucci and Giancarlo Esposito both have excellent villain potential, and yet their menacing turns in this movie lack the animosity or bite that we know they're capable of. Tucci and Esposito are far from the only heavy hitters in this stacked ensemble. While Ke Huy Quan is criminally underutilized, other big names like Jason Alexander, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, and Colman Domingo appear in random roles that you might miss if you don't stay for the ending credits. All around, the performances in The Electric State feel like a tedious means to an end, with that end being a healthy cut of the film's ridiculously high budget.
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On the other hand, something that The Electric State excels at is making its world feel surprisingly real. The robots don't look like clunky CGI but rather blend in seamlessly with the setting and human cast, which makes it all the more eerie that, for some reason, nearly every robot in this world has huge, vacant eyes and a massive grin to match. The haunting nature of a bot like Cosmo (voiced by Alan Tudyk) is rivaled only by the nightmare fuel that is Mr. Peanut, who looks like he's capable of running you through with his cane while smiling serenely and giving you a sinister tip of the top hat. Nonetheless, while the robots have a faintly sinister air about them (which might be the whole point of their design), the mastery behind their design and animation cannot be undercut.
'The Electric State' Has a Great Score and Soundtrack
Unfortunately, one of The Electric State's greatest pitfalls is that its emotional moments don't hit as hard as they should. For example, we don’t have enough time to get invested in Michelle’s relationship with her brother (undoubtedly due to the Russo Brothers letting Chris Pratt ad-lib with a robot for a good chunk of the run time) and thus, when that relationship is lost, we don’t share in her sadness. However, the movie's score and soundtrack help greatly to emphasize moments of both grief and hope.
Alan Silvestri's score is unsurprisingly powerful, particularly during the climactic action sequence, and songs by the likes of Tom Petty and The Clash add to the film's defiant tone. Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch help our characters defeat wicked scavenger robots, and oddly enough, the most stirring moment of the entire movie is when a mechanical taco plays a soulful piano rendition of "Don't Stop Believin'."
Overall, The Electric State doesn’t hold a candle to any of its esteemed cast’s other films, but impressive visual effects and great music help it from being a totally pointless foray into the wasteland.
The Electric State comes to Netflix on March 14 in the U.S.
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The Electric State
Star power alone can't bring this boring sci-fi to life.
Sci-Fi
5 10
- Release Date
- March 14, 2025
- Director
- Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
- Writers
- Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Cast
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Millie Bobby Brown
Michelle
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Chris Pratt
Keats
Michelle, an orphan in a robot-filled alternate 1990s, discovers her brother may still be alive after a mysterious robot visit. Teaming up with a smuggler and his sidekick, she ventures into the Exclusion Zone, only to uncover sinister forces behind her brother's fate.
Pros & Cons
- The robot characters are frighteningly realistic
- The score and soundtrack add greatly to the atmosphere and tone of the film
- The robot characters are frighteningly realistic
- Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt have no rapport as the two leads
- Despite decent action sequences, the movie is boring and the commentary feels hollow
