The Electric State Got 14% on RT, but Did It Really Deserve Such a Low Score?
Neither a huge budget nor an A-list cast could save Netflix's new blockbuster.
The Russo brothers' new Netflix movie is an ambitious attempt to mix retrofuturism, road movie, teen family drama, and big-budget action. But does the cocktail work?
The Electric State doesn't even have a literary basis – the script was created based on the art book of the same name by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag. The movie only has a 14% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it seems well deserved.
What Is The Electric State About?
The action takes place in an alternate world of the 90s, which survived a war with robots who demanded equal rights. Now intelligent machines are locked in a special zone and any contact with them is forbidden. The plot centers on teenager Michelle, whose family was killed in a car accident.
One day, a robot sneaks into her house and turns out to be the girl's younger brother, Chris. After the accident, he survived, his body was stolen, but the boy managed to transfer his mind to the machine thanks to new technology that is now being used by the whole world.
As a result, Michelle herself, the machine with her brother's consciousness, and an artifact dealer from the Zone named John Keats set out into the desert in search of a doctor who can reveal all the cards of what happened and save Chris.
The Only Thing The Electric State Can Boast of Is Its Impressive Visuals
Despite an impressive budget of $320 million and the participation of A-list actors, the movie faced a wave of negativity. In addition, both audiences and critics are unanimous in calling the project empty.
The Electric State is indeed faceless and empty. However, the visuals are impressive: rusty cars, giant abandoned robots, neon, desert.
The Electric State Is Full of Clichés And Suggests Nothing New
However, under a layer of beautiful shots and thoughtful design (for which thanks to the author of the original art book, and not the Netflix artists), there is a story that offers nothing really new.
This is yet another odyssey through the ruins of civilization in which the main character unravels the mystery of his past, and the viewer knows in advance not only the plot twists, but even the clichéd cuts of the frames. And, of course, it all ends with an inspiring monologue against the backdrop of the landscape – The Electric State will not surprise you at all.