The Electric State is a really cute movie that adds fun and whimsy to a story that is dark at its core. Millie Bobby Brown proves herself as a lead.
I love a post-apocalyptic film and while The Electric State is not exactly that, it does have a lot of the same elements. Set in the aftermath of a robot-human war, Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown) enlists the help of Keats (Chris Pratt) in tracking down her brother, whom she thought was dead.
While humans do not use robots anymore, and have exiled them, they now spend a lot of their time in virtual reality. This has consumed and distracted them, causing much of the world be a desolate place.
One of the best parts of this movie is the asthetic. The retro 1990s vibe resonated with me immediately, drawing me in and keeping me entertained. I often found myself looking in the background of scenes to see what I could recognize.
The robots are mostly mascots and cartoons, each one looking cooler than the last. The use of so much CGI to bring them to life could have easily been the film’s downfall, but instead, it takes it to the next level. There are quite a few action sequences and each time the CG is seamless and believable.
These robots add a bit of fun and whimsy to a story that is otherwise pretty dark at its core. Every voice actor – from Alan Tudyk to Jenny Slate – understands their assignment. They are some of the most lovable characters in the movie, which is in part due to the right actors being assigned to the right robots.
Millie Bobby Brown has always been a formidable actress. She is incredibly talented, proving herself in Stranger Things, as well as several projects afterwards. But it is her work in The Electric State that solidifies her ability to command a movie as a lead. She is funny when she needs to be and strong when she needs to be.
Her connection and chemistry with Woody Norman, who plays her brother Christopher, brought me to tears several times. Perhaps it is because I am a mom of two children who I so desperately want to be there for each other during tough times, but either way, their scenes together and extremely touching.
Chris Pratt has always had great comedic timing, and that remains true in The Electric State. He is hilarous, especially when it comes to his interactions with Brown. He plays a character similar to Star Lord, who is one of my Marvel favorites, so that could be why I was so drawn to him.
The Electric State once again has me thrilled that Ke Huy Quan has found himself back to a place in front of the camera. He might not have a lead role, technically, but his character is extremely important to the story and he nails it. He even made me a bit emotional at times and was a complete joy to watch.
To say The Electric State has an all-star cast is not an exaggeration. Giancarlo Esposito (who plays Colonel Bradbury) and Stanely Tucci (who plays Ethan Skate) are also involved. They are the villains of the story and characters that you are certain to love to hate. To no one’s surprise, both are incredible in the film.
The Electric State, while extremely dark at times, is also cute. The sibling connection adds a lot of emotional elements to the film and the robots bring the fun. Themes of segregation and basic equal rights are woven throughout but not shoved down your throat, which makes it all work really well together.
Millie Bobby Brown proves herself once again as a powerful lead, demanding attention and commanding every scene she is in.
The Electric State heads to theaters on March 7 for a limited run before streaming on Netflix March 14.
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About The Electric State
The Electric State is a spectacular sci-fi adventure from the directors of Avengers: Endgame set in an alternate, retro-futuristic version of the 1990s. Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things, Enola Holmes, Damsel) stars as Michelle, an orphaned teenager navigating life in a society where sentient robots resembling cartoons and mascots, who once served peacefully among humans, now live in exile following a failed uprising.
Everything Michelle thinks she knows about the world is upended one night when she’s visited by Cosmo, a sweet, mysterious robot who appears to be controlled by Christopher — Michelle’s genius younger brother whom she thought was dead.
Determined to find the beloved sibling she thought she had lost, Michelle sets out across the American southwest with Cosmo, and soon finds herself reluctantly joining forces with Keats (Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World), a low-rent smuggler, and his wisecracking robot sidekick, Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie).
As they venture into the Exclusion Zone, a walled-off corner in the desert where robots now exist on their own, Keats and Michelle find a strange, colorful group of new animatronic allies — and begin to learn that the forces behind Christopher’s disappearance are more sinister than they ever expected.
The Electric State is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and stars Brown, Pratt, Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander, Giancarlo Esposito, Academy Award nominee Stanley Tucci, and Woody Norman. Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, and Alan Tudyk lend their talents as the voices of the robots. The film is based on the graphic novel by Simon Stålenhag with a screenplay written by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.