Silly But Entertaining
Summary
The Electric State could have been a far darker tale but as it is, it’s a fun family friendly action adventure with some entertaining set-pieces and an excellent score from Alan Silvestri. Our leads our solid and there is heart behind it all making it an enjoyable one time watch.
Plot: An orphaned teen hits the road with a mysterious robot to find her long-lost brother, teaming up with a smuggler and his wisecracking sidekick.
Review: The Electric State has been getting plenty of negative reviews and for once I understand why; it is overly preachy at the end and it’s all ridiculous stuff.
I’ve got the book of The Electric State and just by looking at the gorgeous artwork I pictured a darker tale than what we got. This is really a kid’s movie which is a shame as I would have done some real body horror, but maybe I need therapy.
I love the designs of the robots looking like a deranged version of 50’s mascots and the visual effects are flawless. They all looked real and despite my misgivings I found myself immersed in the familiar story. It’s the usual “can robots show more humanity than humans?” tale which goes back to stories like Blade Runner and more.
Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt are the King and Queen of streaming these days and are sympathetic in their respective roles with Brown shining as ever. She provides the emotional side of the story where Pratt brings his usual goofy humour. They are an appealing duo and it’s because of them that I stuck with this movie until the end. There is also an impressive supporting cast too including Giancarlo Esposito and Staney Tucci on villain duties with Ke Huy Quan as a well-meaning doctor.
The highlight for the entire movie is Alan Silvestri’s score which you can recognize straight away; he has such a familiar sound that you can always tell it’s him and that’s no bad thing.
On the action front the film climaxes with a huge battle and there are some fun set pieces throughout, but it maybe could have used 1 or 2 more just to up the pacing. The film did feel a little long but still managed to have a surprisingly heartfelt finale that may leave you with a lump in your throat.
Overall, The Electric State is visually stunning with a likeable cast and a great score from Alan Silvestri. It’s silly stuff and won’t be for everyone, but despite being a little overly preachy at the end it’s still a fun ride.