The Electric State: Another AI gone awry film. In an alternate history robots were developed and took on many menial and not so menial tasks for humans. Their intelligence levels varied, some maybe as smart as animals, others probably the equal if humans, In the early 1990s the robots demanded tights and declared war under the leadership of Mr. Peanut (voiced by Woody Harrelson). Many if the leading robots were built to advertise goods. The robots were winning until Ethan Skate (Stanlry Tucci), CEO of SENTRE develops a system for humans to remote control android drones. Defeated Mr Peanut signs a surrender treaty with President Clinton and the surviving robots are consigned to a reservation in Arizona. Skate's system also allows humans to multi-task after the war, the drones carry out their work while humans enjoy VT entertainment. The guts of this tale concerns Michelle Greene (Millie Bobby Brown) who was orphaned in a car crash and now lives with an exploitative foster father. A robot turns up suggesting that her brother Chris (Woody Norman) is still alive. Along with the robot Michelle sets off on a journey to find her brother, teaming up with a loveable rogue Keats (Chris Pratt) and Cosmo, a sentient robot. In the robot reservation they eventually encounter Mr Peanuts. This is very much an Oz style adventure with Michelle as Dorothy and Mr Peanuts as The Wizard, the real villain is Ethan Skate. They traverse the blasted landscape of the reservation, parts of which where scavenger robots rule, they are also pursued by robot hunter Marshall Bradbury (Giancarlo Esposito). There are elements of Spielberg's AI here along with Pacific Rim. A fair amount of satire and analogies along with superbly choreographed battles between drones and robots. The haters are out in force to take down this film. While it's not a classic it's a perfectly enjoyable SF fable with some interesting plot twists. Produced and Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the Screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely is loosely based on the 2018 illustrated novel by Simon Stålenhag. On Netflix. 7.5/10.
Review of The Electric State
