Netflix‘s The Electric State, directed by the Russo Brothers, debuts with a 18% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. It now becomes the Russo Brothers’ lowest-rated film ever. The budget was $320M, making it one of the most expensive movies ever made by Netflix.
According to reviews, The Electric State movie is very different from Stålenhag’s original book. The Russo Brothers changed the story to fit their movie. Millie Bobby Brown and her character’s bond with her brother—along with the great VFX—are the movie’s strong points, but the action and storyline are forgettable.
Fans are now worried about the upcoming The Russo Brothers-directing Avengers movies. They have yet to direct a positively reviewed non-MCU film.
An X user reviewed the film, “It’s still insane that an adaptation of The Electric State completely omits some of the book’s most iconic imagery—including the clear horror-tinged tone throughout the story and setting.”
Here’s the official plot details for The Electric State:
Set in the aftermath of a robot uprising in an alternate ’90s, The Electric State follows orphaned teenager Michelle (Bobby Brown) as she journeys across the American West with Cosmo, a cartoon-inspired robot, low-rent smuggler Keats (Chris Pratt), and his wisecracking robot sidekick Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie) in search of her younger brother, Chris.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. The cast of The Electric State includes Bobby Brown as Michelle, Pratt as Keats, and Ke Huy Quan as Dr. Amherst and the voice of P.C. Stanley Tucci plays Ethan Skate, while Woody Norman portrays Christopher, Michelle’s younger brother. Giancarlo Esposito stars as Colonel Marshall Bradbury, with Jason Alexander as Ted, Martin Klebba as Herman, and Marin Hinkle as Ms. Sablinsky.
The voice cast features Woody Harrelson as Mr. Peanut, Mackie as Herman, Brian Cox as Popfly, Jenny Slate as Penny Pal, Alan Tudyk as Cosmo, Hank Azaria as Perplexo, Colman Domingo as Wolfe, Rob Gronkowski as Blitz, Billy Gardell as Garbage Bot, Susan Leslie as Mrs. Scissors, and Jordan Black as Clem.
Produced by Russell Ackerman, Chris Castaldi, Mike Larocca, Patrick Newall, Anthony Russo, and Joe Russo, with production companies AGBO, Double Dream, and Skybound.
The Electric State will premiere on Netflix on March 14, 2025.
