Ciné

Netflix spent $320 million on a movie you’ll hate


movie review

THE ELECTRIC STATE

Running time: 128 minutes. Rated PG-13 <br>(sci-fi violence/action, language and some thematic material). <br>On Netflix.

We’ve really been sold a pig in a poke with directors Anthony and Joe Russo.

In 2019, their entertaining three-hour Marvel epic “Avengers: Endgame” deservingly became the second highest-grossing movie of all time.

That was a blip, it turns out. Since then, the brothers have been on a diabolical mission to deliver some of the worst and priciest movies of the past six years.

The latest, “The Electric State” on no-good Netflix, cost a staggering $320 million. That means it’s the 13th most expensive film ever made. A remarkable feat, considering the sci-fi adventure is a dreadful and derivative slog and the streamer’s latest feature-length embarrassment.

In the first few minutes, when a 1990s-era President Clinton enters and announces, “As of today, we are at war with the robot population,” we know we’re in for a big, dumb waste of time.

I kid you not, a narrator says that in this altered timeline, Walt Disney invented robots. Then, humans enslaved them and the machines revolted. See? “The Terminator” was Walt’s fault! Humans won the war because Stanley Tucci invented android avatars that people can pilot like drones.

The plot is a watered-down grab-bag of old, tired ideas.

Millie Bobby Brown stars in “The Electric State,” Netflix’s $320 million boondoggle. Netflix

Two years later, Millie Bobby Brown, with an unchanging expression of distraught alarm, plays rebel Michelle. She embarks on a road trip with an illegal bot called Kid Cosmo (a remedial Buzz Lightyear), who apparently is being controlled by her lost little brother she thought was dead.

So many celebs fall into this money pit along the way. Jason Alexander, Brian Cox, Ke Huy Quan, Rob Gronkowski (?!), Anthony Mackie and more plop in front of a green screen or a recording booth for some lethargic recitations.

Like we’re at “Toy Story: Fury Road,” Woody Harrelson voices a mechanical, world weary Mr. Peanut.

Another android wears a sombrero and plays a Wild West saloon piano in an abandoned shopping mall.

C-3PO is Laurence Olivier next to these annoying metal morons.

We’re told that in this alternate timeline, Walt Disney invented robots. Netflix

Michelle soon teams up with Keats played by Chris Pratt, once again doing his goofy Han Solo schtick he did in “Jurassic World” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” He has the sort of laughable facial hair that proves one man’s mustache is another man’s wig.

Speaking of Pratt’s Marvel mixtape movies, during a fight set to “Good Vibrations,” Keats yells, “I’m not dying to Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch!” All the jokes are similarly oversold and unfunny.

The Russos try hard to blend humor, science-fiction and action — plenty of others have successfully before — but they only manage to flatten the stakes and make viewers scowl.

Chris Pratt plays Keats, a grifter with a mighty mustache. Netfix

All the stupid robots look like beach balls on stick figures. Remember — $320 million. And many of them are reminiscent of the nuts-and-bolts “Transformers” Autobots, who also confusingly spoke like they grew up in the South Bronx.

Not once do you care about any of these people, be they artificial or flesh-and-blood. Michelle’s quest lacks thrills or exciting developments. And “The Electric State” creaks along like a pre-oil-can Tinman. Poor Brown, great on “Stranger Things,” serves another dud away from Hawkins.

As for the Russos, they will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe next year with “Avengers: Doomsday.”

This next step comes after they have finally wrapped up their multiyear streaming project: Netflix: Doomsday.

Source link

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button

Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One Page One