Netflix’s The Electric State delivers a visually rich and quirky take on a dystopian America, blending war, nostalgia, and humor in an offbeat adventure. Starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, the film reimagines recent history with a robot war, VR escapism, and a mysterious road trip across a crumbling world.
The story follows Michelle (Green), a teenager on a mission to save her brother. The catch? His consciousness has been transferred into a robot—one of many now outlawed and restricted to a zone in the Southwest U.S. And, his body is somewhere else, and she has to figure out where. Along the way, she teams up with Keats (Pratt) and his own robotic sidekick. They smuggle goods in and out of the robot zone.
The film is packed with unique world-building details, like the test Michelle’s brother, Chris, takes at the start—mirroring the one Einstein took as a child. It’s a fun little nod to history, adding to the film’s slightly surreal tone, and the story takes place in the 1990s, but not the 1990s as we remember them. Yes, an alternative history. The war itself was won in an unusual way. Humans developed VR systems allowing their robotic counterparts to fight while they stayed distracted in a digital paradise. It’s a clever concept, though the film doesn’t dive too deeply into the implications.
Where The Electric State shines is in its visuals and the quirky charm of its robots. They’re often funny, even endearing, adding heart to the film’s post-apocalyptic setting. The overall plot is pretty predictable—standard “save the family” fare—but it moves along well enough to stay entertaining.
While it doesn’t break new ground, The Electric State offers a fun, visually engaging journey with a solid mix of action, humor, and heartfelt moments. If you like road trip movies with a side of robot rebellion, it’s worth the watch. So, I give it a one beer rating.
