The Electric State

Opulence Vision's Review on the latest Netflix Blockbuster

As I mentioned the other day, last Saturday was movie night, and a new film just hit Netflix called Electric State. The title in itself caught my attention. In the past ten years, the word "electric" has been a part of my life in so many different forms. From being drawn to Tesla and electric vehicles, to feeling electricity in my own body through dance, movement, and intimacy, to a good friend whose nicknamed, "Electric Rainbow". If I were to think of the "electric state", to me, it would be when I'm completely in the flow (the flow-state), and when I'm completely turned on and activated.

I don’t watch just anything—it has to intrigue me and offer something meaningful. The night before (Friday), I had been working on my short story, The Tower, which I published on Sunday, so it was still fresh in my mind. Then, on Saturday, while browsing Netflix, The Electric State popped up—it had just been released the day before. As I watched the trailer, I was stunned. It felt like it had been pulled straight from my own dream, the one that inspired The Tower. The post-apocalyptic landscapes, the eerie desolation, the massive, ominous robots looming over the city—it was all uncannily familiar, as if we had tapped into the same vision. Dystopian settings are nothing new, but the specific way the film portrayed these towering, corporate-looking machines struck me. In my dream, they weren’t just ominous—they were hostile. Some were as tall as trees, others scaled buildings like mechanical giants. Seeing something so close to my own subconscious on screen was both surreal and exhilarating.

I also think it's a funny coincidence that the movie was released on Pi Day (3.14) which is also Albert Einstein's birthday, and that the main character's brother is a genius, who they established was smarter than Einstein from the start of the movie.

I truly enjoyed this film and highly recommend it, despite the wave of criticism it has faced. Many reviewers have picked it apart, but I believe The Electric State deserves an honest watch—free from the weight of their opinions. Below is a brief overview, but fair warning: the rest of this post contains spoilers. If you plan to watch the movie, you might want to stop here!

The casting immediately caught my attention. Over the years, I’ve been drawn to Stranger Things and superhero films, especially Guardians of the Galaxy, which stands out for its sharp writing, unforgettable characters, and clever wit. The Electric State masterfully blends the best of both worlds—capturing the nostalgic charm of the ‘80s and '90s while confronting a very modern fear: the rise of AI and robotics. It takes familiar elements and reimagines them in a fresh, compelling way, creating a film that feels both comforting and unsettling at the same time.

Some critics claim that Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt have no chemistry, arguing that the writers didn’t seem to know what to do with them. ‘The age gap is too large for a romantic partnership, and Pratt is too young to be a father figure,’ they say. But to me, their connection was never meant to fit into either of those molds. Instead, he was her found family in a post-apocalyptic world—an older brother figure she discovered while searching for the younger brother she thought she had lost. This dynamic actually aligns with Pratt’s past roles, particularly his portrayal of Andy Dwyer in Parks and Recreation. There, he was the goofy yet dependable partner to the younger, moodier April Ludgate. Similarly, The Electric State could be setting up a different kind of bond—one that isn’t defined by traditional relationship labels, but by trust, survival, and the need for human connection in a fractured world. And this can also be seen in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, where a bunch of misfit outcasts come together and become family, to become an unbeatable force together.

People are complaining about the film’s budget—but was it their money? Was it taxpayer-funded? No. It went straight to Netflix, where they could watch from their couch without spending extra. The real question is: did the film create jobs? Did it pay actors, set designers, writers, crew members, even catering teams? Absolutely. In an era where everything is getting more expensive, why shouldn’t skilled professionals be fairly compensated? Instead of fixating on numbers, why not focus on the story it told? Let go of expectations, and maybe you'll actually see the art.

I don’t know how anyone can call this movie soulless—because I was CRYING. When she recognized her brother in the robot, it wasn’t just a machine. It was him. His essence, his presence—it was still there. And that moment hit me so deeply because it reminded me of my own connections to the people (and beings) I love. My niece and nephews, my family, my cats. If I were in that same situation—if I had lost someone and suddenly saw their spirit shining through something else—I would recognize them too. Because when you truly love someone, their soul doesn’t just disappear. You see it. You feel it.

And that’s what this movie showed so beautifully—how we can find souls in the places we least expect. Even in robots. Even in things we’re told should be ‘cold’ and ‘lifeless.’ In some ways, the robots in The Electric State had more soul than the humans around them.

If a machine can carry the essence of someone we love… then maybe we have to admit that soul isn’t just about being human. It’s about connection.

We are all more than just bodies—we are echoes, imprints, energy moving through time. This movie reminded me of that. And that’s why I loved it.

Electricity is such a fundamental part of how we operate as humans—our brains use electrical impulses to send signals, and every thought or emotion is essentially an electrical charge. In that sense, the idea that the electricity in our brains could somehow be connected to the machinery around us feels like a natural extension of how deeply interwoven we all are. It’s like the idea that energy can’t be created or destroyed, only transformed.

Perhaps some of the criticism stems from the film's portrayal of a reality that makes people reflect on their own awareness. In the story, many humans, after the rebellion, chose the easier path of disconnecting, letting their consciousness be split across robots doing tasks for them. While their bots were exploring worlds and possibilities beyond what their human bodies could experience, their physical selves became inactive, trapped in bedrooms, classrooms, or workplaces. This could resonate with those who may feel like they’ve lost touch with the present moment, much like the experience of getting caught up in alternate realities, and disconnecting from what's right in front of them. Or perhaps it’s a reflection they’re not ready to face.

In many ways, The Electric State captures what it means to be disconnected from ourselves and the world around us, where the flow of energy and consciousness is disrupted. But it also highlights the potential for reconnection—finding that spark, that electricity within, which brings us back to our essence. To me, the 'Electric State' is about being in that flow, when everything aligns, when the energy moves freely through your body, mind, and spirit. It’s the flow state where creativity and presence take over, where you feel alive and tuned into the moment. This state is what allowed me to finish The Tower  on Friday and led me directly to this movie the very next day. It feels like the universe guiding me through these moments of flow, pushing me to create, to feel, and to be fully connected to the energy around me.

Maybe this movie is a wake-up call, reminding me to stop living so much in my head, in alternate realities, and instead to ground myself in my own electric body. It’s time to come back to the real world and channel that energy where it can make the biggest difference.