Movie Review - The Current War

The Current War **½ (out of 5) (PG-13) In the 1880s, America and the world were just starting to adapt to electricity. Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) was like a rock star for his pioneering work in several fields. This loosely fact-based drama shows a version of the conflict among competing entities. Edison was pushing DC (the current, not the Comic Books); George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) was the driving force behind AC, with some theoretical support from Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult). At stake was the format for what would become a national energy grid.

As portrayed, Westinghouse was more businessman than scientist; Edison had the big reputation and an obsessive drive to grow his personal “brand”; Tesla was the smartest of the three, but got only slightly more respect than a Rodney Dangerfield character. And far less money.

The main story line is the clash between the first two, including some nasty tactics within the competition, and glimpses into their family lives. This film could have earned a higher rating if it had simply unfolded in less time, and with a bit more emotional charge (pun intended). The dullness is quite ironic for a tale about energy. Cumberbatch overacts to average out with Shannon’s cool reserve.

Some of us can recall the competition between VHS and Betamax. That might have made an interesting movie if it had been waged between Big Name players, even though the market for home-recording dominance meant far less than the type of current that would drive a nation in the early days of industrial development. More likely it would be just as dull. After sitting through this fictional view of some seminal history, I’m in no hurry to find out which. (10/25/19)