Chaos and Chuckles: The Electric State Unleashes the Russo Brothers’ Retro Riot

The Electric State, released March 14, 2025, on Netflix, is a $320 million sci-fi adventure comedy that’s already clocked massive viewership—likely millions in its first day, per Netflix’s typical silence on exact figures until Tuesday boasts. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, scripted by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, it adapts Simon Stålenhag’s 2018 graphic novel, starring Millie Bobby Brown as Michelle, an orphaned teen in a retro-futuristic ‘90s, trekking with a robot, Cosmo (Alan Tudyk), to find her brother Christopher (Woody Norman). Chris Pratt’s smuggler Keats and his bot Herman (Anthony Mackie) join, shot in Atlanta and Moab over late 2024, per Variety. Its 128-minute runtime blends Guardians quips with Terminator stakes.

The chaos kicks off fast—robot wars scar the desert, Cosmo’s “I’m here” glitches spark Michelle’s quest, per the March 3 trailer. The Russos, post-Endgame, swap Stålenhag’s bleak art for a loud, Amblin-esque romp—giant drones crash, Exclusion Zone battles flare. Chuckles pepper the fray—Pratt’s “Clap on!” gag, Mackie’s “Humans are the worst” jab—aiming for levity, per Empire’s “breezy.” Critics panned it; Rotten Tomatoes sits at 18% (March 13), Metacritic 32/100, with THR’s “soulless” stinging a $320 million flex—one of Netflix’s priciest, per Forbes. X posts split: “Visuals slap” vs. “No heart.”

The pacing’s a jolt—Michelle’s trunk find races to a bot-filled finale, Keats’s “We’re screwed” a constant hum, per ScreenRant. After a February 24 premiere at Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre, it’s a chaotic riot—chuckles strained, ambition loud—a Russo swing that’s landed more views than praise.

The cast is The Electric State’s wired core, a chaotic ensemble sparking fitfully. Millie Bobby Brown’s Michelle drives—her “He’s alive?” cracks with grit, a Stranger Things echo retooled for ‘90s plaid, per Netflix Tudum. Chris Pratt’s Keats swagger—“Low-rent Han Solo,” Deadline quips—delivers “You’re the boss” charm, though Variety flags “miscast.” Their odd-couple trek—teen and smuggler—fuels the chaos, per Roger Ebert’s “watchable.” Woody Norman’s Christopher, a brainy ghost in Cosmo’s shell, and Alan Tudyk’s “Beep-boop” bot add tender fizz, per Rolling Stone.

Anthony Mackie’s Herman sasses—“Keats, you’re an idiot”—a Falcon riff, while Woody Harrelson’s Mr. Peanut (voice) growls, and Stanley Tucci’s Ethan Skate sneers “Neural links rule,” per Empire. Ke Huy Quan’s Dr. Amherst, Giancarlo Esposito’s mercenary, and Jenny Slate’s Penny Pal pop—robots with soul, per Deadline’s VFX nod. Chuckles shine—Pratt’s “Stuffed peppers!” nod to Tucci, Herman’s “Clap off!”—but ScreenRant sighs “No depth.” X raves “Mackie steals” or “Brown carries,” yet gripes “Pratt’s flat” linger. They’re the riot’s pulse—starry, scattered, sometimes short-circuited.

Visually and sonically, The Electric State is a chaotic blast, a Russo spectacle. Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography—Moab’s dunes, Atlanta’s neon—gleams, per Cinematography World. Chaos reigns—drones litter highways, Penny Pal’s mail-truck rampage stuns, shot with $100 million ILM VFX, per Forbes. Robots dance—Terry Notary’s choreography—amid a “retro-futuristic ‘90s” of Clappers and Nintendos, per Netflix Tudum. Letterboxd cheers “Robot designs,” but Collider jabs “Washed-out.” The Russos’ Infinity War scale dazzles—third-act bot wars roar—yet Variety mourns “No cyber-punk edge.”

Ramin Djawadi’s score—synth stabs, “Cosmo’s Theme” hums—lifts, per Soundtrack World, with Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” a ‘90s wink. Sound design—metal clanks, desert howls—grips, per Rolling Stone’s “immersive.” Chuckles crack—Keats’s “Shiny!” Guardians nod, Cosmo’s “Bzzt!”—amid chaos, per BBC vibe. Flaws? CGI’s “too clean” (NY Times), score’s “generic” (Variety). Still, it’s a sensory riot—visuals and sound a retro storm, loud but lacking Stålenhag’s chill.