The Current War: Director's Cut
The Weinstein Company | Release Date: October 25, 2019
6.5
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 55 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
31
Mixed:
21
Negative:
3
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
10
cloudmanOct 26, 2019
I found the movie to be excellent. Great acting by Benedict C. and the other protagonists. I learned a lot about the early age of electricity in the USA.
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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10
NikolaTesla13Oct 29, 2019
I love this movie! It's the best one I've ever seen. It has a lot of small details that make it great. Again, I love it. It's my favorite movie, surpassing Goblet of Fire and Alice in Wonderland.
0 of 4 users found this helpful04
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8
tropicAcesOct 31, 2019
I think there is a great movie buried somewhere in here. The script is sharp and has some great lines of Sorkin-esque dialogue, and the performances are solid. As far as historical perilous dramas go, you can do far worse.
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7
HealingToolboxMay 30, 2020
A handsome, strange movie with often riveting camerawork. Be sure to watch the deleted scenes for a daring long one-take. Performances all good. A story about electricity which does not quite capture lightening in a battle (sorry). AnotherA handsome, strange movie with often riveting camerawork. Be sure to watch the deleted scenes for a daring long one-take. Performances all good. A story about electricity which does not quite capture lightening in a battle (sorry). Another user review says it tries to do too much. This may be right. Edison, Westinghouse and Tesla don't have much chemistry together, nor many secrets worth uncovering. In real life, the Current War was a PR battle not a personal conflict or personal arc of learning for anyone. The narrative thru line of a PR contest is ultimately not much to hang a dramatic film on. Reads better as history than as a film?… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
RalfbergsAug 25, 2020
Nice movie, dont know how accurate it is, but it showed you insight of how electricity came into place, which in itself is something interesting. Very good actors and acting, maybe at some points a bit slow paced, but overall good watch.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
Mauro_LanariNov 1, 2019
(Mauro Lanari)
Surprising that there are still existential philosophy films, démodé category compared to the prevailing action comics. No: Cumberbatch is not only the actor of Dr. Strange or Holmes, but even before of Hawking, van Gogh,(Mauro Lanari)
Surprising that there are still existential philosophy films, démodé category compared to the prevailing action comics. No: Cumberbatch is not only the actor of Dr. Strange or Holmes, but even before of Hawking, van Gogh, Assange, Turing. And no: Holland is not just the Spider-Man actor. I'll not dwell further on it, as it would be useless.… Expand
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7
HollywoodGleeNov 27, 2019
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison and Michael Shannon as George Westinghouse, The Current War is the story of the rivalry between the greatest inventors of the industrial age over whose electrical system would power the country'sStarring Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison and Michael Shannon as George Westinghouse, The Current War is the story of the rivalry between the greatest inventors of the industrial age over whose electrical system would power the country's economic engine in the coming century. Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) and written by playwright Michael Mitnick (Sex Lives of our Parents), The Current War also stars Katherine Waterston as Margurite Westinghouse, Nicholas Hoult as Nikola Tesla, Tom Holland as Samuel Insull (Edison's personal secretary), Matthew Macfadyen as J.P. Morgan and Tuppence Middleton as Mary Edison. The acting is as good as any I've seen this year. An easy comparison is an upcoming film December 20th, 2019 release date), The Aeronauts, with Oscar-winner, Eddie Redmayne, and Felicity Jones as the leads, in a fun, entertaining historical drama about hot-air ballooning in the 1880s. Moreover, after seeing The Current War, I'm looking forward to the "in-production" biographical work, Tesla, starring Ethan Hawke.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison in The Current War. (Photo Credit: Dean Rogers)

But, first, let's return to the electrical Current War. Backed by J.P. Morgan, Thomas Edison dazzles the world by lighting Manhattan with his patented bulb. Westinghouse and Tesla light the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, sparking the infamous war of currents. Westinghouse and Tesla bet everything on what Edison called "risky and dangerous" alternating current. Edison plotted to poison the public's mind by associating Westinghouse with a new form of humane capital punishment - death by electrocution - powered by Westinghouse Electric. More on that, later. Astonishingly, Benedict Cumberbatch channels Edison with such grace and ease, I found my self suspending disbelief. Cumberbatch's performance reminded me of his captivating impersonation of Sherlock Holmes in the TV Series, Sherlock (2010, 15 episodes).

Tom Holland, left, as Edison's secretary, Samuel Insull, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison in The Current War. (Photo Credit: Dean Rogers)
Michael Shannon as George Westinghouse in The Current War. (Photo Credit: Dean Rogers)

While Edison loses out to Westinghouse in the end, Edison simply moves on to his next project - motion pictures! Meanwhile, Michael Shannon's formidable impersonation of George Westinghouse is nothing short of spectacular. Shannon returns to form that garnered an Oscar nomination (Nocturnal Animals) as Westinghouse, who despite his intimidating presence simply wanted to create something that would benefit the public saying, "If someday they say of me that in my work I have contributed something to the welfare and happiness of my fellow man, I shall be satisfied.” With his back against the wall, Westinghouse is forced to reveal Edison's attempt to discredit the Westinghouse and the superiority of alternating current as opposed to Edison's direct current.

Katherine Waterston as Marguerite Westinghouse, left, with Michael Shannon as George Westinghouse in The Current War. (Photo Credit: Dean Rogers)

While the two don't appear on screen together very often ( I believe it's twice), the connection between Edison and Westinghouse is undeniable. Each backing his current of electricity. To me, this is the artistic essence of the film. Gomez-Rejon melds the human and electrical stories into one in a seamless fashion. It is remarkable. The Current War is highly entertaining, informative, and polished with a compelling narrative. The costuming and makeup speak for themselves - delectable. The ensemble cast is exquisite. The production design is excellent. The lighting and sound add a powerful context and a balanced emotional heft. And, the mise-en-scene is captivating. Very, very warmly recommended!… Expand
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