The Current War

The Current War?

More like the out-of-date war.

OK, enough joking. The Current War went through a lot to get released.

I first saw the trailer for the film with Blade Runner 2049 two years ago.  It was supposed to debut the following month. By the time I saw the trailer, its original distributor, The Weinstein Company, was felled by certain circumstances. That, and its lukewarm reception during the Toronto International Film Festival, sent it back to the drawing board. It's finally here to light up the box office. But is it a blinding light or a faint glimmer? Let's discuss.

In 1880, Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) debuts his Direct Current electrical system. It works better than gas lights, but it only covers a square mile. George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) decides to outdo him with his long-range Alternate Current System. The "war of the currents" is born. Edison smears the AC system as dangerous and this leads to the development of the Electric Chair. Westinghouse hires Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult) to help power his system. Edison and Westinghouse set out to light the Chicago World's Fair.

Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) works from a script by Michael Mitnick. The best part of the film is the Electric Chair subplot. It's potentially controversial, but it would make an interesting film by itself. The "war of the currents" speeds through thirteen years as Edison fires cheap shot after cheap shot while Westinghouse practically ignores him until the end. The "AC is Bad" campaign barely dents Westinghouse's business. Tesla barely figures into the story until he meets Westinghouse late into the film.

Sounds boring, doesn't it? But some parts sparked my interest. Cumberbatch as Edison is a delightfully arrogant genius with a soft side. His relationship with his wife, Mary (Tuppence Middleton), is endearing. His work on the phonograph and kinetograph is fascinating to watch. Shannon as Westinghouse makes for a likable "antagonist." Hoult makes the most of his comparatively limited screentime as Tesla. Amongst the supporting cast, there are at least two standouts. One is Tom Holland, who is memorable as Edison's assistant. Samuel Insull. The other is Connor MacNeil as William Kemmler, the first man to get the Electric Chair; MacNeil plays Kemmler as a pitiful wreck, even if his crime is brutal.

The film looks as good as that first trailer did. Cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung starts the film off spectacularly when Edison first tests his lightbulbs in a dark field for his investors. Chung's work shows off the immense production design by Jan Roelfs. The CGI-enhancements to the sets are practically invisible. Editors David Trachtenberg and Justin Krohn make the story intelligible. And on the aural side, Danny Bensi and Saunder Juriaans create an intense score.

The Current War is an interesting film. There's not much tension in this "War of the Currents." But it's lively enough to spark some interest in reading on the current events. I already started. It does warrant some curiosity caused by its delay. See it at least once. Prepare to be educated.