The Electric State’s Robots Are By Far The Thing I Liked Most About The Movie, And These 8 Are Definitely The Best

Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Electric State.

The Electric State has a lot to offer, but its robot characters are by far its most captivating aspect. Although all robot characters featured in the Netflix sci-fi movie have a unique charm, eight seemingly stand out among the rest. Since The Electric State is based on Simon Stålenhag’s graphic novel of the same name, it borrows many robot characters and their designs from the source material. However, to ensure it has a wider and more family-friendly appeal, the movie does not shy away from significantly drifting away from its source.

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It not only avoids delving too deep into the darker themes of the original novel but also introduces new characters to add a sense of nostalgia and warmth to its narrative. From a critical standpoint, The Electric State has received an underwhelming response and only has a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 15%. However, the film still manages to please viewers with its feel-good story beats and adorable robot characters. Among these robot characters, eight play a crucial role in making the movie more engaging and heartwarming.

8

Mrs. Scissors

Voiced By Susan Leslie

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Mrs. Scissors briefly appears almost midway through the movie as she tries to convince Chris Pratt’s Keats to get a haircut. Although Keats initially manages to avoid her, Scissors eventually persuades him to get his hair chopped. Keats, for obvious reasons, regrets getting the haircut but also seems surprised by how Scissors manipulated him into doing it. What makes Scissors a fascinating robot is that her involvement in the movie makes it hard not to think about how robots were initially programmed to carry out simple tasks like cutting hair and cleaning for humans.

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The ones like Mrs. Scissors were likely reduced to the tasks they were programmed to do. While it seems evident that the robots’ programming plays a key role in determining what they are most inclined to do on a day-to-day basis, they, like humans, have an inherent desire to seek freedom. Mrs. Scissors also enjoys cutting hair but probably stood up against humans during the Great War because she wanted to have more autonomy in her job and existence on the planet.

7

PC

Voiced By Ke Huy Quan

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Three of the most seemingly sentient robot characters in The Electric State are Mr. Peanut, Cosmo, and Herman. However, a closer look at Dr. Clark Amherst’s PC suggests that he, too, is no less conscious and intelligent than most other robots. As Amherst reveals, the robot knows everything he knows, which makes PC nearly as smart as highly intelligent humans like Dr. Amherst. His existence may be confined to a screen and a mechanical body, but he proves how he is capable of immortalizing Amherst and helping Michelle get to her brother before it is too late.

6

Perplexo

Voiced By Hank Azaria

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Perplexo does not have much of a role in The Electric State‘s overarching narrative. However, he still comes off as a compelling addition to the movie’s roster because of his design, which is reminiscent of classic, quirky robot toys from the 80s and 90s. His design alone perfectly captures how he is a gimmicky magician who may not deliver the best magic tricks but will leave one entertained with his eccentric personality. Hank Azaria, known for voicing many characters in The Simpsons, also does a wonderful job of capturing Perplexo’s voice, making the character memorably comical.

5

Popfly

Voiced By Brian Cox

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Brian Cox’s Popfly is surprisingly the MVP in The Electric State. The character is a baseball-themed robot who throws baseballs at high speeds. His physical ability suggests humans designed him for baseball practice. However, Brian Cox adds another layer of personality and charm to the robot by voicing his motivational speeches. If it wasn’t for Cox’s voice, Popfly would have come off as a regular pre-programmed animatronic robot whose movements are determined by a fixed code.

The Electric State Key Facts
Directed By	Anthony and Joe Russo
Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score	15%
Budget	$320 million
Based On	The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag

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However, Cox’s voice brings a layer of humanity to the robot. The added layer establishes that even though the robot is limited by its code and can only perform a fixed set of actions, it can still express a range of emotions through its tone and delivery. Towards The Electric State‘s ending moments, Popfly also delivers some strong motivational words to inspire the robots to fight against evil humans, which makes him even more admirable.

4

Penny Pal

Voiced By Jenny Slate

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Penny Pal is portrayed as a cutesy robot in The Electric State, who serves as a mailbot. Before the robots were forced to live in an exclusion zone, Penny worked for the United States Postal Service. She becomes an important character in the movie after she delivers a crucial message from Dr. Amherst to Michelle, which eventually leads her to her brother. What makes her one of the best robot characters in the movie is how expressive she is compared to others of her kind.

The Electric State is the most expensive Netflix movie with a reported budget of $320 million.

Even when she delivers the letter to Michelle, she shows everything from confusion to apprehension. This is fascinating to watch because a “corporate” robot like her was likely designed to make firm decisions to be able to function effectively in a professional environment. Yet, she, too, is not free from human traits, making one empathize with the robots and how they have been treated by humans.

3

Mr. Peanut

Voiced By Woody Harrelson

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Voiced by Woody Harrelson, Mr. Peanut is one of the most surprising additions to The Electric State‘s roster. Many older viewers might recall Mr. Peanut as one of the most iconic brand mascots and advertising logos of all time. By including him as one of the main robot characters, The Electric State effectively manages to immerse viewers in its retrofuturistic setting by instilling a sense of nostalgia and familiarity.

With Woody Harrelson as his voice, it almost becomes impossible for a viewer to differentiate between him and the human characters in the film.

The Electric State also “rebrands” Mr. Peanut in more ways than one by giving him a serious role in the film. Mr. Peanut is portrayed as somewhat of a radical, revolutionary leader for the robots, who agrees to settle for a peaceful alliance with humans after the Great War. Unlike other robots, he also seems to be way more expressive and even has a wider vocabulary. With Woody Harrelson as his voice, it almost becomes impossible for a viewer to differentiate between him and the human characters in the film.

2

Cosmo

Voiced By Alan Tudyk

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Cosmo serves as the main robotic character in the film, who is controlled by Michelle’s brother, Chris. Owing to this, he perfectly embodies Chris’ childlike wonder and innocence, making his scenes the most endearing elements of The Electric State. One of the most tear-jerking moments in the film also involves Cosmo, where Michelle misses her brother, but Cosmo eases her pain by showing her the Kid Cosmo cartoon she and her brother used to watch.

Kid Cosmo is not a real cartoon, but rather, a reimagining of popular animated kids’ shows like Astro Boy.

As the creators behind the Netflix film explained (via Indiewire), creating Cosmo for the screen was one of their biggest challenges because of his oversized head and disproportionately small body. To ensure they effectively portrayed Cosmo’s innocence in his entire demeanor, they made animation director Piotr Karwas’ daughter act on the mo-cap stage. Using motion capture, they then created Cosmo on Unreal Engine, allowing them to make him as lifelike and expressive as possible.

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Herman

Voiced By Anthony Mackie

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Even though Cosmo is arguably the main robot character, Herman steals the show with his fun dynamic with Keats and funny one-liners. Herman’s ability to come up with hilarious punchlines even during the most perilous situations brings a much-needed sense of levity to The Electric State. Like its source material, The Electric State could have easily been a serious exploration of the horrors of unchecked technological growth.

If the movie was relatively more serious in its tone, characters like Herman would not have fit into its narrative. However, since the film retcons its source to be more family-friendly, characters like Herman prove to be perfect additions to its roster. One of the most heartwarming moments in The Electric State also features Herman, where the robot seemingly dies during his battle against humans but suddenly emerges as a smaller version of himself to team up with Keats again.

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The Electric State

PG-13

Adventure

Sci-Fi

4/10

71

7.8/10

Release Date

March 14, 2025

Michelle, an orphan in a robot-filled alternate 1990s, discovers her brother may still be alive after a mysterious robot visit. Teaming up with a smuggler and his sidekick, she ventures into the Exclusion Zone, only to uncover sinister forces behind her brother’s fate.

Cast

Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Woody Harrelson, Ke Huy Quan, Giancarlo Esposito, Stanley Tucci, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Woody Norman, Alan Tudyk, Katelin Chesna, Adam Croasdell, Joe Avena, Sebastian Soler, Billy Bob Thornton, Jason Alexander, Terry Notary, Cuyle Carvin, Helen Hunt

Runtime

128 Minutes

Director

Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Writers

Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Character(s)

Michelle, Keats, Mr. Peanut, Dr. Amherst, Colonel Bradbury, Ethan Skate, Herman, Popfly, Penny Pal, Christopher, Hospital Doctor, Marshall, President Clinton, Orderly

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Source: https://www.phonggdkrongpac.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment