Release: War of the Currents

 

War of the Currents

Genre: Historical/Drama

Director: Michel Gondry

Writer: Meirad Tako

Based on the interactive game Nikola Tesla: War of the Currents

Cast: Forrest Goodluck, Michael Keaton, Nikola Djuricko, Forest Whitaker, Simone Ashley, Jeff Daniels

Budget: $32,000,000

Domestic Box Office: $13,934,593

Foreign Box Office: $10,485,667

Total Profit: -$29,006,184

Reaction: The second half of Season 32 has been a bit iffy at the box office, with War of the Currents becoming one of several films to fail to find a theatrical audience.

"There’s something genuinely inspiring about War of the Currents — a film that centers a Native protagonist in one of history’s nerdiest showdowns and dares to blend STEM, protest, and underdog ambition. But even as it sparks, it doesn’t quite ignite. Michel Gondry’s signature quirks often clash with the film’s darker historical beats, and while Forrest Goodluck gives a strong performance, the writing leans a bit too heavily into 'message-first' storytelling. Simone Ashley brings charisma as Bertha Lamme, but her casting — as well as others — feels more symbolic than era-authentic, which will irk some purists. The film’s heart is in the right place, and the themes are timely, but it sometimes forgets it’s telling a story from the past, not a parable for the present." - Kiara Moss, VulturePop

"A movie focusing on the battle between Nikola Tesla played by Nikola Djuricko and Thomas Edison played by Michael Keaton definitely got me intrigued in the first place . While I do love the bold concept and the creative direction by Michel Gondry, I do think that the execution feels a bit uneven. Forrest Goodluck delivers a heartfelt performance as Jakomis Tamack, but his character's arc feels a bit underdeveloped caused by the crowded plot." - Clark Chase, Chicago Sun-Times

"War of the Currents is an admirably ambitious misfire—rich in ideas but riddled with contradictions. Michel Gondry’s dreamlike aesthetic is entirely at odds with the industrial grit and historical urgency the subject demands. The fictional protagonist, Jakomis Tamack, feels more like a modern audience proxy than a plausible figure of the era, and his insertion among giants like Edison, Tesla, and Latimer ultimately diminishes the historical weight rather than enriching it. Forest Whitaker is a dignified presence but far too old for the role of Latimer, while Nikola Djuricko’s Tesla lacks the magnetism and precision necessary for such a pivotal historical figure. One can admire the film’s heart and its attempt to elevate underrepresented voices, but the result is a tone-deaf hybrid of revisionist history and miscast drama." - Randolph L. Granger, The New Amsterdam Review

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements