Apparently, back in October of 2019, a movie came out called The Current War. It features Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison, Michael Shannon as George Westinghouse, and Nicholas Hoult as Nikola Tesla as they race to perfect the burgeoning electrical industry.
My wife and I saw this offered on Amazon but decided to check it out from the Normal Public Library for free instead. We’re not quite on the same page when it comes to super hero movies, but we love to watch movies inspired by history together.
The Current War enthralled us both.
Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse are famous names, yet neither of them exactly hold a place in the modern American conscious as anything more than old white guys who did some pretty important stuff. The Current War actually made them both very exciting and damn dynamic. They are both very likable, but also both very flawed. They are heroic at times, yet also suffer moments of immorality. In other words, they felt real.
Furthermore, the movie executes a rapid pace that makes the current war an exhilarating event to behold. I had no idea these two men battled each other to such an extent, nor did I realize their roles in so many other avenues of our lives.
Cumberbatch and Shannon are superb, as you would expect. Hoult didn’t get much to do as Tesla and I was surprised there wasn’t more of him in the film. There are also good performances by Katherine Waterson, Tuppence Middleton, and Tom Holland.
If you like movies based on historical fact, or if you simply want a new perspective on Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse, I highly recommend The Current War.
SCOTT WILLIAM FOLEY 