The Current War

Even after a trip back to the lab to recharge, The Current War is only moderately illuminating.

Structured almost like a thriller, driven by a race between two inventors to change the world forever, this period drama struggles to find that narrative spark to enliven some fascinating true-life subject matter.

Specifically, the film chronicles the efforts of Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) to deliver electricity to the masses during the buildup to a grand unveiling at the World’s Fair in 1893 in Chicago.

It begins with the boastful Edison showcasing his light bulbs to eager investors in New York before shifting to Pittsburgh, where the more reserved Westinghouse unveils a potentially more reliable and cost-effective option to power homes and cities.

Meanwhile, immigrant entrepreneur Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult) enters the fray, seeking fame and fortune as he alternates loyalties between the Edison and Westinghouse camps.

The cutthroat competition becomes as much about grandstanding and celebrity posturing as it does about perfecting one of the most exciting innovations of modern times.

Such a win-at-all-costs mentality clouds Edison’s ethics, despite the spin-control efforts of his young assistant (Tom Holland). Is he an enterprising scientist or a manipulative opportunist? The film argues he’s both without taking sides.

Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of The Current War is its troubled history. After a maligned festival debut two years ago, its initial release was delayed by studio bankruptcy. That gave director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) an opportunity to trim and reshape the film.

The resulting “director’s cut” is unbalanced because it focuses so heavily on Edison, probably because he’s the more controversial and charismatic of the two adversarial protagonists.

Not intended as a biopic of either man, the screenplay by Michael Mitnick (The Giver) attempts to dig beneath the showmanship and stubbornness, yet plugging in more details about their tumultuous personal lives would have been helpful.

Through some gimmicky visual flourishes, it mostly conquers the challenge of dramatizing mundane concepts such as bulbs, circuits, copper wires, and the difference between continuous and alternating currents. However, while the pace remains lively, it should have placed greater emphasis on the creative process rather than just the commercial ramifications of invention.

Not as innovative or as intellectual as its subjects, The Current War feels like a missed opportunity.

Rated PG-13, 107 minutes.