CAUTION: The following text reveals significant plot points from the recently released Netflix movies, “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” and “The Electric State“. If you haven’t watched either yet, beware that reading further may spoil your viewing experience. Proceed with caution!
I found myself strongly disliking the movie “The Electric State,” not merely due to the consensus among critics that it’s a shallow, middle-of-the-road blockbuster. As someone who is apprehensive towards technology, I was particularly disturbed by this sci-fi production set in a 1990s dystopia populated by tech-addicted humans and intelligent robots. I felt that the film’s technological critique was both inconsistent and devoid of substance, leading me to yearn for the thought-provoking technology discussions presented in “Black Mirror” Season 7 on Netflix.
Unbeknownst to me, I wouldn’t have to wait long before utilizing my Netflix subscription to discover the intellectually stimulating tech commentary that The Electric State fell short on providing for me. In fact, it was just a week later. The title in question is Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which I believe deserved its 2025 Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature due to its charming and family-friendly nature. However, what caught me off guard was that it’s also one of the most insightful tech satires I’ve encountered this year. Let me elaborate on this…
Wallace Is Too Reliant On His Gadgets
Since the late 1980s debut of Wallace & Gromit, the human character has taken delight in creating intricate gadgets to simplify life. Yet, his aspirations reach their peak in “Vengeance Most Fowl,” where a cunning penguon from their past named Feathers McGraw falsely accuses them of theft, leading the police to seize all of Wallace’s inventions.
In no time, Wallace finds himself utterly incapable when deprived of the gadgets that run his entire life, vividly illustrating the pitfalls of excessive reliance on technology. The novel The Electric State explores a similar theme through Neurocasters – a VR helmet enabling humans to idle as their mechanical counterparts take charge. However, its message becomes blurred due to the intricate plot and the tech it employs being too reminiscent of that in Ready Player One.
Norbot Is Depicted As An Unnecessary Replacement For Human (Or Canine) Effort
Before the narrative involving Wallace’s allegiance to tech giants becomes significant, the novel Vengeance Most Fowl sets up its central theme by presenting Wallace’s creation of Norbot. This mechanical dwarf, rather than being a faithful assistant like Gromit (who is renowned as one of the greatest sidekicks ever but is actually the main character in this story), turns out to be a destructive force when it ruins all of Gromit’s hard work in the garden by transforming it into a horde of distorted and unnatural topiary sculptures.
It’s disappointing, and even more so since Wallace opts to establish a gardening enterprise with Norbot over Gromit, who clearly finds joy in this activity. Seeing his gardening role usurped by machinery was just as distressing for me as it appeared to be for the dog. Given that people have been resisting machines taking their jobs, such as during the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, this situation is particularly upsetting. On a different note, Joe Russo, co-director of The Electric State, seems to only praise the use of A.I. in business based on his remarks to The Times, which sheds light on the movie’s apparent goals for me now.
Vengeance Most Fowl Offered An Optimistic Outlook On Technology That The Electric State Did Not Achieve
One scene in “The Electric State” that left me astonished was when the movie’s villain, tech entrepreneur Ethan Skate (played by Stanley Tucci), expressed his support for technological advancement, but only if humans maintained control. It left me bewildered to find myself sympathizing with a character who shares my own views on technology, yet the film seemed to encourage siding with characters driven by artificial intelligence, without offering any solid justification. Fortunately, “Vengeance Most Fowl” managed to make me a bit more hopeful about its mechanical characters, as it presented a reason for this optimism.
Feathers McGraw devises a scheme where he reprograms Norbot and creates an army of malicious robots to swindle Wallace’s customers, causing him difficulties. Fortunately, Gromit comes to their aid by cracking the code to reprogram gnomes who eventually aid them in thwarting Feathers and even rescuing Gromit from a dire situation. In summary, robots can serve as valuable allies when used appropriately and responsibly, but The Electric State seems to misunderstand this idea, taking a stance that supports autonomous machines instead.
Initially, I thought I’d simply delight in watching Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl as a dog enthusiast. What I didn’t anticipate was finding it intriguing from the standpoint of someone craving insightful and nuanced commentary on technology. I can’t help but ponder what fresh ideas the next Wallace & Gromit production might bring.
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2025-03-30 07:07