The Current War

The race for the electrification of the United States in the late 19th century is the focus of this historical drama, as rivals battle for superiority. Benedict Cumberbatch brings his usual intensity to noted inventor Thomas Edison, who's promoting the low-voltage direct current method. He's up against the imposing figure of Michael Shannon as business magnate George Westinghouse, who claims his high-voltage alternating current approach can deliver power over longer distances. To be fair, the film doesn't pick favourites, and there's egotism and greed on both sides, rather than an obvious set of heroes and villains. But without any one man to root for, the results prove intriguing rather than utterly compelling. The Current War scores with its charismatic leads and exquisite period production design, but there remains an abiding sense that the screenplay doesn't quite get the most out of this fascinating period in America's industrial history.