March 18, 2025 • 22 mins
The United Nations should probably intervene and impose sanctions on streamers for wasting over $300 million on movies like The Electric State.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo—the guys behind Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War—the film somehow lowers the bar for them even further, after the one-two punch of The Gray Man and Citadel.
It’s remarkable how little spark Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown have in this film, which also disrespects Stanley Tucci, Ke Huy Quan and Giancarlo Esposito by isolating them in separate corners of the movie.
—
Hosted by Akhil Arora and Rohan Naahar, The Long Take is fully bootstrapped. Please consider donating if you enjoy our work.
The Long Take is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, JioSaavn, Overcast, Pandora, RadioPublic, iHeart Radio, YouTube Music, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow The Long Take on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube. Write to us at thelongtakepod@gmail.com.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:16):
Hi, I'm Akanera. I'm Ruhan now.
Welcome to the Long tech. This week we're discussing the
new Netflix movie from the directors of Avengers NGO The
Electric State. It's set in the 90s.
It's adapted from this illustrated graphic novel.
Although like from what I've read, it's basically abandons
the original story for like something they wanted to do,
which is a curious move given like people received the
(00:36):
original graphic. Like when?
But yeah, I want to sort of start this sort of focus
backwards throne. Like what US is happening to the
Russo. They didn't name their sort of
got their name with like 2 Captain movies.
I mean just movies got let us see the top of the mountain.
And since then just been producing like what have been
doing and like Next up is like Avengers for them.
So like it's just like not goingwell, is it?
Yeah. They've been like left
(00:59):
unchecked, and it's quite obvious that that isn't the
best. Best sort of way to work with
them because their post marvel streak is just uniformly
terrible. Yeah, you can probably spread
like a billion on like things since the actual billion
dollars. They spent like 3-4 projects and
(01:21):
they just been like, I don't think people could like name
like if you went up with them and like, do you know what the
guys of End Game have been doing?
They'll be like, I don't know, sitting at home.
Yeah, because it's not like theyhad like a stamp before he died,
right? But at least they made fun
movies and fun TV shows, right? I would argue that the stamp is
more visible now in the post Marvel run because all these
(01:45):
projects like I'll exclude Cherry to an extent but like the
Grey man and Citadel and this their uniforms.
So so we were so bad I forgot toinclude in our like pre podcast
notes. I had forgotten that existed.
And that was like in the second most expensive TV show of all
time. Yeah, and all of them, all these
(02:08):
things thought. Like they've been making indie
movie on the side how Ryan Coogler is like okay I'm done
with Black Panther final, go make something else for a bit.
No, these guys have been making Mission Impossible Avengers
level movies and somehow they'rejust like, not in the arena.
Like people would not know that a $300 million movie dropped
this week. Yeah.
And these movies are like, they feature like a list stars, you
(02:31):
know, like they got Chris Evans,they got Ryan Gosling, they got,
you know, this one has Chris Pratt, Millie, Bobby Hound.
These are like really famous people.
Yeah. And yeah, it's, I thought
Jurassic World kind of did a disservice to Chris Pratt, But
like, look at this. Now how could a Jurassic World
(02:52):
looks like? Oh my God, they're doing
amazing. With it ha, like it's fine if he
didn't make a single joke in that movie, but like look at
this one, it's better if you don't make a joke as opposed to
like me. I don't know what he's doing in
this movie. It's almost like he exists, you
know? Like how joke about like female
character sometimes and then just like sexy lampos.
I feel like that's his role in this movie to be a sexy lampos.
(03:15):
It's the. Third time he's tried to do Han
Solo. Oh God, yeah, that's true.
What I could tell, and I think he was, he was up for that role
also like after the 4th movie orsomething.
But it's kind of weird because the his role in the in the story
is is basically the same as Guardians of the Galaxy or or
(03:39):
even Jurassic, Jurassic World orsomething like this.
He's just there, he's supposed to be this kind of rebellious
outlaw figure. He's a smuggler of.
Something am I given up right? Even here it's he's like he's
had this war, he got disillusioned, came up on the
wall and he's that decision thing is just attaches to like
all of his characters, but it. Doesn't come across like if you
(04:01):
ask, if you were to ask him, what does this person stand for?
And I don't know. I don't know what he's doing in
the movie. Yeah.
Like, why is he? He's just, like, casually
inserted into the plot because of some PO Box, some nonsense
that our main character, like, you know, like, goes after.
And he's just like literally like injected into the plot and
(04:21):
just hangs about for the next hour and half.
He's imprisoned, right? Basically with her after a
point, because cave, whatever seen happens and they're on the
other side and then they're basically chained together,
Yeah. Because he's like, I've lost all
of my, like, livelihood, which was basically, like, some black
markets, smoke smuggling or whatever.
Always. Yeah.
(04:42):
And curiously, like, I don't know who they're smuggling to.
Like, for some weird thing. Like, the movie just feels like
there are no humans except thesepeople because we never see
anyone out in the real world. But this show established sort
of like Seattle, like, oh, wow. So humanity is still alive, but
I don't know they're actually like, because every time I see
humans it's just feel like a viewer dystopia.
But it's not dystopia, So what is it?
It's like Ready Player 1, I think.
(05:03):
Like they're a lot of them are just indoors on that device
thing, right? Which is also very muddy.
Like I have no idea what it's supposed to do.
They're living like robots. Is that what I'm supposed to
take away from this like? I think from the last room scene
that it feels like they're just like everyone's spending you.
I think the Ready Player 1 is a is a correct comparison is that
everyone's just living in this virtual world because but they
(05:25):
never explain why the real worldis not enough.
Like why are people opting to only live through New York
castles, whatever and like what made the real world like to be
sure, like this what happened tothe US?
It's told to us because what arethe exclusions when all the
nonsensics is like in the US? But why are there like giant
sentry towers around the world? What happened there that people
were like, we give up on real life?
(05:46):
Same, same. We're led to assume that it's
the same thing has happened across the world and everybody
is just. What happened everywhere, not
just in the US? Yeah, like including Gateway of
India or something? But like, I couldn't like, you
know, figure that out for the longest time.
I was like, but Sentry just likebecome like this multinational,
like governmental, like index, like corporation, which has like
(06:07):
somehow their fingers everywhere.
Like how are they so like important?
But I guess, yeah, if it's like a global war and not just like
AUS war, then it makes sense because they sort of saved the
world, right with their invention.
Yeah, and like, everybody's justlike ATV screen on a robot now.
Like Coleman Domingo or whatevershows up weeks after being
(06:28):
nominated for an Oscar for this.I mean, I couldn't.
Even make out forget like you atleast you understood commenting.
I had to wait for credits to be like, oh, it's Woody Harrelson
who's been like talking through that saved, saved these Woody
Harrelson at all. He.
He doesn't sound only would he hasn't much hello he's got that
Texan accent like Anthony Mac. Why is the other robot?
(06:50):
There is no it's just like hair Peseto.
Why not spend it? That's the Russo Russo.
Mantra near things because notedthat on the poster we can put
these people's names. Speaking of throw money like I'm
sure like pachas milliontho musthave been the budget of the
music only. Like there was some random robot
called Taco can play the covers.It's because like people have
(07:13):
already pointed this out like Jita Pesika this movie they've
made, they could have made like 20-50 other films but Jita music
budget alone that would fund like.
At least one lala. Teen One Lala Land for sure, but
it is 15 big Indian movies. You know what I'm saying, Yaka
polls they would fund. Yeah.
So it's just it's almost irresponsible spending at this
(07:36):
point. And it's obviously not our
money. It's a private listing, but that
is like. You build like irresponsible
funding has been happening sincelike at least grey man, if not
cherry right. I just been like they've been
using their like end game clout like nothing, right, like at
least James Cameron like you know, he achieved that and then
he makes like one movie every 10years now.
So he like take Ethu spend car Charles, but these guys are
making Charles so in movies every two years now.
(07:59):
And at least James Cameron car there is tangent evidence of
like there is income right thereis money coming back in exact
whether or not you spend it on good quote, UN quote or whatever
is that that? Review yeah, but at least yeah,
yeah, like money, potent money came back possibly like not a
profit, at least like break even.
Like, Joe, whatever that 1 billion figure that they've
(08:21):
spent in the last five years, like genuinely, you could like
feed Bangladesh or something. I'm not even kidding.
It's. Like taking like Amazon in
Netflix subscriber and Apple like iPhone money and just like
funneling into like like ha, we just threw it there.
Like my money is like has been burnt.
Like you could literally like that Joker scene from like Dark
Knight and he like burnt cash. Like no, this is this is burnt.
(08:41):
Cash, no, but after a point, see, it's fine that you want to
make a movie, but like even if we consider electric state is
does it seem like the kind of movie that requires Infinity War
and game level money? No, no, it's not really that
ambitious. I mean, there's a lot of visual
effects or whatever, and I appreciate that everybody
probably got paid like above industry standards.
(09:03):
Good for them, good for them. But like, is it like you don't
see it on the screen? Yeah.
Because it's already like 5 settings, right?
If you count them total, It's not like AU is always forever on
the go and changing like settings every 5 minutes.
They generally like they spend like this, five scenes where
they spend like half an hour, half an hour, half an hour, half
an hour. And a lot of it isn't very
sprawling either. Then, you know, after final
(09:24):
whatever. Which must have been entirely in
computers. Yeah, but they're in a cave.
Whatever, that doesn't cost much, you know, like Manjumal
boys did that for like ₹20. I had to look better.
And you know, there's like CGI, like travel stuff like cross
country, which is whatever. I don't.
(09:46):
So like, what case? Pratt got paid like $100
billion. Who knows?
I don't know. I don't know money themselves.
Like insane amounts, like million.
There's no like back cut here. Like they've been making only
movies for streaming since theirsoft end game.
Nothing for the big screen. So they don't have a backup.
They can't depend on anyone profit.
So they must be taking a big because they're like, wait, no,
(10:08):
we can put from the directors ofAvengers end game in your
trailer. How about that?
But how now would they keep thatup?
Yeah, because after a point, you're no longer.
The directors of Avengers End Game are the director of this
electric state. Exactly.
What it like after and this is like not like parcel and this
you know, like you have already made the Gray Man, which like
(10:30):
objectively is a bad movie and you had like franchise plans
etcetera. Not a single spin off has been
made. So clearly nobody's interested.
You know, Citadel was like a train wreck.
Everybody knows it's not those. Kind of.
Thing happening, I think second this is happening was
contractually they've like banana Padega types.
But what is it's like it's it's not like a secret that these
(10:53):
things haven't worked and they weren't good, right.
So I I mean it's very sad because they still like ABB.
The ratio is in their favour. They have made forward Marvel
movies. Yeah.
I think that what they were verysmart about is that all of these
things that we're just talking about were all signed in the
wake of like end game. So even this one, electric
(11:13):
services come out in 25 March was actually like signed in
2020. So they were still using that
cloud that they were carrying only the box office success of
like End game, just like went toeveryone in Hollywood and be
like tum kya doge hame and signed everything before it runs
out. So it'll be interesting to see
like, have they signed anything since?
Like they've sure, they've got like the next Avengers, but
that's like a compromise. And like Marvel has been having
(11:36):
its own struggle since end game.So it's almost like they've gone
back to the well, They're like, OK, what worked?
OK, Russo's worked. Let's get them what worked down
in June about let's get him. Similar to here, right?
What like Rajan DK or like Hansel Mehta just signing
blindly 15 projects after one breakout thing.
And then I mean ironically, theyalso did like a 90s whatever
(11:58):
homage thingy, which was just asbad.
Also Netflix, also Netflix. But I understand like how let's
everybody's bending over backwards to get the rules and
congratulations. But like, what is the logic
behind like them going back to Avengers now?
Because like I said, you know, they're no longer like the
(12:19):
directors of End Game. They're the directors of the
Grey Man and Electric State. And Citridal creators.
Yeah, I mean. That's the assuming now, yeah.
Like it's not like no one's. I mean, sure, like, you know,
you can again, you can say for the directors of End Game in
your Avengers, whatever Doomsdaytrailer.
But like people who've seen their other stuff will be like,
I'm not going to trust them anymore.
And it's a team, right? It's not so like it's the same
(12:41):
writers of End Game and Infinity.
This one. And like, it's the, it's the
combination of those four peoplethat is like now tainted.
Yeah, I honestly don't even understand like the tone that
they were going for in this, like what they're supposed to
like. I understand Grey man, they were
doing Marvel only, but it's me. Was it the most to be like
Marvel like tone? Or was it supposed to be like?
Because you can't tell what is supposed to be funny, what
(13:02):
isn't? Yeah, because the main character
is not funny, right? Michelle never tries to be
funny. She's all serious.
She started to rescue her brother.
For her, it's like a very poignant tale of like, you know,
finding this person she thought he lost, was told he's dead and
all. So she's not like in all any
jokes or anything. She's not trying to be vice.
Neither are the two villains, Yeah.
Like standard, which he's like and like just that's the
(13:24):
annoying thing about like a movie like which is made like
around virtual reality and whatever.
Like the I stuff is that you almost like rob actors of screen
presents, right, Because you're like you pull them apart from
where this like what's great about filmmaking is that you put
amazing people in one room and you spit them do their thing.
That's like, that's when filmmaking making that is at its
peak. But in a movie where the more
virtual reality is, you inherently lose that and you get
(13:45):
John Carlo Esposito, and he spends the movie away from
everyone. And like everybody is, I would
imagine that none of these people even met each other,
right? Yeah.
Like that's the joke you made with like Mulan 4-5 years ago?
Like this guy is on his own. Esposito never interacted with
any cast member. He shot his scene separately.
At home, at home like over like probably lunch.
(14:07):
Maybe he. Yeah, because.
He barely has scenes. Yeah, and what's his name?
Stanley Tucci is basically isolated also, yeah.
I kept waiting. He's Sally will walk at least
into the room, you know, where Millie Bobby Brown is, and
they'll have one scene together.But that doesn't happen.
You're in the same damn headquarters.
How can you not? Beat.
(14:28):
Yeah, it's kind of. It's almost as if.
They were. We never were on set the same
day. That's the only explanation of
this point. If you're going to do so much
like Jadu with like, visual effects, like Oprah can do this
right, put them in a room together.
Like so much for Charles, a million special effects,
whatever. Like, yeah, who?
(14:49):
The right mind takes actor like Esposito and be like, Oh my God,
he killed it in like, you know, all of his like Breaking Bad and
all this. Stuff like put him on like.
Yeah, and then put him on a screen about 3 minutes and.
Put him on a screen, not just screen.
It's like literally 90s tech follow screen.
So it's not even color. Yeah.
Teenage class? Go ahead.
Yeah, and we've forgotten someone who just won an Oscar,
(15:12):
by the way, who's also in this movie.
Ki Hui Kuan is in this movie. I.
Think, Oh my God, yeah. Who also spends most of his
screen time on a television screen.
And it's not even like his real face.
It's like animation. Yeah.
V2 He meets other heroes, so he's doing better than Stanley,
(15:32):
Tucci and Esposito. He spent time with the leaders
on set. He can say I was with Brad and
Brown say that. Yeah, he literally has an Oscar
Abhi Abhi like not too long ago.And he's like, it's like the
Grey man, only not Grey man because they had like Angela
Bassett or whatever. Yeah, yeah, showing.
Like that's what not this is again like using your cloud,
(15:53):
right. You just like you amass that so
you like I can get anyone. I have Netflix or whatever
Amazon, Apple money, so I just throw money and I'll get people.
But like what are you doing withit?
Yeah. Nobody complaints about James
Cameron, right? Because yeah, yeah, it was a
good time. Like 2 or pesos spend if that
works. But like I don't know.
I don't know. This is like a train wreck.
(16:13):
Yeah, because it is some part oflike his movies are
rememberable, right with camera like I would not do like I may
not like love the story or whatever do.
You remember the Vale? Right.
Remember. Exactly.
I remember the Vale. I remember like that amazing
action scene, which probably 30 when it's long on the water.
What am I going to take away from this movie?
It's not even like, you know, it's not even like, what Fast
and Furious movie was that whereJason Statham like, puts
(16:36):
headphones on a baby and then hedoes like, Crest chewing on a
plane. I think that was the 7th one,
Yeah. See.
I don't remember what movie there was six or seven or
whatever, but at least I don't know my any other movie.
But that scenes will stay with me because that was a good
scene. But what is in electric state
that's going to stay with me? Nothing.
Nothing, you know, honestly, like the way of water, like when
(16:56):
they dive into the water and youwatch it in IMAX 3D with that
high frame rate that is, you've never seen that before on a
screen. So your mind is blown.
You watch even furious, right? And there are things that are,
like, incredible, yeah. This one is again action scene
like that what 20 minute action scene like the rig and it's like
so much happening like easily action scene on the year.
(17:18):
I mean, I would argue that RRR, whatever interval scene with the
animals is better than anything in a yeah.
So CGI like you guys, but at least like doing something which
like, you know, like you feel like actors are involved and
like they're like there's some like has things happening and
into this there is just. Some element of like
choreography and composition andlike like a rhythm to it, right?
(17:43):
At least like, let's see what storyboarded like, yeah, what?
I don't think there was anythingwas storyboarded.
It took me like 3 settings to watch this movie.
Can't blame you and. I had a review to file the very
next day and I was like I I was like, it's really possible that
I don't finish this. It's a 2 hour movie.
To be clear, it's not. Take 5 and the game was
(18:06):
something you buy. It's a task Manicola.
Beta Bola 02 hours thank goodness and little did I know
it would take me 6. I was like it is night outside
now and I still haven't finishedthis movie.
Yeah, I have terrible memories like he would.
Gray Man also did on the podcast, and that was just like
I was like, yeah, what am I watching?
This is it was a literal train wreck.
(18:27):
Because I think that one point is just destroy half of Budapest
or something for their movie. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah. And in this walk away as of like
there's no police response or whatever in the movie.
And I'm like. We complain about like Bollywood
but like this is also it's happening.
It's like creatively bankrupt and like sometimes morally, but
(18:49):
these guys are like financially irresponsible at this point.
At this point though, people should be there like like the UN
should get involved at this point. 8 seconds.
Yeah, like next to the show up to any other streamers, which
anyway like everyone sort of like pulling their projects back
regarding even apples. Like we don't want to give
Martin's 250,000,000 for those next movie.
But like I said, I don't think that any St. was left that they
(19:10):
can fool and be like. But I want to see now, is there
anyone left they can swindle foranother $300 million?
Geo Geo Geo Geo Geo. I wouldn't be surprised.
You know how like in the 90s allthose like Rene Hardlin type
directors would go and make movies in like China or.
(19:31):
Something, yeah. Like, I wouldn't be surprised if
Jio was like, come over and they're like, sure, yeah.
Yeah, I mean, it's been broken now with it's.
Speaking of China, that pipelinewas still ongoing.
You know, like in the IT was a time where Transformers movies
were like half Chinese, almost like the money was half Chinese.
If that was still around, like the Russo would be very happy.
(19:52):
We're like, Oh my God, we have another country to like.
Yeah. Yeah, no.
Was it like Gray man, partially China funded?
Was it? I don't remember.
Yeah. Was it?
Yeah, I don't know actually, whatever.
But like, yeah, like if anybody is going to go to China like 10
years from now, it's them. Yeah.
Or India. How are they going to make two
more? They're making one avenging
(20:13):
movie. Are they making two more?
I forgot. Both.
Both. Yeah.
So good luck to both Marvel, which like fully needs it.
Which is they're in going into production like literally next
month, you remember. How?
Yeah. Yeah, because it's supposed to
come out next year. Wait, no.
But like, remember how like, Colin Trevoro was like Fire from
Star Wars and like. Yeah.
And. Like a month or two before like
(20:34):
Jurassic World and middle. Loop the book of entry came out.
Yeah, yeah. And famously, like Snyder was
like, excuse me, you can't do this like after BVS came out
because he was already in production on Justice League.
And then like do that with. My piece No, the problem with
Marvel is that they've already done that, right?
Like they've already ground gonethrough a round of like, actor,
(20:57):
the actor and writer for The Avengers movies.
So like, they're already in a state and they're in a state
because none of the movies seem to work these days.
Yeah, and now they have on boardpeople who are supposed to be
like the good glory days but aregoing through their own crisis.
So yeah, I wish all the best to everyone involved in this
venture. At least you'll get paid above
industry standards. Yeah, they should take
(21:21):
everything up front because theyshould not bet on Avengers like
making 2 billion anymore. Oh yeah.
Oh, Downing junior, I'll be like, I want 75 million in my
salary, not. Downing Junior is like that.
Owns like, owns like a country now.
Probably somewhere. Oh my God, yeah.
OK, down to rub it up. Yes, that's all for this episode
(21:41):
of the Long Take. You can follow us on Facebook,
Instagram threads and YouTube atthe long Take pod.
You can write to us at the Long Take podandgmail.com.
Please leave us a rating anotherview where is episode and we
will see you next week. Thanks for listening.
Hi, I'm Akanera. I'm Ruhan now.
Welcome to the Long tech. This week we're discussing the
new Netflix movie from the directors of Avengers NGO The
Electric State. It's set in the 90s.
It's adapted from this illustrated graphic novel.
Although like from what I've read, it's basically abandons
the original story for like something they wanted to do,
which is a curious move given like people received the
(00:36):
original graphic. Like when?
But yeah, I want to sort of start this sort of focus
backwards throne. Like what US is happening to the
Russo. They didn't name their sort of
got their name with like 2 Captain movies.
I mean just movies got let us see the top of the mountain.
And since then just been producing like what have been
doing and like Next up is like Avengers for them.
So like it's just like not goingwell, is it?
Yeah. They've been like left
(00:59):
unchecked, and it's quite obvious that that isn't the
best. Best sort of way to work with
them because their post marvel streak is just uniformly
terrible. Yeah, you can probably spread
like a billion on like things since the actual billion
dollars. They spent like 3-4 projects and
(01:21):
they just been like, I don't think people could like name
like if you went up with them and like, do you know what the
guys of End Game have been doing?
They'll be like, I don't know, sitting at home.
Yeah, because it's not like theyhad like a stamp before he died,
right? But at least they made fun
movies and fun TV shows, right? I would argue that the stamp is
more visible now in the post Marvel run because all these
(01:45):
projects like I'll exclude Cherry to an extent but like the
Grey man and Citadel and this their uniforms.
So so we were so bad I forgot toinclude in our like pre podcast
notes. I had forgotten that existed.
And that was like in the second most expensive TV show of all
time. Yeah, and all of them, all these
(02:08):
things thought. Like they've been making indie
movie on the side how Ryan Coogler is like okay I'm done
with Black Panther final, go make something else for a bit.
No, these guys have been making Mission Impossible Avengers
level movies and somehow they'rejust like, not in the arena.
Like people would not know that a $300 million movie dropped
this week. Yeah.
And these movies are like, they feature like a list stars, you
(02:31):
know, like they got Chris Evans,they got Ryan Gosling, they got,
you know, this one has Chris Pratt, Millie, Bobby Hound.
These are like really famous people.
Yeah. And yeah, it's, I thought
Jurassic World kind of did a disservice to Chris Pratt, But
like, look at this. Now how could a Jurassic World
(02:52):
looks like? Oh my God, they're doing
amazing. With it ha, like it's fine if he
didn't make a single joke in that movie, but like look at
this one, it's better if you don't make a joke as opposed to
like me. I don't know what he's doing in
this movie. It's almost like he exists, you
know? Like how joke about like female
character sometimes and then just like sexy lampos.
I feel like that's his role in this movie to be a sexy lampos.
(03:15):
It's the. Third time he's tried to do Han
Solo. Oh God, yeah, that's true.
What I could tell, and I think he was, he was up for that role
also like after the 4th movie orsomething.
But it's kind of weird because the his role in the in the story
is is basically the same as Guardians of the Galaxy or or
(03:39):
even Jurassic, Jurassic World orsomething like this.
He's just there, he's supposed to be this kind of rebellious
outlaw figure. He's a smuggler of.
Something am I given up right? Even here it's he's like he's
had this war, he got disillusioned, came up on the
wall and he's that decision thing is just attaches to like
all of his characters, but it. Doesn't come across like if you
(04:01):
ask, if you were to ask him, what does this person stand for?
And I don't know. I don't know what he's doing in
the movie. Yeah.
Like, why is he? He's just, like, casually
inserted into the plot because of some PO Box, some nonsense
that our main character, like, you know, like, goes after.
And he's just like literally like injected into the plot and
(04:21):
just hangs about for the next hour and half.
He's imprisoned, right? Basically with her after a
point, because cave, whatever seen happens and they're on the
other side and then they're basically chained together,
Yeah. Because he's like, I've lost all
of my, like, livelihood, which was basically, like, some black
markets, smoke smuggling or whatever.
Always. Yeah.
(04:42):
And curiously, like, I don't know who they're smuggling to.
Like, for some weird thing. Like, the movie just feels like
there are no humans except thesepeople because we never see
anyone out in the real world. But this show established sort
of like Seattle, like, oh, wow. So humanity is still alive, but
I don't know they're actually like, because every time I see
humans it's just feel like a viewer dystopia.
But it's not dystopia, So what is it?
It's like Ready Player 1, I think.
(05:03):
Like they're a lot of them are just indoors on that device
thing, right? Which is also very muddy.
Like I have no idea what it's supposed to do.
They're living like robots. Is that what I'm supposed to
take away from this like? I think from the last room scene
that it feels like they're just like everyone's spending you.
I think the Ready Player 1 is a is a correct comparison is that
everyone's just living in this virtual world because but they
(05:25):
never explain why the real worldis not enough.
Like why are people opting to only live through New York
castles, whatever and like what made the real world like to be
sure, like this what happened tothe US?
It's told to us because what arethe exclusions when all the
nonsensics is like in the US? But why are there like giant
sentry towers around the world? What happened there that people
were like, we give up on real life?
(05:46):
Same, same. We're led to assume that it's
the same thing has happened across the world and everybody
is just. What happened everywhere, not
just in the US? Yeah, like including Gateway of
India or something? But like, I couldn't like, you
know, figure that out for the longest time.
I was like, but Sentry just likebecome like this multinational,
like governmental, like index, like corporation, which has like
(06:07):
somehow their fingers everywhere.
Like how are they so like important?
But I guess, yeah, if it's like a global war and not just like
AUS war, then it makes sense because they sort of saved the
world, right with their invention.
Yeah, and like, everybody's justlike ATV screen on a robot now.
Like Coleman Domingo or whatevershows up weeks after being
(06:28):
nominated for an Oscar for this.I mean, I couldn't.
Even make out forget like you atleast you understood commenting.
I had to wait for credits to be like, oh, it's Woody Harrelson
who's been like talking through that saved, saved these Woody
Harrelson at all. He.
He doesn't sound only would he hasn't much hello he's got that
Texan accent like Anthony Mac. Why is the other robot?
(06:50):
There is no it's just like hair Peseto.
Why not spend it? That's the Russo Russo.
Mantra near things because notedthat on the poster we can put
these people's names. Speaking of throw money like I'm
sure like pachas milliontho musthave been the budget of the
music only. Like there was some random robot
called Taco can play the covers.It's because like people have
(07:13):
already pointed this out like Jita Pesika this movie they've
made, they could have made like 20-50 other films but Jita music
budget alone that would fund like.
At least one lala. Teen One Lala Land for sure, but
it is 15 big Indian movies. You know what I'm saying, Yaka
polls they would fund. Yeah.
So it's just it's almost irresponsible spending at this
(07:36):
point. And it's obviously not our
money. It's a private listing, but that
is like. You build like irresponsible
funding has been happening sincelike at least grey man, if not
cherry right. I just been like they've been
using their like end game clout like nothing, right, like at
least James Cameron like you know, he achieved that and then
he makes like one movie every 10years now.
So he like take Ethu spend car Charles, but these guys are
making Charles so in movies every two years now.
(07:59):
And at least James Cameron car there is tangent evidence of
like there is income right thereis money coming back in exact
whether or not you spend it on good quote, UN quote or whatever
is that that? Review yeah, but at least yeah,
yeah, like money, potent money came back possibly like not a
profit, at least like break even.
Like, Joe, whatever that 1 billion figure that they've
(08:21):
spent in the last five years, like genuinely, you could like
feed Bangladesh or something. I'm not even kidding.
It's. Like taking like Amazon in
Netflix subscriber and Apple like iPhone money and just like
funneling into like like ha, we just threw it there.
Like my money is like has been burnt.
Like you could literally like that Joker scene from like Dark
Knight and he like burnt cash. Like no, this is this is burnt.
(08:41):
Cash, no, but after a point, see, it's fine that you want to
make a movie, but like even if we consider electric state is
does it seem like the kind of movie that requires Infinity War
and game level money? No, no, it's not really that
ambitious. I mean, there's a lot of visual
effects or whatever, and I appreciate that everybody
probably got paid like above industry standards.
(09:03):
Good for them, good for them. But like, is it like you don't
see it on the screen? Yeah.
Because it's already like 5 settings, right?
If you count them total, It's not like AU is always forever on
the go and changing like settings every 5 minutes.
They generally like they spend like this, five scenes where
they spend like half an hour, half an hour, half an hour, half
an hour. And a lot of it isn't very
sprawling either. Then, you know, after final
(09:24):
whatever. Which must have been entirely in
computers. Yeah, but they're in a cave.
Whatever, that doesn't cost much, you know, like Manjumal
boys did that for like ₹20. I had to look better.
And you know, there's like CGI, like travel stuff like cross
country, which is whatever. I don't.
(09:46):
So like, what case? Pratt got paid like $100
billion. Who knows?
I don't know. I don't know money themselves.
Like insane amounts, like million.
There's no like back cut here. Like they've been making only
movies for streaming since theirsoft end game.
Nothing for the big screen. So they don't have a backup.
They can't depend on anyone profit.
So they must be taking a big because they're like, wait, no,
(10:08):
we can put from the directors ofAvengers end game in your
trailer. How about that?
But how now would they keep thatup?
Yeah, because after a point, you're no longer.
The directors of Avengers End Game are the director of this
electric state. Exactly.
What it like after and this is like not like parcel and this
you know, like you have already made the Gray Man, which like
(10:30):
objectively is a bad movie and you had like franchise plans
etcetera. Not a single spin off has been
made. So clearly nobody's interested.
You know, Citadel was like a train wreck.
Everybody knows it's not those. Kind of.
Thing happening, I think second this is happening was
contractually they've like banana Padega types.
But what is it's like it's it's not like a secret that these
(10:53):
things haven't worked and they weren't good, right.
So I I mean it's very sad because they still like ABB.
The ratio is in their favour. They have made forward Marvel
movies. Yeah.
I think that what they were verysmart about is that all of these
things that we're just talking about were all signed in the
wake of like end game. So even this one, electric
(11:13):
services come out in 25 March was actually like signed in
2020. So they were still using that
cloud that they were carrying only the box office success of
like End game, just like went toeveryone in Hollywood and be
like tum kya doge hame and signed everything before it runs
out. So it'll be interesting to see
like, have they signed anything since?
Like they've sure, they've got like the next Avengers, but
that's like a compromise. And like Marvel has been having
(11:36):
its own struggle since end game.So it's almost like they've gone
back to the well, They're like, OK, what worked?
OK, Russo's worked. Let's get them what worked down
in June about let's get him. Similar to here, right?
What like Rajan DK or like Hansel Mehta just signing
blindly 15 projects after one breakout thing.
And then I mean ironically, theyalso did like a 90s whatever
(11:58):
homage thingy, which was just asbad.
Also Netflix, also Netflix. But I understand like how let's
everybody's bending over backwards to get the rules and
congratulations. But like, what is the logic
behind like them going back to Avengers now?
Because like I said, you know, they're no longer like the
(12:19):
directors of End Game. They're the directors of the
Grey Man and Electric State. And Citridal creators.
Yeah, I mean. That's the assuming now, yeah.
Like it's not like no one's. I mean, sure, like, you know,
you can again, you can say for the directors of End Game in
your Avengers, whatever Doomsdaytrailer.
But like people who've seen their other stuff will be like,
I'm not going to trust them anymore.
And it's a team, right? It's not so like it's the same
(12:41):
writers of End Game and Infinity.
This one. And like, it's the, it's the
combination of those four peoplethat is like now tainted.
Yeah, I honestly don't even understand like the tone that
they were going for in this, like what they're supposed to
like. I understand Grey man, they were
doing Marvel only, but it's me. Was it the most to be like
Marvel like tone? Or was it supposed to be like?
Because you can't tell what is supposed to be funny, what
(13:02):
isn't? Yeah, because the main character
is not funny, right? Michelle never tries to be
funny. She's all serious.
She started to rescue her brother.
For her, it's like a very poignant tale of like, you know,
finding this person she thought he lost, was told he's dead and
all. So she's not like in all any
jokes or anything. She's not trying to be vice.
Neither are the two villains, Yeah.
Like standard, which he's like and like just that's the
(13:24):
annoying thing about like a movie like which is made like
around virtual reality and whatever.
Like the I stuff is that you almost like rob actors of screen
presents, right, Because you're like you pull them apart from
where this like what's great about filmmaking is that you put
amazing people in one room and you spit them do their thing.
That's like, that's when filmmaking making that is at its
peak. But in a movie where the more
virtual reality is, you inherently lose that and you get
(13:45):
John Carlo Esposito, and he spends the movie away from
everyone. And like everybody is, I would
imagine that none of these people even met each other,
right? Yeah.
Like that's the joke you made with like Mulan 4-5 years ago?
Like this guy is on his own. Esposito never interacted with
any cast member. He shot his scene separately.
At home, at home like over like probably lunch.
(14:07):
Maybe he. Yeah, because.
He barely has scenes. Yeah, and what's his name?
Stanley Tucci is basically isolated also, yeah.
I kept waiting. He's Sally will walk at least
into the room, you know, where Millie Bobby Brown is, and
they'll have one scene together.But that doesn't happen.
You're in the same damn headquarters.
How can you not? Beat.
(14:28):
Yeah, it's kind of. It's almost as if.
They were. We never were on set the same
day. That's the only explanation of
this point. If you're going to do so much
like Jadu with like, visual effects, like Oprah can do this
right, put them in a room together.
Like so much for Charles, a million special effects,
whatever. Like, yeah, who?
(14:49):
The right mind takes actor like Esposito and be like, Oh my God,
he killed it in like, you know, all of his like Breaking Bad and
all this. Stuff like put him on like.
Yeah, and then put him on a screen about 3 minutes and.
Put him on a screen, not just screen.
It's like literally 90s tech follow screen.
So it's not even color. Yeah.
Teenage class? Go ahead.
Yeah, and we've forgotten someone who just won an Oscar,
(15:12):
by the way, who's also in this movie.
Ki Hui Kuan is in this movie. I.
Think, Oh my God, yeah. Who also spends most of his
screen time on a television screen.
And it's not even like his real face.
It's like animation. Yeah.
V2 He meets other heroes, so he's doing better than Stanley,
(15:32):
Tucci and Esposito. He spent time with the leaders
on set. He can say I was with Brad and
Brown say that. Yeah, he literally has an Oscar
Abhi Abhi like not too long ago.And he's like, it's like the
Grey man, only not Grey man because they had like Angela
Bassett or whatever. Yeah, yeah, showing.
Like that's what not this is again like using your cloud,
(15:53):
right. You just like you amass that so
you like I can get anyone. I have Netflix or whatever
Amazon, Apple money, so I just throw money and I'll get people.
But like what are you doing withit?
Yeah. Nobody complaints about James
Cameron, right? Because yeah, yeah, it was a
good time. Like 2 or pesos spend if that
works. But like I don't know.
I don't know. This is like a train wreck.
(16:13):
Yeah, because it is some part oflike his movies are
rememberable, right with camera like I would not do like I may
not like love the story or whatever do.
You remember the Vale? Right.
Remember. Exactly.
I remember the Vale. I remember like that amazing
action scene, which probably 30 when it's long on the water.
What am I going to take away from this movie?
It's not even like, you know, it's not even like, what Fast
and Furious movie was that whereJason Statham like, puts
(16:36):
headphones on a baby and then hedoes like, Crest chewing on a
plane. I think that was the 7th one,
Yeah. See.
I don't remember what movie there was six or seven or
whatever, but at least I don't know my any other movie.
But that scenes will stay with me because that was a good
scene. But what is in electric state
that's going to stay with me? Nothing.
Nothing, you know, honestly, like the way of water, like when
(16:56):
they dive into the water and youwatch it in IMAX 3D with that
high frame rate that is, you've never seen that before on a
screen. So your mind is blown.
You watch even furious, right? And there are things that are,
like, incredible, yeah. This one is again action scene
like that what 20 minute action scene like the rig and it's like
so much happening like easily action scene on the year.
(17:18):
I mean, I would argue that RRR, whatever interval scene with the
animals is better than anything in a yeah.
So CGI like you guys, but at least like doing something which
like, you know, like you feel like actors are involved and
like they're like there's some like has things happening and
into this there is just. Some element of like
choreography and composition andlike like a rhythm to it, right?
(17:43):
At least like, let's see what storyboarded like, yeah, what?
I don't think there was anythingwas storyboarded.
It took me like 3 settings to watch this movie.
Can't blame you and. I had a review to file the very
next day and I was like I I was like, it's really possible that
I don't finish this. It's a 2 hour movie.
To be clear, it's not. Take 5 and the game was
(18:06):
something you buy. It's a task Manicola.
Beta Bola 02 hours thank goodness and little did I know
it would take me 6. I was like it is night outside
now and I still haven't finishedthis movie.
Yeah, I have terrible memories like he would.
Gray Man also did on the podcast, and that was just like
I was like, yeah, what am I watching?
This is it was a literal train wreck.
(18:27):
Because I think that one point is just destroy half of Budapest
or something for their movie. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah. And in this walk away as of like
there's no police response or whatever in the movie.
And I'm like. We complain about like Bollywood
but like this is also it's happening.
It's like creatively bankrupt and like sometimes morally, but
(18:49):
these guys are like financially irresponsible at this point.
At this point though, people should be there like like the UN
should get involved at this point. 8 seconds.
Yeah, like next to the show up to any other streamers, which
anyway like everyone sort of like pulling their projects back
regarding even apples. Like we don't want to give
Martin's 250,000,000 for those next movie.
But like I said, I don't think that any St. was left that they
(19:10):
can fool and be like. But I want to see now, is there
anyone left they can swindle foranother $300 million?
Geo Geo Geo Geo Geo. I wouldn't be surprised.
You know how like in the 90s allthose like Rene Hardlin type
directors would go and make movies in like China or.
(19:31):
Something, yeah. Like, I wouldn't be surprised if
Jio was like, come over and they're like, sure, yeah.
Yeah, I mean, it's been broken now with it's.
Speaking of China, that pipelinewas still ongoing.
You know, like in the IT was a time where Transformers movies
were like half Chinese, almost like the money was half Chinese.
If that was still around, like the Russo would be very happy.
(19:52):
We're like, Oh my God, we have another country to like.
Yeah. Yeah, no.
Was it like Gray man, partially China funded?
Was it? I don't remember.
Yeah. Was it?
Yeah, I don't know actually, whatever.
But like, yeah, like if anybody is going to go to China like 10
years from now, it's them. Yeah.
Or India. How are they going to make two
more? They're making one avenging
(20:13):
movie. Are they making two more?
I forgot. Both.
Both. Yeah.
So good luck to both Marvel, which like fully needs it.
Which is they're in going into production like literally next
month, you remember. How?
Yeah. Yeah, because it's supposed to
come out next year. Wait, no.
But like, remember how like, Colin Trevoro was like Fire from
Star Wars and like. Yeah.
And. Like a month or two before like
(20:34):
Jurassic World and middle. Loop the book of entry came out.
Yeah, yeah. And famously, like Snyder was
like, excuse me, you can't do this like after BVS came out
because he was already in production on Justice League.
And then like do that with. My piece No, the problem with
Marvel is that they've already done that, right?
Like they've already ground gonethrough a round of like, actor,
(20:57):
the actor and writer for The Avengers movies.
So like, they're already in a state and they're in a state
because none of the movies seem to work these days.
Yeah, and now they have on boardpeople who are supposed to be
like the good glory days but aregoing through their own crisis.
So yeah, I wish all the best to everyone involved in this
venture. At least you'll get paid above
industry standards. Yeah, they should take
(21:21):
everything up front because theyshould not bet on Avengers like
making 2 billion anymore. Oh yeah.
Oh, Downing junior, I'll be like, I want 75 million in my
salary, not. Downing Junior is like that.
Owns like, owns like a country now.
Probably somewhere. Oh my God, yeah.
OK, down to rub it up. Yes, that's all for this episode
(21:41):
of the Long Take. You can follow us on Facebook,
Instagram threads and YouTube atthe long Take pod.
You can write to us at the Long Take podandgmail.com.
Please leave us a rating anotherview where is episode and we
will see you next week. Thanks for listening.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.