A comparable movie could yet be made about the battle between Beta and VHS. Here it is Westinghouse and Edison who are important, with Tesla being co-opted finally onto Westinghouse’s team. This a watchably stylised period film, with interesting visual setpieces and faces looming up at us out of intricately contrived backgrounds. The performances from Cumberbatch and Shannon are workmanlike and serviceable, but with perhaps fewer sparks flying than they usually get from their roles. •The Current War screened at the Toronto film festival; it is released on 24 November in the US and 5 January in the UK.

Source: The Guardian September 10, 2017 07:40 UTC