Benedict Cumberbatch stars in a scene from the movie "The Current War: Director's Cut." The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. (CNS/101 Studios)

By Catholic News Service

Intriguing historical drama recounting the bitter contest between inventor Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and industrialist George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) as they raced to spread electricity across the United States in the last decades of the 19th century, with Serbian-American tech whiz Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult) supporting first one then the other.

Although director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s film occasionally drags, overall the high stakes, a sophisticated exploration of moral themes, the colorful period settings and impressive performances, especially from Cumberbatch, make this an appealing retrospective.

Probably acceptable for mature teens. Brief gore, a few profanities, several mild oaths, a crass term. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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