When Dwayne McDuffie died he left behind a strong and powerful community of loyal “Static Shock” fans, many of whom have kept the character alive long after the series ended. “Electrogenesis” isn’t the best of the fan films about Static Shock, but it’s certainly the most dramatic, and I appreciated its ambition most of all.
Kee Seymore gives a riveting performance as the adult Virgil Hawkins, a man who has just about given up being Static after the death of his wife on the streets. He failed to stop the bullet that killed her and his unborn child, and now he’s retired. He even shaves his head to avoid his past self. Working now as a teacher, he watches as his best students are gang banging and dealing drugs outside of his school, and he begins to wonder if there’s a use for Static all over again. Director Harjus Singh pulls together a very tight production with slick editing and a cohesive narrative that works in the realm of Virgil Hawkins’ world.
There’s a particular reverence that goes with the territory here, and the script from Leon Langford has a great love for Static Shock. When the character finally does snap in to action it’s a welcome burst of excitement. What “Electrogenesis” lacks in action it makes up for in characterization and empathetic portrayals of Virgil and the world around him. It’s another flawed, but fine dedication to Static Shock and the long lasting effect he’s had on his fanbase.