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One Battle After Another

Though there are still a few weeks left of 2025, and a handful of potentially powerhouse films have yet to be released, I find it almost impossible to believe that there will be any other production that will approach the greatness of Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest masterpiece, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER. Starring a never-better Leonardo DiCaprio as a burnt-out revolutionary who is suddenly forced to reckon with his violent past, the drama/action/comedy/thriller is an unforgettable adventure that is equal measures beautiful, thrilling, haunting, and terrifying.

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is set in an authoritative world where immigrant families are rounded up and forced to live in detention centers where children in cages play “ball” with their Mylar blankets. There is no explanation what led them there, no commentary on how we got here as a society, it’s just the way it is. A revolutionary group known as the French 75 executes a daring raid of one of these facilities in hopes of freeing those who have been imprisoned. One of the key players in the escapade is the fearless Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor), who simultaneously seduces and humiliates the rage-filled Captain Steven J. Lockjaw (a seething and scene-stealing Sean Penn) while helping herself to both his gun, and his hat. Another key cog in the mission is Pat Calhoun (DiCaprio) who is an explosives expert. He brings both firepower and flare to the festivities.

After the success of this daring mission, the French 75 pull off a number of raids and bombings, attempting to make those who oppress tremble in fear. Through it all Perfidia and Pat engage in a passionate relationship, living a life of excitement, danger, and terror. Meanwhile, Lockjaw is constantly watching in the wings, looking to not only retrieve his property, but Perfidia as well.

Things get complicated when Perfidia gives birth to a girl named Charlene. While Pat views her birth as a sign that it is time to settle down and become a family, Perfidia was never meant for that type of life. Domestic bliss is not in her nature. She’s married to the cause. Unfortunately, her impulsive and violent nature soon catches up with her, perpetrating actions that force Pat and Charlene into hiding and setting off a chain of events that have deadly consequences.

16 years later, Pat now goes by the name Bob Ferguson and Charlene is known as Willa (Chase Infiniti). They live off the grid in the sanctuary city of Bakton Cross, California. Willa is a good student with friends and an affinity for karate (behind the tutelage of Sensei Sergio St. Carlos as played with charming coolness by Bencio del Toro), whereas Bob spends his days smoking weed and staying off the grid. He has taught his daughter the importance of vigilance and observance, raising her to realize that any moment could be a life-and-death battle. Unfortunately for her, she is about to learn firsthand that his years of preparation had a purpose.

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is filled with one dazzling sequence after another, and even at nearly three hours, I found myself asking, “is it over already?!” I experienced this sentiment BOTH times I watched it and am certain I will think the same when I dive back in again. Based loosely on Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland, Anderson’s script is powerful in ability to capture the evil of man and the depravity of injustice, while simultaneously garnering bigger laughs than most modern comedies. It is the rare type of movie that is shockingly entertaining that also finds a way to explore complex issues that resonate well beyond the cineplex.

Visually, beyond Anderson’s beautiful trademark aesthetic, it has numerous moments that are subtle in their technical wizardry, and others are much more bombastic. There is a car chase, for example, that feels revolutionary in its ability to place the viewer within the action, creating a roller-coaster effect that is literally breathtaking.

Every performance is a tour de force and worthy of Oscar glory. The characters are nuanced, flawed, and remarkable in their own individuality, each convinced that they fall on the correct side of righteousness. Set in a world that is terrifying in its relevancy, and fueled by the impeccable score by Johnny Greenwood, it is a flawless work on cinema that stands amongst the finest works of one of the medium’s truly brilliant minds.