The world has never looked so colorfully unhinged. One Battle After Another drops you straight into a whirlwind of bombings, bank heists, and guerrilla occupations, all orchestrated by the French 75 – a revolutionary group whose audacity borders on lunacy. Paul Thomas Anderson, one of the most popular filmmakers working today, stages this sprawling tale with a precision that makes chaos feel intentional, explosive, and endlessly compelling. In this film, ideology meets absurdity, loyalty meets betrayal, and history – both personal and political – refuses to stay buried.
Anderson, the visionary behind Boogie Nights, Inherent Vice, and Maestro, has spent a decade developing this story, inspired loosely by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland. The result is a sprawling, electrifying mix of political satire, character-driven comedy, and explosive action that somehow balances audacious spectacle with surprisingly intimate and hauntingly dramatic moments.
At its core, the movie centers on the French 75 – an underground revolutionary group reminiscent of the Weather Underground that rebelled against the Vietnam War and fought for civil rights. The film opens with their radical activities: bank heists, military station occupations (including a jaw-dropping opening sequence at the U.S. – Mexico border), and all-around chaos meant to “fight the system.” Fast-forward sixteen years, and we reconnect with the ex-members whose lives are still deeply intertwined, haunted by old loyalties, betrayals, and, in one case, a particularly charismatic “rat” who gave up comrades’ names to the authorities to save her own skin.
Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Bob, once the clumsy, sharp-minded revolutionary, now a weary, slightly fried father trying to raise his teenage daughter, Willa (amazing debut performance by Chase Infiniti). Bob’s former life of bombs and barricades has given way to parenting duties, a drug- and alcohol-frazzled brain, and a dressing gown that has seen better days. His attempts to reconnect with ex-revolutionaries spiral into chaos and hilarity, especially during the phone scenes where he can’t remember the crucial code to locate his daughter on the run. Watching these moments, you can’t help but recall your own exasperation with bureaucratic nightmares – calling your bank, navigating healthcare, or dealing with any system that refuses to bend. PTA’s social and system criticism is very present all the way through, and he takes a firm stand against both the extreme left and the extreme right.
During the “first chapter” the magnetic Teyana Taylor as Perfidia takes central stage, she is Bob’s ex and a force of nature. Eight months pregnant at one point, we see her firing a rifle across a field – a striking image of untamed courage, rebellion, and reckless freedom. Her choices throughout the film oscillate between bravery and absolute madness, driving the plot while also showing the deeply personal consequences of her revolution.
Sean Penn delivers a performance that is equal parts terrifying, hilarious, and cartoonish as Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw, the far-right antagonist obsessed with Perfidia. Their first encounter is a fireworks-laden spectacle (no spoilers here), immediately establishing a toxic, cat-and-mouse dynamic that is as tense as it is darkly comedic.
Benicio Del Toro plays Sensei, Willa’s karate instructor and a community leader in the city of Baktan Cross – a quietly magnetic presence whose stoic intensity cuts through the surrounding absurdity and generates some of the film’s most memorable comedic moments. Just think of the scene where he casually throws Bob out of a moving car moments before the police pull them over.
And then there’s Regina Hall as Deandra, the moral anchor among the fractured revolutionaries, whose pure dedication to the cause brings unexpected warmth and emotional gravity to the film’s otherwise volatile world.
What makes One Battle After Another remarkable is Anderson’s ability to juggle multiple storylines, genres and tones without losing coherence. The film seamlessly navigates time jumps, flashbacks, and intertwined character arcs, exploring both the societal implications of this fictional revolution and the intimate, human consequences of those choices. Anderson’s script is razor-sharp, oscillating between tension, satire, and dark humor, often in the same scene.
The film’s technical mastery is equally impressive. Cinematographer Michael Bauman captures sprawling landscapes (amazing line producing left and right, what locations!) , claustrophobic interiors, and pulse-pounding chase sequences with equal skill, while editors Andy Jurgensen and team ensure that chaos never tips into confusion. The soundscape, anchored by Jonny Greenwood’s (Radiohead) score, heightens tension, underscores emotional beats, and occasionally, provides ironic counterpoints that add to the film’s sly humor.
PTA also excels in showing the generational impact of past actions and inherited characteristics. Willa is suddenly thrusted into a world of power, violence and freedom fight – she is the new generation, symbolizing hope for the better in a crazy world. The title, One Battle After Another, resonates on multiple levels: it speaks to the ongoing cycles of societal conflict, the personal battles we all fight on a daily basis, and the inherited struggles passed down through families and communities.
Yet, tipping our hats: despite the high stakes, the film never loses its human heart. Amid explosions, hostage situations, and radical strategy sessions, there are moments of tenderness, awkwardness, and sheer absurdity that remind us why we invest in these characters. Bob’s banters with his daughter (and her friends), his fumbling attempts at heroics, and his enduring connection to old friends and enemies alike anchor the film in relatability.
Anderson’s satirical edge is keen: he critiques both extremes – far-left revolutionary zeal and far-right authoritarianism – while suggesting that empathy, pragmatism, and humanism are often found in the in-between. There’s a biting awareness of the present day, and the film often feels uncomfortably, painfully relevant, even amidst its farcical, over-the-top set pieces.
For fans of political satire, character-driven narratives, and action-packed absurdity, this film delivers on every front. Leonardo DiCaprio shows off underrated comedic timing, Teyana Taylor is a force of nature, and the ensemble cast brings heart to a story brimming with moral, emotional, and literal explosions. All in all, Anderson’s latest is a wild, clever, and unforgettable ride.
One Battle After Another is now playing in cinemas worldwide.
~ by Dora Endre ~
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