Movie Review -One Battle After Another (2025)

“The message is clear. Free borders, free bodies, free choice and free from f@*$ing fear.”

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio (Bob Ferguson – “Ghetto Pat”),Sean Penn (Col. Steven J. Lockjaw), Chase Infiniti (Willa Ferguson),Teyana Taylor (Perfidia Beverly Hills), Benicio del Toro (Sensei Sergio St. Carlos),Regina Hall (Deandra)

Written/Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Strap yourself in because One Battle After Another is a wild roller coaster ride of a movie. It starts with a bang (you will see what I mean) and keeps banging all the way through its 2 hours and 41 minutes run time. The trade-off for the numb posterior and bursting bladder is the enjoyment to be had in this story of a cell of US self-styled anarchists/revolutionaries playing cat and mouse with the forces of the state who unscrupulously hunt them down.

See it now in glorious Vista Vision, as it will surely feature in the Oscar reckoning of next year. It is held together by a classy, comic and moving performance by Leonardo DiCaprio, who was wrongly overlooked, in my opinion, by the Academy for stellar work on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro also give star turns. Hollywood maestro Steven Spielberg has said that the movie is “a reflection of what’s happening today” and it centres on white supremacist groups, revolutionary militias and political extremism. Yet under and through some dark themes runs a vein of dark comedy along the lines of Dr Strangelove. It is a funny, violent, challenging and truthful story told in a riveting way.

So, what is it about? It is a politically charged action thriller inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland, though adapted to a more contemporary setting. The story revolves around Bob Ferguson (DiCaprio), a former revolutionary who has been living off the grid under an alias with his teenage daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). Sixteen years earlier, Bob was involved in an activist/countercultural group called the French 75 (led by figures including Perfidia, played by Teyana Taylor).

Things went wrong (to say the least), and the group was disbanded, and Bob disappeared with Willa. In the present, a dangerous adversary resurfaces, threatening Bob’s isolated life and forcing him to reunite with old allies. When Willa becomes endangered, Bob must confront his past and mobilize a network of ex-revolutionaries to rescue her. The film blends high-stakes action, chase dynamics, and political as well as universal themes – fatherhood is at the core: beyond its political and action framework, the film is really about the bond between a father and daughter, and the costs of protecting the people you love.

The story leans heavily on how past choices echo across decades, shaping the present in ways you can’t always control. There’s also an undercurrent about how groups – whether revolutionary, familial, or accidental – form and fracture under pressure. Even the hypnotically evil and misguided Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) longs to belong to the shadowy white supremacist group the Christmas Adventurers.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s work has always been riveting. With Boogie Nights (1997), Magnolia (1999), There Will Be Blood (2007) and The Master (2012), the L.A.-born auteur has racked up 11 Oscar nominations across directing, screenplay and Best Picture categories. This film is laced with sharp commentary, but it never forgets its human story. The critics have been generally positive – Adam Nayman (The Ringer): “A director who never misses is back with his most urgent film to date … the most explicitly political movie of Paul Thomas Anderson’s career.”

Little White Lies enthused: “Another slam-dunk for Anderson … the film’s little interludes and fascinating cultural touchpoints … Each damn nickel and dime has been thrown up on that screen … it’s hard not to harken back to early PTA bedrocks such as Boogie Nights and Magnolia. And it is hard to disagree with Martin Scorsese who said that it is ‘a fascinating and extraordinarily made film [with] extraordinary performances everywhere.”

The Film Stories website makes the point that “as far as cinema fans are concerned, it’s a … masterpiece … cue street battles, rooftop parkour and some beautiful car chases … This is a movie with a capital M, a stunning callback to the days of The French Connection and Chinatown.” The political story then becomes personal in this exploration of conflict, responsibility, loyalty, friendship and fatherhood.

 It is a giddy and exciting movie that grabs you by the throat from the get-go and doesn’t let go – the characters are sympathetic, relatable and alive – Bob’s ineptitude is balanced out by his past idealism and love for his daughter , and even the repulsive and perverted Lockjaw is portrayed as a charismatic monster who we both hate and feel sorry for. For me, a little more backstory on the French 75 group (how did they meet, decide on strategy etc.?) would have elevated this to a 10, but it is as close to the maximum as I can give. Whether it is a little too out there and wild to trouble the Oscars next year remains to be seen, but for the moment – get down to the cinema, comrade, and viva la revolution, brother!

Score: 9.5 / 10