One Battle After Another
PTA’s Triumphant Return to Form
A riveting, audience-friendly masterpiece from Paul Thomas Anderson.
Paul Thomas Anderson makes a triumphant return in the riveting and crowd-pleasing One Battle After Another. After the deeply heartfelt, personal, but uneven Licorice Pizza, Anderson delivers arguably one of the best movies in recent memory. At the center of the film is a hilarious, sympathetic, and surprisingly moving performance from Leonardo DiCaprio in one of his best roles.
The Director's Vision
The plot is loosely based on the Thomas Pynchon novel Vineland, following a revolutionist on the run with his teenage daughter. Unlike his overly complicated and almost painfully heady Inherent Vice (also written by Pynchon), One Battle After Another plays as an audience-friendly, uncomplicated, action-filled chase sequence.
The film is an impressive thematic and technological accomplishment, utilizing high-resolution formats to keep the audience glued to the screen during its emotional and dramatic peaks. It is remarkably timely, weaving current-day themes of resistance and family into a pulse-pounding narrative.
👀 Where to Watch
One Battle After Another (2025): Now playing in Theaters and IMAX. Digital release expected late 2025.
The Performances
- Leonardo DiCaprio: Delivers a "dad-core" masterpiece, balancing frantic paranoia with deep paternal love.
- Sean Penn: A likely award-season turn as the villainous foil to DiCaprio's revolutionist.
- Ensemble: Excellent supporting work from Regina Hall, Benicio Del Toro, Chase Infiniti, and Teyana Taylor.
✅ Pros
- DiCaprio’s best comedic and dramatic work in years.
- Highly accessible and thrilling compared to previous PTA/Pynchon collaborations.
- Visually stunning use of 35mm VistaVision.
❌ Cons
- At nearly three hours, the runtime is a serious commitment.
One Battle After Another is simply one of the best movies of the year, worthy of all the accolades it will likely get. It will easily inspire repeat viewings and will likely be viewed as one of PTA's signature films. Immediately add it to the movie queue; you won't regret it.
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