One Battle After Another : Review

Story & Structure

The film begins in full throttle: we follow a rebel group named French 75, led by the fearless Teyana Taylor as Perfidia. They're engaged in high-stakes, borderline absurd militant action across the U.S.–Mexico border.

Roger Ebert

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Eventually the focus shifts to her partner Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio), a former revolutionary turned single father, whose daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) becomes the target of the film’s antagonist, Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn).

Roger Ebert

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In this way the film operates on two timelines: the radical uprising of the past, and the consequences of that uprising in the present—where Bob struggles to guard his daughter while old battles re-ignite. The dual structure gives the sense of one fight bleeding into the next, aligning with the title’s promise.

Time Out Worldwide

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What Works

1. Performances – DiCaprio anchors the film with a nuanced portrayal: part disillusioned radical, part anxious father. Many reviewers highlight this as among his strongest turns.

mint

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Sean Penn brings a magnetic menace to Lockjaw—a villain who’s more than a caricature. The supporting cast, including Benicio Del Toro and Regina Hall, lift the film further.

Rotten Tomatoes

2. Direction & Visuals – Anderson carries his signature style into more commercial territory here: kinetic, bold, packed with invention. Cinematographer Michael Bauman’s work supports the film’s shifting tone.

Time Out Worldwide

3. Theme & Relevance – At its core this film explores legacy: the inheritance of revolt, the burden of ideals, the cost of closure. One reviewer calls it “a deeply humanist movie” about people as much as politics.

Roger Ebert

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4. Tone & Genre-Mixing – Action, comedy, drama and satire converge. The film’s willingness to shift between bombast and tenderness gives it a distinct voice.

The Times of India

Areas of Friction

1. Length & Pacing – At 162–164 minutes, the film occasionally drags. Some critics argue the two halves (past uprising / present chase) feel like separate films fused together, resulting in tonal whiplash.

emunderwood.com

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2. Tonal Overload – The ambitious blend of satire, thriller, family drama and political allegory may be overwhelming. Some viewers find the film’s swings unsettling.

Rotten Tomatoes

3. Character Underdevelopment – Though key performances shine, a few supporting arcs feel thin or underused, according to some reviews.

The Oxford Student

Why It Stands Out

In a year full of tentpole releases and familiar rhythms, One Battle After Another feels like a cinematic shot of adrenaline — audacious and restless and unwilling to settle. Films that merge spectacle with reflection are rare; those that manage to do so and carry emotional weight are even rarer. As one critic says:

“Anderson has executed an unbelievably rare feat: a big-budget studio action film that maintains his specific tone and style…”

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The idea of revolution—personal, political, historical—is woven throughout. It’s not simply an action movie but an exploration of how the past never truly dies, how choices echo, and how love (especially parental love) becomes both shield and battlefield.

Final Verdict

★★★½–★★★★ (3.5–4/5)

For anyone willing to be taken on a wild ride that shifts gears, tonally and thematically, this film is richly rewarding. It’s not flawless—its ambition sometimes outpaces its cohesion—but when it lands, the impact is visceral.

Recommended for:

Viewers who enjoy action with depth.

Fans of director Paul Thomas Anderson.

Those interested in films that interrogate modern America via bold genre blends.

Perhaps less suited for:

Those who prefer tightly structured narratives and consistent tone.

Audiences wary of long runtimes or genre mixing.

Final Thought

One Battle After Another is more than one more blockbuster—it’s a film that insists the battles we fight don’t end with one victory. There’s always another hill, always another legacy, always another moment that demands we stand up, push back, and protect what we love. In its momentum lies its truth: the fight goes on—and perhaps that’s the point.