One Long Battle After Another - A Movie Review

I am on a mission.

One Battle After Another is a 2025 film. When his daughter is kidnapped, ex-revolutionist Bob Ferguson must reunite with his old comrades to reunite with his daughter.

Watching this movie felt like one long battle just to get through it, with the constant, unneeded scenes to drag out the story. If One Battle After Another actually focused on its father-daughter rescue mission, then it would have been more redeeming.

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Bob, a dad who is out of shape from a life of crime. Without DiCaprio, this movie would be lost down the endless roads it travels - from the comedy angle that is. DiCaprio is comical in his performance, but doesn’t do anything significant that merits his nominations. His love for his daughter is highly exhibited.

Here’s who should have been the main focus: Willa, played by Chase Infinite, in a fantastic debut performance. Willa is a very intelligent teenager and knows how to fight back. With how the film is edited, Infinite deserved way more screentime. The father-daughter relationship is the most important element in the film.

First, major props to Sean Penn for playing against type as the despicable Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw. He was too corny to take seriously. He reminded me of Colonel Miles Quaritch from Spielberg’s Avatar films. He was almost a copy-and-paste villain.

Teyana Taylor puts all the ferocity into her character, Perfidia. This is how you make a small role stand out. Taylor performed all her own stunts. More credits include Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Wood Harris, Alana Haim, and more ensemble members.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson spent 20 years writing the One Battle After Another script. Anderson has an interesting style, but has an overuse of filler. There’s a pivotal emotional stake regarding biological parents, but themes are always overshadowed by needless filler.

Similar to Licorice Pizza (2022), another film Anderson directed, themes about coming-of-age or family are minimized by filler. On paper, it’s a compelling premise, but Anderson doesn’t approach the right dynamics onscreen.

Was this film supposed to be a comedy, mocking the genre, or playing it straight? Anderson prolongs scenes for the duration they need to be. It takes ten minutes for Bob to escape his house! During another escape, Bob plummets down a building, and there’s a literal cartoon sound-effect splat.

Okay, although it’s long, the scene with Bob yelling on the phone about a forgotten password is funny. It reminded me of a Verizon call.

Movies have too much filler now. This movie could have easily been two hours. One Battle After Another could have been stronger with clearer character motivations and a more focused narrative. Just cut out the nonsensical banter and unnecessary characters, and somewhere in this is an award-nominated film.

Visually, the film is striking. Cinematographer Michael Bauman reflects the emotional toll of the story. Scenes are intense. One Battle After Another is about endurance and navigation. A lot of chase scenes are in the film, whether cars or running across busy city streets.

The car chase in the climax is thrilling. It made me wake up and sit up on my couch. The scene was filmed in Borrego Springs, California, on a road that resembled a rollercoaster with all its hills. According to Bauman, the chase entailed visually demanding techniques.

I know others will have a different opinion from me on One Battle After Another. The film is not for everyone. I always try to see every nominated film during Awards season. Take caution as the film has violence and sexual innuendos.