One Battle After Another (2025) [Movie Review] — Bold, Chaotic, and Unforgettable

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another — adapted from Thomas Pynchon’s orbit — is a bold Hollywood action-thriller that often feels more revolutionary than tidy. The film tracks Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Perfidia (Teyana Taylor), members of the insurgent French 75, as political rebellion against the U.S. immigration apparatus becomes a long, personal reckoning. Anderson opens with kinetic, noisy protest sequences that establish a reckless energy the picture rarely lets go of.

Performances

Fierce, human, and memorably unbalanced

Teyana Taylor is magnetic as Perfidia — a live wire whose physicality and fearlessness dominate key scenes. Her pregnant, defiant moments become indelible images. Leonardo DiCaprio anchors the film emotionally: his Bob is weary, loving, and frayed, a parent forced to choose between family and cause. Sean Penn’s Col. Steven J. Lockjaw is unnerving and complicated; Penn leans into a creepy, volatile charisma that raises the film’s stakes. Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, and the young Chase Infiniti supply steady, effective support that complements rather than upstages the leads.

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Direction & Writing

A sharp political pulse wrapped in Anderson’s controlled chaos

Anderson’s direction is confident — he stages rebellion with theatrical immediacy while keeping intimate family threads in focus. Co-credit to Pynchon’s influence gives the script its conspiratorial textures and moral ambiguities. The movie smartly threads themes of racial discrimination and state power through character action instead of preaching. At times, the tone wavers between pointed critique and satirical exaggeration, which can leave a couple of scenes feeling uncertain, but the script mostly holds purpose and urgency.

Technical Craft

Cinematic showmanship that heightens the film’s unpredictability

Michael Bauman’s cinematography captures the film’s volatile spirit, from raw protest set pieces to a sun-scorched, hair-raising car chase that serves as a late pulse-raising set piece. Jonny Greenwood’s score is immersive, amplifying tension and emotional beats, and the production design supports the film’s off-kilter realism. The pacing asks for patience — the runtime is long, but the visual invention and sound design justify the stretch.

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Verdict

Imperfect but thrilling — a minor revolution in mainstream filmmaking

One Battle After Another isn’t always neat, but its standout performances, daring direction, and provocative heart make it one of the year’s more compelling films. It’s a risky, chaotic ride that rewards viewers willing to sit with discomfort and complexity. For fans of character-driven political thrillers and audacious filmmaking, this one is essential viewing.

Final Rating: ★★★★⯪ (4.5/5)