In a high-scope, political action thriller, “One Battle After Another”, director Paul Thomas Anderson manages to get to the heart of a realistic family drama in a modern setting: political unrest.
The film follows Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio), a washed-up revolutionary turned family man, tracing his reckless youth through his desperate attempts to protect those he loves. Anderson opens with Bob’s chaotic romance with Perfidia (Teyana Taylor), both members of the far-left activist group “French 75.”
After Perfidia betrays the French 75 for witness protection, Bob flees with their newborn to a sanctuary city. Sixteen years later, he and his daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) are living in hiding until Lockjaw’s military tracks them down, forcing father and daughter to escape separately while trying to reunite.
In the opening minutes, an action sequence set in an immigration detention center telegraphs how few punches the film pulls in its depiction of modern-day fascism. Audiences might be divided on the nature of the political violence depicted in the first act; however, the themes of revolution and rebellion towards tyranny are presented with a deep sense of empathy and relevance.
“One Battle After Another” isn’t afraid to delve deeply into the roots of the political ideologies prevalent in 2025. The villain, Steven Lockjaw (Sean Penn), questions white insecurity as it leads to racism in those with power, and the movie’s heroes ask themselves what it means to fight against that hypocrisy.
Paul Thomas Anderson expertly builds tension through high-stress sequences, while DiCaprio plays Bob’s desperate sense of failure in a way that is both humorous and heartfelt, given the context.
Supporting actor Benicio del Toro also shines as a calm presence amidst movie mania, aiding Bob and his own shelter of immigrants during the violence of a government takeover.
The plot only builds from there, culminating in a riveting climax that features car chases, armed standoffs, and great escapes. The unrelenting pace could exhaust some, but this breathless approach ultimately adds to the tension more than it takes.
Anderson has historically made films about the communities created by flawed individuals or those betrayed by larger systems, and how these groups transform them for better or worse.
“One Battle After Another” is a relevant and timely statement from a director exploring what a family should be in divided times. Some may find it blunt, others necessary, but the true heart of this story bleeds through its entire monstrous, exhilarating runtime.
“One Battle After Another” is in theatres now.
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