Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another is an Epic Screwball Adventure
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
By Luis Zonenberg
While many people are already decorating their houses for Halloween, it seems this spooky season also launches Oscar season as well, with many niche films all lined up and ready to light up the screen! Many of these types of movies tend to be Oscar-bait, merely being quirky or intensely stylish in the hopes of securing an Oscar nomination. These types of films aren’t usually for everyone, which is why I was intrigued by Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, which has garnered enormous acclaim from both critics and audiences alike.
The movie focuses on Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a washed up explosives expert who used to work for a far-left revolutionary group known as the French 75. He is currently reduced to being a paranoid drug addict, being super overprotective of his sixteen year-old daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). The two soon become separated as they are being pursued by the vicious Colonel Lockjaw (Sean Penn), a former adversary of Bob and his wife, Perfidia (Teyana Taylor) during their time with the French 75.
Quite similar to Eddington, the movie offers a more critical lens on the current state of American society. From a corrupt government to incredibly racist political leaders, the movie is not pulling its punches with its clear commentary. Unlike most other films pushing various agendas, this one has a really good sense of humor about itself. It creates an overexaggerated environment sprinkled with plenty of colorful characters and incredibly witty dialogue that fits this world.
The story does have real heart, with DiCaprio easily turning in one of his best performances in years. His chemistry with Infiniti, however brief their scenes are, is thoroughly believable as they work well against each other. It even taps into the grander moral of the story, showcasing that no matter how bad things are today, that maybe the next generation can work to make things better. It’s this type of heartfelt moral that is sorely lacking in other political dramas, which usually prioritize style over substance.
The movie has an incredibly stacked cast, with each cast member getting their time to shine on-screen. DiCaprio really anchors the film, bringing a lot of heart and soul into his performance. He even has some good comedic moments as well, bringing in some really good laughs throughout the film. Benecio del Toro was an absolute standout as Sergio St. Carlos, who served as Willa’s Karate teacher. His deadpan performance and robust energy brings a lot to the table, working well off the other supporting leads.
The film was also shot with a combination of Super 35mm film and VistaVision cameras, providing an old-fashioned but still gritty look that really helped immerse the viewer into the action. I was fortunate enough to see a 70mm screening of the film at the AFI Theater in Silver Spring, which really showed the beauty of this cinematography. It captures both the intimacy and grand scale of this narrative, perfectly driving both the intensity as well as the emotional stakes.
The only fault I have is the pacing, with the first third arguably going on for way too long. It can’t help but serve as an extended prologue to the actual story, with even the ending perhaps indulging a little too much as well. I feel as if the film could have trimmed off a good twenty minutes or so, which would have made it much more lean and concise. Thankfully, these thick pieces of bread don’t distract too much from the real meat of the story, with plenty of action-packed moments and witty dialogue.
The movie is really entertaining to watch, even if it does overstay its welcome a bit. Its powerful performances elevates it to a new level, providing so much heart and humor to a story that will truly stand the test of time. The movie is a surprisingly good crowd-pleaser, offering some real substance that will make moviegoers think long after they left the theater. While perhaps One Battle After Another has one battle too many, its timely themes, stunning visuals and gripping performances are more than enough to compensate for its faults.
One Battle After Another is now playing in theaters.
Rating: ★★★★☆
