Paul Thomas Anderson loosely adapts Thomas Pynchon’s political satire to create a timely, thrilling, and terrific piece of instantly classic cinema.
★★★★★
Pat (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Perfidia (Teyana Taylor) are revolutionaries in a group called the ‘French 75’, who perform raids on immigration centres and rob banks. Tailed by the sinister Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) and after a bank job gone wrong, Perfidia is captured and rats on the group in exchange for witness protection, leaving Pat and their daughter. On the run, Pat is given a new identity in a new town and lies low.
Fifteen years later, Pat is now known as Bob Ferguson, and is accompanied by his daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). Bob, now a paranoid weed addict spending his days watching old films and drinking, springs back into action upon hearing that Lockjaw is back to tie up some loose ends. With his daughter in the safe hands of former revolutionary Deandra (Regina Hall), Bob leans on his martial arts instructor friend Sergio (Benicio Del Toro) to get him out of town and reunite with Willa.
The script is razor sharp, full of hilarious moments and then heart-in-your-mouth sequences. It’s also certainly a film of our times; a good portion of the story focuses on immigration, white supremacy, and leaders with unlimited power. But while it includes all of those tough subjects, it is also one of Anderson’s most compassionate films, with the paternal relationship between Bob and Willa at the heart of the story. Every single character feels fleshed out, always having more going on beneath the surface.
Penn steals the movie with a career-best performance, and that’s saying a lot from a man who already has two Oscars. Steven J. Lockjaw—an utterly brilliant character name, emanating cruelty and hatred before you even see his funny little hair-do—is a truly evil man, willing to do anything to wipe out the revolutionaries. His passion for power and the way in which he wields it is frightening. The look and mannerisms are similar to a George C. Scott-type character, but Penn brings his own devilish twist that almost makes him into a pseudo-Terminator.
DiCaprio has never been funnier than he is here. He isn’t a hero; he’s a stupid, lazy addict thrust into a situation where he has to remember all of the things he used to know when he had a purpose in life. He fumbles his way through the film, relying on others, while his daughter has to think of ingenious ways to save her own skin. It’s a fresh and engaging character from DiCaprio, but also very on-brand with the type he is looking to play in this stage of his career: flawed men failing to do anything right. In Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), he was flawed in a sinister way. In One Battle After Another, he’s almost dopey.
Infiniti announces herself here as an instant superstar. It feels almost unheard of to see such a layered performance from a young actor with only one previous project under her belt. Teyana Taylor’s performance also feels like a real breakthrough role, dominating the opening act in such a way that even DiCaprio and Penn are eclipsed by her presence.
Shot on glorious Vistavision, the quality of the images on screen may start a Vistavision revolution. The framing, colour palette, and inventive camerawork hark back to a time period in which films weren’t all grey sludge. There are frames in One Battle After Another that could be classed as true works of art, and then the scene afterwards would be the best shot car chase you’ve ever seen in your life. Alongside o-cinematographer Michael Bauman, Paul Thomas Anderson has easily created the best-looking film of the year—maybe of the decade.
Jonny Greenwood’s score is his most accomplished work to date, a ball of tense energy that pulsates through the film and propels you through the rapidly-paced 162-minute runtime. Assisted by the truly perfect edit from Andy Jurgensen, who does not waste a second of this masterpiece, it feels as if barely any time at all has passed when the credits roll.
The Verdict
Paul Thomas Anderson is a director who has never been truly appreciated by the general public; his films have never grossed more than $76 million, and he has 11 Oscar nominations without a win. One Battle After Another is such a triumph of filmmaking that there is no doubt that he deserves to break his box office record and finally win that coveted Best Director Oscar. Watching this film and recognising what he’s capable of achieving makes you want to get on your knees and beg any studio to offer PTA a blank cheque.
Words by Jordon Searle
One Battle After Another is in UK cinemas from 26 September.
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