Movie Review: “One Battle After Another”
One of the easiest ways to tell if a movie had an impact on me is if it’s able to grab my attention and not let go to the very end, all the while leave me feeling a wide range of emotions while watching it. Films by Paul Thomas Anderson, such as “Punch Drunk Love” and “There Will Be Blood,” were able to capture this feeling in the past and his newest film, “One Battle After Another,” is yet another gripping and intense watch by this director.
This was one of my most anticipated films of the year, with my anticipation only increasing after early viewings of the film were met with astounding praise. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a former revolutionary fighter who protects his daughter, played by Chase Infiniti, while they hide from the government. Their peace is disturbed, however, when a white nationalist general, played by Sean Penn, sets his sights on capturing them to tie up past loose ends. As the story unfolds, characters from various factions emerge, revealing shadowy cabals and underground movements that all tie into a much larger plot.
From the get-go, the film makes it clear that it’s touching on news stories and cultural messaging from the past decade. The first shot of the film is of an Immigration Detention Facility, where members of a revolutionary group are attempting to free people who had been detained. Its attempts at political commentary don’t stop there, as the film also tackles topics such as nationalism, views on immigration, racism, gun violence and what it means to revolt.
This is a political film, even if it doesn’t necessarily do a deep dive into these topics; their presence sets a great backdrop for getting invested in the world and characters. You may not agree with everything it tries to say, but it does everything in its power to keep you invested. Early on in the film, something occurs that grips you as a viewer and refuses to let you breathe for most of its run time, which stands around 2 hours and 40 minutes. Despite this length, the movie’s ability to balance its growing intensity with lighthearted moments did wonders for keeping me invested in its entirety.
Another stellar aspect of this film was its acting. Leo plays such as a lovable goofball dad, so it was hard not to continuously root for his success. Sean Penn gives an Oscar-worthy performance playing a villain that is so hateful and animalistic, but sadly, mirrors mindsets that exist in our current culture. Other actors, such as Teyana Taylor and Benicio Del Toro, while not as present, do a fantastic job in their roles that help expand the reactions to the film’s most prominent themes.
If I could criticize one aspect of it, I wish its story told something new with the strong political themes it’s using. As it stands, it’s mainly using the current cultural and political climate to tell a tense and fun story, but it doesn’t add a whole lot to the conversation. In some ways, it’s very similar to the film “Eddington,” which came out last summer, with both films spoofing issues facing our society rather than having a deeper conversation about them.
“One Battle After Another” sits comfortably as my favorite film released so far this year and I would not be surprised to see it have a strong presence at the Oscars. Don’t be intimidated by its runtime, as it is an incredibly engaging watch and comes highly recommended.
