Paul Thomas Anderson’s firecracker thriller One Battle After Another is a winning concoction of chaos, anger, and scathing satire.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Genre: Thriller, Dark Comedy, Action, Crime, Drama
Rated: R
Run Time: 201′
Release Date: September 26, 2025
Where to Watch ‘One Battle After Another’: In U.K. and Irish cinemas, in U.S. and Canadian theaters, and globally in theatres
Paul Thomas Anderson’s films have always been soaked in the atmosphere and tone of their setting. The era of his films are characters themselves, from the oil-soaked lands of a ravaged America in There Will Be Blood to the post-war malaise of The Master, right up to the eroticism of the 1970s in Boogie Nights. For a filmmaker who can depict certain eras with such specificity, it is surprising he hasn’t turned his lens fully onto the present—that is, until One Battle After Another. Here, America is presented in all its rotten glory, a battleground of violence between revolutionaries and those in power. The accuracy will shake you to your core.
One Battle After Another begins in suitably chaotic fashion. A group of revolutionaries called The French 75 free a group of immigrants being held at a detention centre. Fronted by the fearless Perfidia Beverly Hills (a scene-stealing Teyana Taylor, The Book of Clarence), the activists fight for equality and freedom. The opening is intense, with Paul Thomas Anderson and co-cinematographer Michael Bauman (Licorice Pizza) capturing the shadowed darkness of America in riveting detail. Following the breakout, another job follows for The French 75, but after Perfidia kills a security guard and is arrested, the group disbands. 16 years later and Perfidia’s ex-partner, Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), is raising their child, Willa (Chase Infiniti), alone in hiding.
One Battle After Another skips forward almost two decades seamlessly, whilst Anderson displays his characteristically impressive juggling of a vast ensemble of characters. There is the superbly named Steven J. Lockjaw (a terrifying, horrid highlight from Sean Penn, Mystic River), an old enemy of Perifidia and Bob who sets out on a quest for vengeance, or Sergio St. Carlos (a smooth-as-you-like Benicio del Toro, The Phoenician Scheme), a martial arts teacher who is a revolutionary behind closed doors. Throughout One Battle After Another, Anderson speeds through this tangled tapestry of characters, as they converge and diverge, over and over again. It’s a shame that Perfidia isn’t afforded much further screentime—a shame for her terrific character and for Taylor’s enthralling performance.
Anderson’s writing in One Battle After Another is also top-tier gold. Language is as important to the script of the film as it is in political settings around the world. These heroic people aren’t called “revolutionaries” when discussed by prominent politicians or law enforcers, but instead labelled, amongst many things, as “psychopaths.” Anderson consistently laces One Battle After Another with many levels such as this, whilst also presenting some of the most cutting judgements on US society seen on film this year. He lays out what people like Donald Trump are doing; what goes on behind closed doors in One Battle After Another is surreal and outrageous, but so accurate.
Anderson’s film is so chaotic that it can verge on messy, but the freewheeling insanity of it all is part of the vision, reflective of the state of our world today. One Battle After Another culminates in a car chase, where Anderson somehow makes a long, straight road filled with small ups and downs a riveting and terrifying setting. There are no fender benders or wild shootouts during the chase, and yet it’s still impossible to look away from. The combination of fast and calculated editing by Andy Jurgensen, scintillating music by Jonny Greenwood, and superb blocking and framing make the lack of speed a moot point. This uniqueness injected into what could be standard fare is what makes One Battle After Another, like so many of his other films, such an unforgettable cinematic experience.
One Battle After Another: Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
After 16 years, an old nemesis of revolutionary group The French 75 tracks down the organisation’s former members. Past wounds and present tensions collide with bloody, explosive consequences.
Pros:
- A deftly drawn tapestry of vivid characters and events
- Thrilling set-pieces, particularly a late-film car chase
- Another anxiety-inducing original score by Jonny Greenwood
- Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn give standout performances
Cons:
- Perfidia is underwritten, meaning Teyana Taylor’s screentime is limited
One Battle After Another will be released in U.K. & Irish cinemas, in U.S. & Canadian theaters, and globally in theatres on September 26, 2025.
