Loosely inspired by author Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, the film uncoils as a family saga about former revolutionaries on the run from a terrifyingly eccentric white supremacist.
Its opening plunges into the guerrilla exploits of Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his spouse Perfida Beverly Hills( Teyana Taylor). When Perfida is captured by the salacious Lt.Col.Steven J. Lockjaw(Sean Penn), Ferguson flees with their infant daughter. Sixteen years later, a paranoid, burnt-out Ferguson clashes with his fed-up teen Willa( Chase Infinite)- until Lockjaw’s reappearance forces them back into the fight.
The movie with a runtime of almost three hours, is like nothing else in our current cinematic diet. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER erupts as a political powderkeg of an epic. It is enthralling, hilarious and steeped in what the world desperately needs. Marrying the nervy energy of a conspiratorial thriller with an epic comedy of errors, director Paul Thomas Anderson’s odyssey clutches at the senses and never let’s go. The film is replete with hilarious detours- whether through a white-power- collective called “Christmas Adventurers Club” or a paramilitary parish called “The Sisters of the Brave Beaver”- that mirror the absurdities of living in a crumbling civilisation, where fact is little more than opinion.
Draped in a dingy bathrobe, DiCaprio delivers some of his most memorable work as a perpetually confused but deeply concerned father, his paranoia giving way to bumbling yet exhilarating set pieces. Penn, meanwhile, brings a tragicomic menace to Lockjaw that reverberates even in his absence, chilling the film’s wildest comedy with genuine dread.
Jonny Greenwood’s anxious score underscores the gorgeous wide-screen shots that turn the open road into an enveloping nightmare. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER lands as a radical shock to the system. The reality of characters actually existing in current America is frightening. Anderson’s movies come with a behemoth runtime, a huge cast of characters and a level of intent in every shot. Remember his Boogie Nights?
The plot is spawned from the era of “greed is good” of the 80s. It follows ex-hippy/warriors who witness the death of the “free love” era of Ronald Reagan. We the viewers get a taste of our current socio-political woes in the texture of the film. It feels as prescient as it does timeless, and perhaps that’s the point. It really is One Battle After Another.
Sean Penn’s character, Lockjaw is a mix of RFK Jr and Freddy Krueger. Instead of a cat/mouse dynamic, this film is a web of clashing motivations with a lot of permutations. Everyone is looking for one another while also fleeing one another, and each chase is framed by power levers being yanked by another network of people and so on and so forth for infinity.
Jason Bourne, your crown hasn’t been dislodged but the thrills are there, as is one of the most unconventional car chases you’ll ever see.
A large chunk of the film is devoted to Sergio St. Carlos aka Sensei( Benito del Toro), a karate school owner who moonlights as the head of Underground Railroad for immigrant families. His philosophy is, a rising tide of revolution lifts all boats. He’s got guns, beer and a network of skateboarders. Hell, he even provides blind emotional support when Bob can’t remember the code phrases to confirm his identity for his dormant activist network. And since its Benicio del Toro, he’s incapable of doing any of this without a level of hilarious self satisfaction.
The most compelling feature of this movie is the strong hopeful streak that runs through it. Here in 2025 where “the haves” are committed to steamrolling anything in their path, it’s easy to give up.
But fight we must, it’s our duty to gum up the works. Better to hold the line than lie down on it waiting to be crushed. Just keep on keeping on, one battle after another.
Best movie of the year. It will harvest a swag of awards.
