One Battle After Another Review

One Battle After Another is an incredible genre-blending film that, despite its long runtime, flies by. The entire cast absolutely shines.

One Battle After Another might clock in at nearly three hours, but it surprisingly flies by. It is pure adrenaline from the very start and never, ever slows down. This film feels like several different genres mashed together and is not at all what you expect to watch from the trailer. It is easily one of the best movies that has graced the big screen in a long while.

Candidly, Paul Thomas Anderson movies are hit or miss for me. Because of that, I was not overly excited for One Battle After Another. I adore the cast and thought the premise sounded interesting, especially as a parent, but my expectations were on the lower side. I can confidently say that those expectations were completely blown out of the water. I left the theater actively counting down the moments until I could watch this movie again.

Teyana Taylor immediately captivates in One Battle After Another. She is most certainly the main character at the start of the film, but due to the events of the story, she takes quite the backseat later on. That said, even when she is not on camera, her character, Perfidia, is a key part of what is happening. Because of the impact that she has on viewers at the start of the movie, it is easy for us to keep thinking about her, even when we don’t see her.

To probably no one’s surprise, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers an unforgettable, truly incredible performance. He plays a man named Bob who is in search of his daughter. As a parent who would do anything for my children, I immediately related to the urgency that he puts forth in tracking her down. Throughout the entire movie, he brings the comedy when he needs to, but also the drama. He is an extremely talented actor, and he once again proves that in every single scene of this movie.

Benicio del Toro’s character, Sensei Sergio, also has a smaller role in terms of the length of the movie, but when he is on screen, he steals every scene. He is hilarious, perfectly delivering every single joke so that it lands. Without spoilers, he has a little dance number that will make anyone chuckle whenever they think about it.

I had never seen Chase Infiniti in anything before watching her performance in this movie, but now I will actively seek out any projects that she is in. The girl is a powerhouse. She is strong and confident when she needs to be, but also offers up some more vulnerable moments that had me wanting to reach out and give her a hug. She plays Bob’s daughter, Willa, and her chemistry with Leonardo DiCaprio really shines.

But if we want to talk about the true standout of the movie, it has to be Sean Penn. He plays a terrible person, who is creepy and unsettling whenever we see him. His character takes a backseat every so often, but is always lingering behind the storyline. He is truly phenomenal in the most unexpected ways. I adore him as an actor, always have, and I have never seen him like this. Whenever I think about One Battle After Another, it is his character, Steven J. Lockjaw, that my mind will gravitate towards, before I shudder with discomfort.

What starts off as a gritty political movie turns into a thriller before turning into something that takes a page out of Taken. There are a lot of characters, but due to the runtime, we always get enough time with them to understand what they are going through and what their motivations are. One Battle After Another is a phenomenal watch.

About One Battle After Another

Bob is a washed-up revolutionary who lives in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited and self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces and Willa goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her as both father and daughter battle the consequences of their pasts.

One Battle After Another comes to theaters September 26th.

NEXT: A Big Bold Beautiful Journey Review

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One Battle After Another is an incredible genre-blending film that, despite its long runtime, flies by. The entire cast absolutely shines.

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