Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another might look like a straightforward search and rescue thriller – think Taken but – actually it’s nothing like Taken… except for the erm… taken bit. At its heart, this is a whip-smart comedy adventure about a former revolutionary racing to rescue his daughter from the sins of his past, all while Anderson holds up an unflinching mirror to the world we live in.

Clocking in at 2 hours 42 minutes, it somehow breezes by thanks to its breakneck pacing. Anderson’s signature chaos reigns: a cacophony of images, ideas, and a relentless jazz-heavy soundtrack that may drive some viewers up the wall but keeps the film buzzing with energy.

Juggling themes of immigration, protest culture and white supremacy – go figure right? – The film dives into weighty issues without losing its sense of humour and none of this would have been possible without the uniformly excellent cast.

Sean Penn as you’ve never seen him before is transformed as he wholly embodies the antagonist Colonel Lockjaw. Chase Infiniti absolutely sings in her first movie credit and Teyana Taylor bring sharpness and soul to her role, but it’s Leonardo DiCaprio who dominates. In an unexpected comedic role he delivers one of his best performances in years and solidifies himself as a once in a generation actor.

Moving at breakneck speed, One Battle After Another is a symphony for the senses, sometimes jarred by its relentless jazz-tastic. There were moments where one questions the extent to which Taylor’s character was sexualised. Arguably it could be seen as a commentary on the subject of how Black women are viewed as desirable objects, but it spins the needle too far and begins to perpetuate the very stereotype it highlights.

Calling this film satire would be a disservice. It’s smarter, more heartfelt, and far more committed than that. It’s messy, loud, funny, and cruel — exactly the kind of cinematic swing we’ve been missing.