One Battle After Another Review: One Of 2025’s Best Movies Is Goofy And Badass In Equal Measure

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Paul Thomas Anderson’s films are instantly recognizable thanks to his unique style, and he clearly loves setting his stories in 1970s Los Angeles. However, he’s a filmmaker who defies easy categorization. He’s tackled incredibly diverse subjects, from the world of adult films to heartwarming romances starring Adam Sandler, intense dramas about oilmen, and mysterious stories centered around the hippie movement. Each film feels like a fresh, ambitious undertaking. In that way, *One Battle After Another* is both one of his most daring projects and one of his greatest achievements.

One Battle After Another

Scheduled for release on September 26, 2025, this film is directed and written by Paul Thomas Anderson. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti, Regina Hall, and Benicio Del Toro. The movie is rated R for strong language, violence, sexual content, and drug use, and has a runtime of 161 minutes.

This film is based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel *Vineland* – marking the second time director Anderson has adapted the author’s work, following 2014’s *Inherent Vice*. Recognizing the novel’s difficulty to translate to the screen, Anderson creatively reshapes the story, changing characters and plot points to craft an epic that’s both hilarious and emotionally engaging. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable cinematic experience, and its themes of rebellion and change feel particularly relevant to the current political climate in the United States.

The film introduces us to Pat Calhoun, nicknamed “Ghetto” (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), as he becomes involved with the French 75, a radical left-wing group. They focus on freeing detained immigrants, targeting political buildings, and disrupting the power supply. Pat falls for the passionate and volatile Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor), and the group initially thrives. However, their success is threatened when Perfidia begins a relationship with Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), a staunch fascist she encounters while he’s overseeing a detention center.

Perfidia and Lockjaw had a relationship, and Perfidia became pregnant. However, trouble escalated when she was caught after a failed bank robbery. To save herself, she agreed to betray the entire French 75 gang. Though she chose to flee to Mexico instead of entering witness protection, her actions forced all her associates, including Pat and her daughter Charlene, to go into hiding.

After sixteen years, Pat and Charlene are now Bob and Willa Ferguson, living as seemingly ordinary parents in the town of Baktan Cross. Bob has become somewhat of a recluse, often anxious, but he’s successfully raised a bright and resourceful daughter. Their peaceful life is shattered, however, by the reappearance of Steven Lockjaw, who is trying to join a dangerous white supremacist group called the Christmas Adventurers Club. To gain acceptance, he must cover up the fact that he has a daughter from a biracial relationship.

One Battle After Another has a powerful statement to make amid some wonderful goofiness.

Noticing the difference between scenes of freeing immigrants and the quirky Christmas Adventures Club? That’s a good sign of what makes *One Battle After Another* so special. Most filmmakers would struggle to blend such different elements, resulting in a confusing and muddled message. But Paul Thomas Anderson has created a film that’s both hilariously silly and deeply thoughtful.

When Steven Lockjaw targets Baktan Cross, two storylines begin that will eventually intersect. Willa is at a school dance when trouble erupts, and she’s rescued by Deandra, a member of the French 75 who has learned of a threat against their organization. As they try to escape, Willa begins to understand the importance of their fight and discovers shocking secrets about her family.

Bob, after years of self-destructive behavior, struggles to pull himself together long enough to find and protect Willa. Luckily, he gets help from Sensei Sergio St. Carlos (Benicio del Toro), a local figure who supports the immigrant community and guides Willa on her important task. While Bob’s story is funnier, both narratives are equally captivating and fast-paced.

The film’s driving force is the characters’ feelings and desires – whether they’re battling injustice or sharing a loving family bond, which gives the story its weight. It explores modern America with a clever, satirical touch, making it both humorous and insightful. The movie is consistently entertaining and avoids feeling overly serious or preachy, while still delivering a powerful and intelligent message.

Leonardo DiCaprio is the shining star of One Battle After Another, but Teyana Taylor is a powerful scene-stealer.

Following the less-than-successful satire *Don’t Look Up*, Leonardo DiCaprio gets another chance at the genre with *One Battle After Another*, and this time he really shines. He plays Pat, a skilled explosives expert, but his marijuana use hilariously impairs his abilities. It’s a funny sight to see DiCaprio clumsily practicing his skills – crawling around a dojo, struggling to remember secret codes during phone calls, and failing at rooftop jumps – as he tries to maintain his focus while high.

The entire cast delivers strong performances, with several actors particularly shining. Benicio del Toro brilliantly balances Leonardo DiCaprio’s energy, while Sensei St. Carlos exudes quiet confidence, and Sean Penn makes Lockjaw a terrifying and relentless character. The biggest disappointment is that Teyana Taylor’s character, Perfidia Beverly Hills, isn’t given enough screen time, as she’s captivating whenever she appears and her character is incredibly compelling.

Without question, Paul Thomas Anderson has made one of the best movies of 2025.

The film blends drama and comedy with a surprising amount of action, unlike anything Paul Thomas Anderson has done before. His signature 1970s style works perfectly with the thrilling sequences, starting with an exciting opening scene and continuing through a home invasion and a spectacular car chase. Anderson’s immersive filmmaking draws you into a realistic and detailed world, and moments like Bob’s frantic look behind the scenes of Sergio St. Carlos’ operation are truly breathtaking.

Paul Thomas Anderson has clearly poured his heart into this film, a project he’s been eager to create, and the result is truly impressive. It’s a grand and captivating movie that’s both entertaining and deeply moving. Viewers are unlikely to have a more rewarding experience at the cinema in 2025, and it’s a strong contender for the best film of the year.

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2025-09-29 09:09