One Battle After Another Review: A Revolution or a Delusion of it?

Leonardo DiCaprio has given us some of the best theatrical experiences one can think of, and seeing his name on the cast list of any movie feels like a stamp of trust. However, even with DiCaprio in the picture, it’s not always a given that a flick will tick all the right boxes with the audience, and One Battle After Another is an example of this very statement.

Sure, as always, Leonardo DiCaprio absolutely owns the screen whenever he is on there, but is that enough to give this movie everything it needs, everything that can justify the painfully long runtime and questionable portrayals? Let’s talk about all of it in this review for One Battle After Another.

The Story Is Stretched and Painfully Long

When you think of movies that center around fighting the regime, revolution, and other such topics, you think of movies such as V for Vendetta or maybe even Fight Club. One Battle After Another tries to paint itself in the same colors, but while flicks like the ones I just mentioned painted themselves in camouflage, this one went on to paint itself with a bright red, believing it fits right in.

Talking about the story, One Battle After Another is mainly centered around two protagonists named Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor). Both of them are a part of an extremist group that calls itself “French 75”. Basically, the group calls itself revolutionaries who claim to be fighting against oppression.

A major section of the movie simply revolves around this very plotline, and trust me when I say it, people walked out of the theater in front of my eyes within the first 2 hours. This movie is less about a revolutionary group but more about an extremist organisation that tries to mask itself as people who are doing the right thing.

Now, I can get around the idea of delusional identities, but the way everything was stretched to its absolute limit was truly unbearable. Now, I won’t say that the entire movie is terrible; the last 40-50 minutes, where the father-daughter arc of Bob and Willa (Chase Infiniti) unfolds, managed to live up to what this movie could have been. Overall, when we talk about the story and pacing of One Battle After Another, the movie does not do justice to its runtime in any way or form.

One Battle After Another Pushes All the Wrong Themes in Abundance

Another major problem I have with this movie is the way it projects the themes it is operating on. The French 75 is supposed to reflect a group of people pursuing a revolution. However, while their words speak of doing the right thing, their actions generally lean into extremism. Other than that, the movie sexualises women so much that certain scenes will actually make you feel disgusted.

Now, some might say that a lot of flicks do so, for instance, Leonardo DiCaprio’s The Wolf of Wall Street, then why is one being reflected the way it is, and the other is considered a classic? The answer to that is quite simple. Movies operate on a lot of things: the plot, the acting, the pacing, the themes, and the portrayal. Now, it’s impossible and frankly, impractical for a flick to get it all right; some aspects of a movie need to delve into the darker realities of the world. But while doing so, other things that make a movie whole need to function perfectly, which is not the case with the movie in question.

One Battle After Another masks extremism as revolution, then moves on to link “Black Power” to violence, and then moves on to advocating open borders. Where is the balance? Sure, there is a father-daughter element that is effectively the only silver lining this movie has, but compared to what the majority of this movie talks about, it fails to redeem One Battle After Another.

Paul Thomas Anderson Leaves a Mark All Over

While One Battle After Another folded its cards by faltering heavily in almost every aspect, one might just have turned out to be an Ace of Spades. If you have not figured it out yet, I am referring to the directorial consistency of Paul Thomas Anderson. The director might not hold a lot of movies under his belt, but his directorial style has stuck around with his patrons and is reflected clearly in One Battle After Another.

 In the movie, we see his signature use of camera movements and lenses, especially in the scene where Willa finds herself in a high-speed chase. The way the camera moves along with the road and its ups and downs creates a sense of urgency, which is one of the few moments that will drag you to the edge of your seat. Another display of his directorial style is reflected in the complicated relationships characters find themselves in. Movies directed by PTA usually bring us characters that seek connections while being at rock bottom, which often leads them into complicated relationships, turning the situations further complicated.

This element was on display in bold and capitals via the character of Lockjaw, who first tried to connect with Perfidia and then found himself seeking the approval of the Christmas Adventurers Club via extreme measures. Paul Thomas Anderson’s directorial style flew high like Hermes in One Battle after Another; however, other aspects of the movie turned out to be the sun, which melted its wings.

Should You Watch One Battle After Another?

It all comes down to this one question: Is One Battle After Another worth your time and money? First of all, if you are a fan of DiCaprio, you can go to watch this movie for his sake, but other than that, there is not much I would say that is worth spending money on.

In a long list of actors, two or three give out praiseworthy performances. The first half and then some more of the movie is unbearable and stretched to absolute limits, and overall, nothing that makes a moviegoing experience entertaining truly works out, except for the final stretch of the flick. So, if you’re curious about it, sure, go ahead and get your tickets, but if you are looking for an entertaining time that does not absolutely drain you, I’d ask you to sit this one out.