Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another is a kinetic, visually arresting action thriller that adapts Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland into a modern tale of resistance. Set against the backdrop of U.S.-Mexico border tensions and ICE roundups, the film follows a group of ex-revolutionaries, led by the fierce Perfidia (Teyana Taylor), who reunite after 16 years to rescue Willa (Chase Infiniti), the daughter of their comrade Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio), from the clutches of the cartoonishly vile Colonel Steven Lockjaw (Sean Penn). Anderson’s direction is flawless, delivering a pulse-pounding spectacle, but a rushed script sacrifices character depth and narrative clarity, leaving the film thrilling yet frustratingly incomplete.
The film opens with the revolutionary group French 75 storming a migrant detention center, a sequence brimming with propulsive energy. Anderson, collaborating with cinematographer Michael Bauman, crafts breathtaking visuals—border walls like paintings and chaotic urban chases—that amplify the stakes. Jonny Greenwood’s jarring score, described by The Guardian as “nerve-shredding,” with its single piano notes and chaotic flourishes, mirrors the film’s relentless momentum.
Character development is the biggest casualty. DiCaprio’s Bob’s descent into a paranoid single dad and Perfidia’s strategic manipulation of Lockjaw hint at rich backstories, but the film offers only glimpses. Willa’s martial arts training and questions about her paternity, feel underexplored. This rush undermines the emotional weight of their reunion.
Technically, the film is a triumph. The car chases are masterfully staged. Production design, from neon-lit streets to grim safehouses, immerses viewers in a world of unrest. Greenwood’s score, heightens the tension, making every scene pulse with urgency. The performances elevate the material, but their chemistry can’t fully compensate for the script’s gaps.
One Battle After Another is a thrilling film—Anderson at his most audacious, yet held back by a script that prioritizes speed over substance. It’s a film that demands a big screen but leaves you wanting a deeper insight into its world.
- Email: neill@outloudculture.com
- Socials: @frazer.live
- @neill.outloud
