Movie Review: "One Battle After Another"

“¡Viva la revolución!”

One of my biggest fears is going into a movie with high expectations and leaving the theater underwhelmed, or worse, disappointed. Trust me. I’ve been there, and it is not a pleasant feeling.   

You better believe I was excited about One Battle After Another , the 2026 Academy Awards' Best Picture Winner. Even after watching and figuring out its trailer, I still wasn’t sure what Paul Thomas Anderson had up his sleeve. That mystery only made me more anticipatory for Mr. Anderson’s 10th feature film. Well, this is the most fun that I’ve had at the movies ever since watching Parasite and Everything Everywhere All at Once for the first time. He is not the first director to give us a string of flawless stories, but it always feels so fulfilling to watch the present-day filmmaker push himself with each project and reap the benefits.  

All the revolutionary mayhem revolves around a cat-and-mouse chase between members of a far-left, radical group called the French 75 and the crooked but stern Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw. When a perpetually stoned but still alert father, Bob Ferguson, and his teenage daughter, Willa Ferguson, adjust to a normal life while living off the grid, they still inevitably deal with the trouble from Bob’s past activities a part of the French 75. From there, plot twists erupt and keep a tight grip on your attention during its 2-hour-and-42-minute runtime. 

Without spoiling any secrets, this eerily relevant premise packs in government raids, a white supremacist secret society known as the Christmas Adventurers Club, and a DNA test kit. Willa’s estranged mother, Perfidia Beverly Hills, appears in a handful of scenes, but her restless spirit prevails throughout the rest of the story. Teyana Taylor captures her bold energy with no hesitation. Even these precise details are still not enough to summarize what unfolds before us. 

An onslaught of energy strides through every scene with the right dose of satirical humor and escalating tension. These elements run headfirst into each other and, then, end up collaborating well with each other. One minute, I’m laughing hard. The next minute, my jaw hits the floor. All the surprises arrive at just the right time with little to no effort. That’s how you know that you’re watching a film that will be timeless. I actually lost track of time during each screening that I attended. 

The animated cast is a major reason why the momentum cannot ease up. It is as if each star has been waiting a long time to take on their assigned roles. One Battle After Another invites you to learn as much as you can about these people who you might not be around every day, but who remain forces of nature in their communities.     

Sean Penn was born to play an antagonist as vitriolic as Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw. He won’t stop at nothing until he brings down every, single member of the French 75 and doubles down on border enforcement, even if his menacing demeanor comes across as peculiar or even desperate to prove his strength. It’s hard to forget Lockjaw not just because of his slimy, unhinged personality but also secrets involving his love life. He won his third Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for portraying this villain with such a punchable sneer. Penn is now one of four actors to have won three Oscars for specifically acting. The other three actors to accomplish this are  Walter Brennan, Jack Nicholson, and Daniel Day-Lewis. 

It may have been a boxing match this past awards season between Michael B. Jordan for Sinners and Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme. Let’s not underestimate Leonardo DiCaprio’s solid performance as Bob Ferguson, who used to go by the name “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun when he was a younger activist. As an older man, imagine Mr. Ferguson as the Dude from The Big Lebowski but more uptight and armed with a rifle. He is the glue that holds everything together despite his paranoia. Leo has always treated his career like a marathon instead of a sprint, even when he was a teenager. One Battle After Another is further proof that the Oscar winner has cultivated an impressive filmography that only a few of his peers can match because of his discerning approach to his now iconic roles, including Bob Ferguson. 

Chase Infiniti hits the ground running with her breakout role as Willa Ferguson. She navigates danger well while caught in the crossfire between Lockjaw and her familial allies. Her self-reliance is one of the best character traits that develops throughout One Battle After Another. In one scene during a parent-teacher conference, Willa’s teacher shares with Bob that she is a leader among her classmates. She even holds her own father accountable when she gets frustrated with his drinking and smoking. That maturity serves her well once she faces the ugly side of the law. Although this rising actress also known for The Testaments and Presumed Innocent was nominated for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA, it is a shame that she did not receive an Oscar nomination. Infiniti will hopefully soon receive another Oscar nomination. 

Last but not least, Benicio del Toro is back in another P.T. Anderson film as the wise but calm Sensei Sergio St. Carlos. He jumps from Inherent Vice into this immediate masterpiece. He mentors Willa and helps Bob whenever troubles closes in on him. No conflicts seem to bother him because he always resorts to a backup plan. As street-smart as he is, think of Sensei Sergio St. Carlos as the much-needed comic relief to everyone else’s high-strung energy. Of course he takes a selfie with his buddy, Bob, before they drive away from a hospital. That exemplifies his mellow personality.              

Whenever you hear someone say, “Green Acres, Beverly Hillbillies, and Hooterville Junction,” that is when you know something crazy is about to happen. Keep that in mind and buckle up for each surprise ride straight ahead. This alarming phrase is also a clever nod to the song, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” by Gil Scott-Heron.   

The best and most important sequences happen to be chase sequences, whether on foot or in a car. Running or speeding away is a constant motif for our central characters as they must make critical decisions while on their feet. Some characters run away from their problems. Others run to solve a problem. There is no time to ponder too hard about every single battle ahead. The most climactic moment in the whole movie involves a heart-pounding car chase on a hilly desert highway. The white-knuckle, three-car showdown ranks alongside other iconic car chases seen in great action thrillers such as Bullitt and The French Connection. An adrenaline rush this overwhelming makes this full-throttle finale all the more rewarding.  

Although One Battle After Another takes inspiration from Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, it evolves into its own entity. How in the world do you reorganize the pacing with a story that has been deemed hard to handle? Vineland primarily takes place during Reagan-era America, including flashbacks to the late 1960s and the early 1970s. One Battle After Another takes place well into the 21st century, more specifically within the past 10 years. What makes this movie more compelling is how prescient the source material, Vineland, is 26 years after it was published. It is as if One Battle After Another picks up where Vineland left off and refuses to slow down.    

So, it makes sense for Paul Thomas Anderson to omit a lot of the content from this postmodern novel, even though this feature film also won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay this past year. Capitalizing on the overarching, revolutionary themes instead of bringing almost every miniscule detail to the screen pays off.  

He even molded his own characters in accordance with the central figures in Vineland. Bob Ferguson mirrors Zoyd Wheeler. Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw mirrors Brock Vond. Willa Ferguson mirrors Prairie Wheeler. Perfidia Beverly Hills also draws some parallels with Frenesi Gates.     

This is not the first time that he has tackled material written by Thomas Pynchon. His 2014 film, Inherent Vice, has become one of his more unsung films that understood the hazy purpose of Pynchon’s 2009 novel. The leap in time does not diminish how all these characters, ranging from ambitious and stoned to racist and ruthless, feel about America today and yesterday. It is a breath of air to watch the cast tap into what it means to always be on the run. In fact, there is an amusing scene where Bob Ferguson gets into an argument on the phone with a comrade over remembering the password for the question, “What time is it?” Any urgency never dilutes the spectacle of adventure.     

The auteur behind Boogie Nights and Magnolia always prioritizes keeping us engaged, not just entertained. You can tell that he works really hard at depicting what an ideal life might seem like in California but surprises you with the sudden, unexplainable mysteries that make you want his movies to never end. He accomplishes this feat without breaking a sweat. That is the best part about his filmography. It is a rule of thumb to keep in mind while filming your ensemble cast, especially when a pivotal scene erupts from sheer chaos. His work doesn’t fade away because the seasoned, 55-year-old man in charge never abandons why we care about and support his essential characters in the first place; no matter what their motives are. All the sociopolitical subject matter gives something for everyone on both sides of the political aisle to think about and discuss. 

Most of Mr. Anderson’s movies, including Punch-Drunk Love and There Will Be Blood, take place in California. He is from Los Angeles after all. As a filmmaker, it never hurts to film what you know and understand. The familiarity allows you to go deeper with your story. This is why Magnolia and Boogie Nights in particular feel so human, no matter how heavy and even upsetting some scenes involving the adult entertainment industry and family dysfunction are. Every individual steals a scene because their worth still shines even when life is too hard on them. One Battle After Another hits that same nail on its head once again. It is not as loopy as Inherent Vice. Neither does it pursue youthful playfulness without worrying too much about the political climate like Licorice Pizza does. Plenty of anxiety still dwells up during nail-biting chase sequences and unsettling meetings between evil men. It does not wallow in sorrow like Magnolia or The Master are allowed to do. There is still no time to do that right here.   

Here is the bottom line: it is just such a fun movie to watch. Such an unbelievable journey for all never loses steam and sends a much-needed jolt to the seriousness associated with holding onto family and dealing with divisive politics. I am sure that P.T. Anderson was grinning from ear to ear while wrapping up the most important, spellbinding sequences. One Battle After Another is quite rewatchable for this very reason. If the director is having fun doing his job, then I will have fun watching the finished product. I ended up seeing this action comedy three times in theaters. We are just over halfway through the 2020s, and One Battle After Another might end up being my number one movie of this decade. It is a tough act to follow. I know that much.  

One Battle After Another won 6 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director – Paul Thomas Anderson.        

This is why I still go to the movies in this day and age, and you should too.  

One Battle After Another is available to borrow on DVD from the Jefferson County Library Cooperative, including all 18 active Birmingham Public Library locations. 

Reviewed by William Anthony, Librarian I -  BPL Citizen Services Department