Leonardo DiCaprio. Paul Thomas Anderson. Two titanic names in Hollywood who have established themselves as the best at what they do in town and future legendary figures finally connect on a movie set and bring a sprawling, ambitious film to the big screen.
One Battle After Another begins by tracking the left-wing domestic terror group the French 75 as they embark upon a campaign of bombing government building and immigrant detention centers and robbing banks to fund it all. One of their most prominent members is Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor) who comes from a long line of black revolutionaries and is married to fellow French 75 member Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), who specializes in explosives. Perfidia catches the eye of Lieutenant Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), a military higher-up who loves black women just as much as he hates leftists and non-whites. The two carry on a clandestine affair to satisfy Lockjaw’s kinks and protect Perfidia until it all comes crashing down after a botched bank robbery. 16 years later, Bob is a washed-up, stoner revolutionary surviving off-grid with his and Perfidia’s daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) when the now Colonel Lockjaw resurfaces and comes after Bob and Willa to cover up his past from the white supremacist secret society he wishes to join called the Christmas Adventurers Club. The two are now left to scramble and survive the consequences of Bob and Perfidia’s past.
This film debuts in theaters at an interesting time because despite the fact that it’s based on the 1990 novel Vineland, its subject matter of battling far left domestic terror groups battling a group of secret far right white nationalist elites is topical enough that it proves correct the infamous Mark Twain adage that while history does not repeat itself, it often rhymes. While the characters at the center of One Battle After Another will make its reception interesting in light of current events, the film itself manages to depict politics without falling into the trap of being too preachy. The leftist group at the center is not depicted as purely altruistic or good and in fact are shown to bumbling and inept at times. While still evil and at times comedic, the Christmas Adventurers Club isn’t shown to be lampooning large swaths of the country or serving as stand-ins for one side and is focused solely on representing the characters onscreen. The political groups at the center of the story are topical and mirror current events, but the film never feels like it’s solely an allegory for our time. The sense of urgency that is felt in shielding migrants is presented to audiences to evoke emotion towards the characters, but without a sense that it’s guiding the viewer to specific political conclusions; those blanks are left for them to fill in on their own. It’s a nuanced distinction, but an important one that allows One Battle After Another to subtly reference the real world without being consumed by it entirely. The parallels are there, but the film is focused on its story rather than our reality. It is perhaps inevitable that for some viewers, it may still be too on the nose and will affect their opinion on the film both positively and negatively, but more impartial viewers will recognize the way it goes the line between its relevancy and originality.
Anderson has established himself as one of the industry’s foremost filmmakers through his writing and directing of serious dramas and character studies. This reputation makes One Battle After Another a pleasant surprise as the film is a bit of a departure from his usual style, veering toward a sprawling action film imbued with bits of humor and a bit of social commentary. It may seem slightly hyperbolic, but the story of the pursuit of a young woman and the resultant high octane, elaborate car chase action set pieces is reminiscent of Mad Max Fury Road not only in style, but in its technical expertise and entertainment value. The action scenes in the film never let up in the tension they exude and the frenetic pacing that make up the film, keeping the audience engrossed and vested in the outcome. The third act three car chase scene is exhilarating, and the conclusion is both satisfying and a testament to the set-up Anderson’s writing and directing establishes as the audience awaits the ultimate outcome. The camera switches perspective during the chase from inside the cars, observing the characters’ reactions and urgency, to first person views on the hilly highway route with the cars being chased weaving in and out of view of the character in pursuit.
Everything from the sound design to the score aids in elevating the scene and pulling you in throughout its duration. The foot chases that occur in the film are just as exciting as the ones featuring a vehicle, also displaying great choreography and camera work with the switching environments, from a city street following a bank robbery to the inside of a cell phone storm attached to an apartment building and underground migrant tunnel network help in the long action set pieces feeling unique and not repetitive. It’s not what one would expect from the latest Paul Thomas Anderson film, but One Battle After Another may be the best action film of the year.
It has long been my belief that Anderson is the best director of actors in the business today and the cast he directs in this film does nothing to lessen my view of his ability in that regard, only strengthen it. DiCaprio performs well which is to be expected from perhaps the best actor of his generation, but his performance may surprise some in its heavy lean toward comedy over drama. He is funny and executes what he is called to do flawlessly as a high strung, frenetic dad confused and desperate to save his daughter, but those expecting dramatic monologues should check said expectations at the door. Taylor on the other hand is dazzling as the fiery, but misguided femme fatale that serves as the spark for the majority of the film’s story. She appears only for a brief part, but she absolutely makes the most of it portraying a headstrong young woman with intensity and vulnerability that is commanding onscreen. Taylor is a revelation and has announced her arrival in Hollywood. Infiniti also impresses as their daughter, able to perfectly mirror subtle aspects of Taylor’s performance as Perfidia that makes her lineage clear and feel real. She goes toe to toe with greats like DiCaprio and Penn and feels natural right alongside them, matching their intensity, sincerity, and the physical aspects called for in the action sequences. Penn is also great as Lockjaw, menacing and despicable, but also subtly desperate as called for by the character’s pursuit of acceptance in amongst elites higher on the totem pole than he. He makes an interesting and compelling foil juxtaposed against protagonists that the audience is made to root for. Benecio del Toro also shines as the stoic hero with perfect timing Sergio St. Carlos, stealing the show with every appearance.
The other major contributing factor to the tension and atmosphere that is presented in the film is its stellar score, which acts as a supporting character to what we witness on screen. In addition to the popular music used such as Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work” and The Jackson 5’s “Ready or Not”, the original score matches each scene perfectly, pulsing and frenzied during the action sequences, jazzy at points, but always complimentary to the mood and heightening what appears onscreen and the accompanying feeling viewers have as they watch the story unfold.
One Battle After Another is nearly three hours of action packed, pulsating tension that is so engaging and well paced that it doesn’t feel as long as its runtime. The action sequences are some of the best of the year, entertaining, titillating, and well choreographed with the final chase scene being an instant classic that will be talked about for some time. Add in a tremendous cast with great performances and chemistry as is to be expected from a Paul Thomas Anderson film and this one immediately vaults up his filmography and sets his reputation as one of the era’s best in stone.
Image: Warner Bros.
