One of the best movies of the millennium. There’s truly nothing else to say. Paul Thomas Anderson has put together one of the greatest spectacles to ever grace the cinema, placing it in comparison with the best films of our time.
“One Battle After Another,” is Anderson’s tour de force, a masterpiece achieving near perfection in every category of film. Starring one of the greatest actors of all time, Leonardo DiCaprio. The movie follows the story of a washed up former revolutionary, Leo, as he is drawn back into his old lifestyle to rescue his daughter, rom a corrupt general. Played respectively by actors Chase Infiniti and Sean Penn.
While the story in synopsis is simple enough, as it unfolds on screen, you are drawn into the layers of family dynamics, political messaging, betrayals, addiction, and violence. Anderson weaves these themes through each other, trapping the audience in his web, as we sit hooked, engulfed in the story. Throughout the experience, you are brought to tears laughing, shocked silent by one of the many intense battles or sombered by heartbreaking deaths
Despite the almost three hour run time, “One Battle After Another” is far from slow. Rather it completely lives up to its name, delivering action set piece after set piece, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats for the entire run time with its insanely high paced tempo. It’s not the action itself but the score that truly sets the stage. Composed by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, the film’s music goes above and beyond, perfectly capturing the emotions of different scenes, whether a brutal loss or a massive victory.
The incredible technical production cannot go unstated either. “One Battle After Another” raised the bar on modern cinematography. Some of the best displays were the night sequences, lit brilliantly to create a beautiful atmosphere, or the camera work in the car chases, a truly mindblowing use of angles and shots.
Lastly, the piece de resistance, the acting. While DiCaprio gave a stellar performance, certainly worthy of an Oscar nomination, the rest of the cast were the true powerhouses of the film. Sean Penn, playing the major antagonist, delivers perhaps the acting of a lifetime, embodying such a truly despicable villain audiences could do nothing but hate him. Chase Infiniti, playing DiCaprio’s daughter, was the mirror for the driven, rage-filled character, capturing every emotion to a tee. “One Battle After Another” has no flaws, a genuine cinematic experience, and an instant classic.
