Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After One other is a kinetic, visually arresting motion thriller that adapts Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland into a contemporary story of resistance. Set in opposition to the backdrop of U.S.-Mexico border tensions and ICE roundups, the movie follows a bunch 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 route is flawless, delivering a pulse-pounding spectacle, however a rushed script sacrifices character depth and narrative readability, leaving the movie thrilling but frustratingly incomplete.
The movie opens with the revolutionary group French 75 storming a migrant detention heart, a sequence brimming with propulsive vitality. Anderson, collaborating with cinematographer Michael Bauman, crafts breathtaking visuals—border partitions like work and chaotic city chases—that amplify the stakes. Jonny Greenwood’s jarring rating, described by The Guardian as “nerve-shredding,” with its single piano notes and chaotic thrives, mirrors the movie’s relentless momentum.
Character growth is the most important casualty. DiCaprio’s Bob’s descent right into a paranoid single dad and Perfidia’s strategic manipulation of Lockjaw trace at wealthy backstories, however the movie affords solely glimpses. Willa’s martial arts coaching and questions on her paternity, really feel underexplored. This rush undermines the emotional weight of their reunion.
Technically, the movie is a triumph. The automotive chases are masterfully staged. Manufacturing design, from neon-lit streets to grim safehouses, immerses viewers in a world of unrest. Greenwood’s rating, heightens the stress, making each scene pulse with urgency. The performances elevate the fabric, however their chemistry can’t totally compensate for the script’s gaps.
One Battle After One other is an exhilarating movie—Anderson at his most audacious, but held again by a script that prioritizes velocity over substance. It’s a movie that calls for a giant display screen however leaves you wanting a deeper perception into its world.
- E mail: neill@outloudculture.com
