Hilarious, heartbreaking and high-octane, One Battle After Another follows a former revolutionary father trying to reconnect with his daughter while evading capture

The Snapshot: Paul Thomas Anderson leads his best film ever with One Battle After Another—a genre-blending tale that combines political satire with heartfelt drama and explosive set pieces.

One Battle After Another

10 out of 10

14A, 2hrs 42mins. Comedy Action Epic.

Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti, Regina Hall, Tony Goldwyn, Benicio del Toro and Teyana Taylor.

Now Playing at Galaxy Cinemas Sault Ste. Marie. 

Finding grandeur in a true work of emotionally-driven cinema is rare nowadays, especially in original works. For those looking to see that rare kind of epic, inspiring filmmaking, look no further than One Battle After Another.

Most audiences likely haven’t read Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland, though the element of discovery and adrenaline exuding from the story creates a truly spectacular film from director Paul Thomas Anderson and star Leonardo DiCaprio.

Its title references the deep frustration and consequences of extremism on all sides of a political spectrum, but politics plays only a small part in the film. In essence, it’s a series of growing action sequences about a father and daughter finding each other again, albeit in a darkly comedic way.

The longest ‘battle’ of them all is of an ex-revolutionary named Bob Ferguson (DiCaprio), who’s been retired and living in secret for 16 years to raise his daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti). But when a U.S. army commanding officer (Sean Penn) finds them, it starts a cat-and-mouse chase that will reveal several surprises in all their lives.

Driving the plot are explosive moments of imminent danger that fuse thoughtful, theme-driven story with large, entertaining scenes that make watching movies so much fun. Warner Bros. has been on a hot streak with these kind of original movies this year, most notably with Sinners back in April.

Read more here: Sinners blends blues, horror and history in unforgettable fashion

Thomas Anderson, already an esteemed filmmaker having led classics like Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood, has fused many of his films’ best elements together here in an odd mix.

One Battle After Another has a long, epic story that spans a great deal of time. But it’s also an exhilarating action story, aggressive political comedy, and sincere family drama all at once.

The culminating effect in the movie is a blend of emotions that reflects the same distress and urgency that Bob and Willa are going through. Ultimately, they both have to confront the impacts of their lives and how they’ve chosen to make a difference in the world for better or worse, building to a ending that inspires hope in the viewer.

Feel everything movies are truly rare, and wanting to engage and connect with differing viewers is a battle that common public discourse is losing worse every day.

Maybe that’s the true benefit in wanting to fight one battle after another – in our social environment, it’s our best shot at making a real difference.