One Battle After Another is the Movie of the Year
The new film by “There Will Be Blood” and “Boogie Nights” director Paul Thomas Anderson stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, and Regina Hall.
“One Battle After Another” is about a group of revolutionaries, told over decades of their lives, encountering a former enemy who has resurfaced. Another way to describe it would be to say it’s about domestic terrorists on the run from the law. Even providing a one-sentence description of the movie forces you to consider how you view the world.
There are times, especially during the first 45 minutes, when some viewers might sit back and think “I’m not sure how I’m going to empathize with the protagonists of this movie.” That uneasiness isn’t a bug, it’s a feature.
Anderson is doing the same thing he did in “Licorice Pizza” when he asked audiences to consider the age gap between the two leads and question why he’s telling this particular story. In “One Battle After Another” he’s doing something similar, presenting imperfect, complex characters and challenging you to relate to the core story underneath about a father trying to save his daughter.
This being a PTA movie, it’s of course a little weird and chock full of big ideas. It’s also probably the most widely accessible movie he’s ever made. It’s hilarious, action-packed, and non-stop entertaining. The lead actor is also the biggest movie star in the world, which certainly helps.
PTA worked on this script for over 20 years, and yet it feels like he woke up and wrote it this morning. I’ll let you discover for yourself why I say that.
When I got home from the theater I wrote down all the Academy Awards I think this could get nominated for. I came up with 11. Now that doesn’t mean I’m right, but every one of those nominations would be well-deserved. “One Battle After Another” is exhilarating, fascinating, and one of the world’s best director’s very best films. I cannot recommend it enough.
Rating: 10/10
Rob Reed was born and raised in Emporium, currently residing in Lancaster. His love for movies was sparked by childhood visits to the Emporium and St. Mary’s Theaters, as well as countless trips to local video stores.
