Paul Thomas Anderson’s streak of genius shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. His latest film, “One Battle After Another,” is both unlike any film he’s ever made and a skillful amalgamation of the highlights of his career that never feels
derivative.
A loose adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel “Vineland,” it continues Anderson’s trademark of pushing the boundaries of style and storytelling while paying tribute to his influences. Notably, it’s also an homage to old school cinema in the most literal sense. This is the first film since 1961’s “One Eyed Jacks” that was both filmed and will be projected in select theaters on Vistavision, a style of widescreen filmmaking used in Old Hollywood classics like “Vertigo” and “The Searchers.”
In a dystopian society that doesn’t feel far too removed from our own, the French 75 are a ragtag group of revolutionaries intent on burning down civilization in the name of social justice. From freeing immigrants trapped in detention centers to bombing corrupt courthouses, their aggressive tactics have made them a target of the vicious authoritarian government.
Perfida Beverly Hills, played by Teyana Taylor, is one of the group’s most fervent believers. Struggling to balance her devotion to revolution with the newfound demands of motherhood, she flees the country and goes into witness protection to escape the obsessive wrath of Colonel Steven J Lockjaw, played by a menacing Sean Penn.
Bob Ferguson, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, Perfida’s lover and the father to their daughter, has long since shunned his former role as an explosives engineer for the French 75 and has largely devoted himself to fatherhood.
Their daughter, Willa, played by newcomer Chase Infiniti, is now a teenager, resentful of her father’s overprotectiveness. She struggles to live the life of a normal teenager under his watch, hiding a burner phone from him and defying his wishes for her not to attend a school dance, convinced that they’re safe from the government and that her father’s paranoia is rooted in his long-term abuse of drugs and alcohol.
Lockjaw has discovered their forested hideaway in the fictional city of Baktan Cross, and sets his sights and troops on hunting down the daughter of his obsession, sending Bob on a manic chase across California to rescue Willa when she’s swept away by former associates of her mother.
Anderson’s deft mixture of humor and dramatic tension is the main showcase here. This is his first attempt at a full-blown action film, and he rises to the challenge. The epic car chases and gunfights are woven in with complex characters that feel alive both in the script and on the screen.
Director of photography Michael Bauman skillfully captures the diversity of Southern California, whether in the aimless deserts or the liveliness of city life. He previously worked with Anderson on his 2021 film “Licorice Pizza,” and his subtlety allows for the expansive setting to speak for itself and serve as a character alongside the actors rather than a flashy setpiece. Almost the entire film was shot in California, giving the setting’s blend of reality and fiction authenticity. The mix of Jonny Greenwood’s dramatic score and a handful of tasteful needle drops adds to the movie’s atmosphere.
DiCaprio’s performance is not just one of a movie star, but that of a seasoned actor fully immersing himself in the character. Donning ragged clothes and a greasy beard and bun, he uses his physicality to both convey Ferguson’s ham-fisted attempts at rugged masculinity and lack of performativeness in contrast to his previous activism. His comedic chops here are reminiscent of his humorous yet heartfelt performance in the 2021 film “Don’t Look Up,” another political dramedy that’s more pessimistic in tone than this film.
Infiniti also shines, conveying Willa’s strength and skillfulness in equal measure alongside her innocence and vulnerability. Penn delivers one of his most complex performances in decades. Lockjaw is the character who best represents the tone of the movie, if not its values, deftly switching from gleefully bigoted menace to a man goofily submitting sexually to the people he claims he wants to eradicate without ever missing a beat.
Some critics online have fervently voiced their scorn for the movie’s politics and dubbed it as antifa propaganda. Politics has always played a role in Anderson’s films, from the satirical take on capitalism in “Boogie Nights” to his explorations of gender roles in recent works like “Phantom Thread” and “Licorice Pizza.”
He would never be so righteous as to use his films as a vessel for political sloganeering. Indeed, as fervently as the film skewers the hypocrisy of xenophobes, there is a thoughtful interrogation as to how far activism needs to go to be effective and radical action’s impact on ordinary people.
If there is a theme Anderson is trying to convey, it’s an unexpected message of hope. It’s not a rallying cry for a cause or ideology, but for the future generation’s power to fight back against hate in whatever form it may take. While pundits may fret over the impact online toxicity has had on Generation Z and beyond, Anderson firmly refutes the cynics: The kids are alright.
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