One Battle After Another (OBAA) is the newest smash hit from writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson, most known for Punch Drunk Love and Boogie Nights. OBAA is an action packed thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. If you haven’t seen the film yet, I highly recommend watching it.
It is an intense and emotionally charged thriller that follows a former bomber (DiCaprio) who was part of a resistance fighting group when his past catches up to him. He navigates the evil, racist military operative (Penn) bent on revenge. The movie blends gritty realism with moments of quiet reflection, exploring the psychological bonds between a father and his daughter, as well as the adverse impact of his former actions on his current stability and security. Through its raw performances and immersive cinematography, One Battle After Another delivers a powerful meditation on resilience, duty, and the human cost of battle, without relying on traditional heroism or predictability. Now for my personal opinions on this masterpiece, this might be tied with Sinners for movie of the year. Everything from the acting to the cinematography in OBAA is fantastic. The best performance in my opinion is Sean Penn as the villain, his performance is so unnerving and he truly feels like he has no remorse for his actions but his weird romance with Teyana Taylor was such an interesting detail and is sure to stir up lots of controversy. The other best part is the creative cinematography. There is one chase scene with shots that make you feel like you are in the chase yourself. If I haven’t convinced you enough to watch this movie I don’t know what else to do, so just please try to watch this if you like movies at all.
