Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton
Week of September 22, 2025
One Battle After Another
Rated R for pervasive language, drug use, sexual content and violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
In Theaters
Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood) brings us this riveting action film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a left-wing revolutionary who, along with his team, see some success raising havoc in their younger days. But when the law comes after them hard, he goes into hiding, along with his newborn daughter from his estranged girlfriend in the group, hoping to never be found again. But sixteen years later, he finds the law hot on his trail again, led by the man that put an end to his group in the first place (Sean Penn). If we know one thing about Paul Thomas Anderson, it’s that his mind thinks differently, and his plots tend to be very complex, and many times with a perverse sense of humor. Those features are on full display here. From the opening moments of the film, where the domestic terrorist group is raiding an ICE facility, he starts to set up an intricate storyline that you won’t see coming, but that will have you glued to your seat while you try to figure it out. And when I say glued, I really mean it here. There are moments of such tension that you feel like you are attached to your seat as if you were wrapped in cellophane, unable to move until that tension is finally released. But then there is the comedy, largely delivered by DiCaprio and his daughter’s Sensei, played by Benicio del Toro, who create one uncomfortable laugh after another as they attempt to escape the wrath of a man who is hot on their trail. The talented cast doesn’t end there though. There are so many interesting characters, each with their own little stories, that give this film a world of color, like a chaotic Christmas tree. And along with his long-time collaborator Jonny Greenwood (of Radiohead) providing the music, the movie’s nuttiness is a feast for the senses as you try to figure out where the adventure is taking you. It will be interesting to see how the film resonates with audiences, as the subject matter is maybe too relevant to the moment. Even as I am writing this, there was an attack at an ICE facility in Dallas that we are just learning about. All of this could play in to how this film will be received in its theatrical release. But regardless of its timeliness (or accidental lack thereof), the film is truly excellent, and should be a favorite when it comes to potential awards over the next several months. A