Paul Thomas Anderson is easily one of the most interesting filmmakers working today, though I find his films to be hit and miss, mostly I enjoy his work. BOOGIE NIGHTS remains my favorite, but his newest work ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is a close second, and definitely a strong contender for “best of the year” lists, though it’s safe to say folks on a certain side of the political aisle probably aren’t going to like it much.
The film opens some years ago by introducing us to modern day revolutionaries led by Perfidia (Teyana Taylor), an incredibly bold and highly-skilled black woman who seems to get sexually aroused by wreaking havoc on government institutions. Her boyfriend, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is a sort of nerdy tech guy who seems an unlikely companion for such a confident and dangerous woman. Their actions lead to Perfidia interacting with an immigration camp leader named Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), who is immediately attracted to her in a very kinky way. At one point Lockjaw catches Perfidia during a scheme as it’s being pulled off, and that leads to a sexual encounter between the two. She gets pregnant, and eventually the whole team is thwarted and Perfidia is captured, leading to other members going into hiding. Leo’s character becomes “Bob”, and is left to raise Perfidia’s baby while she goes into witness protection after naming names. All of this happens in the first 30 minutes of so of the film, as the rest of the movie takes place 16 years later, with Perfidia’s daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) now grown up and living with Bob, who is still nervous they’ll be caught at any minute. What Bob doesn’t know is that Lockjaw is now aggressively hunting down Willa, and Bob soon realizes that even laying low and off the grid can no longer protect them. All of this is going on while Lockjaw is also trying to join a secret society of influential military types who wouldn’t take kindly to his mixed relations.
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is a long movie at two hours and 41 minutes, but it never feels long or boring, actually moves at an incredible pace with dizzying action and humor to keep the audience engaged. The performances are stellar and unexpected at times. It’s easy to understand why the cast signed on here, this is fascinating material to work with. DiCaprio is in top form, playing a very un-glamorous and kind of inept loser that has to find the courage to step up and do what’s necessary. Benicio Del Toro is terrific as an unexpected ally to Bob when things start getting really crazy – as much as I like Del Toro, I think I actually like him better when he plays a friend to the lead, more than when he plays the lead himself. This is one of his most likable performances in years. Teyana Taylor is an interesting character here, but is used a bit sparingly, and we never get much sense of who she really is or why she does what she does, which might be intentional to keep the audience guessing when it comes to motivations. I also liked seeing Regina Hall playing a serious role, though sadly she is also very lightly used here. Sean Penn gets a chance to really chew scenery as the movie’s main baddie, and it’s a bold performance that proves he can still wow audiences. But it’s Chase Infiniti as Willa who really delivers here, holding her own with much more seasoned actors in big moments, and becoming a very interesting character in a movie filled with many.
In some ways the movie feels like a classic 70s or 80s thriller, shot in a gritty and intense style that looked phenomenal on our IMAX screen. There’s one sequence in particular involving a car chase in the desert that is pure cinema magic, and really puts you on the edge of your seat. Paul Thomas Anderson has crafted a movie that reminds us how powerful movies can be, one of the best of the year for sure, though the political commentary might be a little too on the nose for some, particularly plot points involving immigration, government officials being racist and just awful… a lot of things that mirror what we’re experiencing in real time in America right now. But there’s also a timeless quality to the movie, and it almost feels like it could exist in any number of decades from the past 50 or 60 years. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is a solid moviegoing experience that may divide audiences, but it’s an incredible cinematic effort, and a reminder of why Paul Thomas Anderson is so respected in this field.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
