imperfect, occasionally overpraised, but anchored by exceptional acting and arresting visuals.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another arrives with the weight of great expectations, yet the finished film doesn’t entirely justify the mythology that has already built up around it. Despite its sweeping title, the narrative itself is surprisingly straightforward—almost disarmingly simple. Anderson has never relied on plot pyrotechnics, but here the familiarity of the story occasionally undercuts the film’s reputation as a groundbreaking work. It’s compelling, often beautifully crafted, but far from revolutionary.

What elevates the picture, however, are the performances—starting with Leonardo DiCaprio, who delivers one of his most quietly intense portrayals in years. As an exhausted ex-revolutionary trying to reassemble a life for the sake of his daughter, he moves through the film with a constant tremor of vigilance and regret. There’s a lived-in quality to his role that feels both fragile and ferocious.

Equally impressive is the young actress playing his daughter, an undeniable discovery. Though not widely known, she displays a natural magnetism and emotional clarity that anchor the film’s most human moments. Her dynamic with DiCaprio gives the story its genuine heart, often transcending the script’s more predictable beats.

The antagonist, Lockjaw, is a chilling presence—a figure carved from the same unnerving lineage as Anton Chigurh from the Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men. He’s more than a villain: he’s a force, inscrutable yet hypnotic, the kind of character whose mere arrival in a scene alters its oxygen levels. It’s an unsettling performance that lingers.

Visually, the film is tremendously immersive. Shot on 35mm film—as the production notes suggest—the texture is palpable. Anderson uses the format’s grain and warmth to blur the line between viewer and world. The result is a tactile sense of realism; tension and dread seem to seep from the frame itself. In these moments, the film feels lived, not staged, and the craftsmanship is undeniable.

One Battle After Another may not reinvent the cinematic wheel, but it offers a potent blend of strong performances, atmospheric filmmaking, and memorable characters. Its flaws are real, but so is its power.