This R-rated film is an action thriller which mixes elements of political commentary, satire and dark comedy in a big scale production. Directed, written and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson, who is known for his ambitious storytelling and character driven plots, it was released on September 26. I had high hopes, given the reputation and prior works of the director and a cast including Leonardo DiCaprio as activist Bob Ferguson and Sean Penn as military strategist Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw. The film is many things, including chaotic, dramatic, over the top, and at times tender, with the multiple themes seeming to vie with each other. 

It opens with a violent and complex operation by a radical group called French 75, on the U.S.-Mexico border. Bob Ferguson and key operative Perfidia (played convincingly and passionately by Teyana Taylor) are leaders in the movement to free detained immigrants and take hostages amongst the opposition, which includes Sean Penn’s character (Lockjaw). Racist overtones are apparent with Lockjaw and some of his military cohorts. Penn and DiCaprio play well off each other in the cat and mouse game between these two strong willed individuals, although Penn overacts his character to the detriment of the performance. Bob and Perfidia are romantic partners, which has something of a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde feel as they plan their attacks. Early in the film, the story jumps forward 16 years. At this point, Perfidia has vanished after giving birth to a girl named Willa, who is now a teen. Having left the movement, Bob is raising this child off the grid in an effort to stay safe after his years of trying to challenge oppression and systemic injustice.  

Chase Infiniti, making her feature film debut, does an exemplary job playing Willa. DiCaprio turns in a quality performance as he portrays Bob navigating parenthood while also trying to maintain his revolutionary ideals. It’s a change to see DiCaprio in the role of a life-weary man in middle age. In the fast forward, Colonel Lockjaw continues to be obsessed with the former French 75 leaders and it seems that his ego is at stake in still chasing them down. The film’s best performance turned out to be Benicio del Toro as a karate instructor who aids Bob and his daughter Willa when new drama erupts involving their safety. He plays the role with both heart and irony, displaying his powerhouse of talent. 

“One Battle After Another” has heavy themes and thus, I found the comedic twists to be misplaced as if they didn’t belong. Throughout the film, there’s a tension involving political and ideological conflict as well as around the navigation of family responsibility, love and loss. The movie explores the limits and contradictions of the activism that Bob and Perfidia engaged in during their earlier years. They viewed themselves as ground-breaking revolutionaries, willing to risk almost anything for their cause, and the long view back seems to ponder whether it was worth it as well as a question about what was accomplished. Whether the movie is giving a nod to current events in our world seems unclear. It is important to note that the setting is an alternate version of the U.S. 

A key through line of the script is the concept of state oppression. At 2 hours and 41 minutes, I found the movie to be overly long. However, there is a lot to experience in this smorgasbord of a film. It is anything but light, and ends with questions and poignancy. My high hopes weren’t fully met, yet the film is likely a worthwhile experience for anyone finding these themes or actors to be of interest. For those who enjoy pure action and innovative chase scenes, this is also probably a good choice.