One Battle After Another review: Sean Penn, Leonardo DiCaprio shine in Paul Thomas Anderson's satire on Trump's America

One Battle After Another review: Paul Thomas Anderson delivers a scathing critique of Trump's America, aided by the brilliance of DiCaprio and Sean Penn.

One Battle After Another review

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Rating: ★★★★

There is a scene in One Battle After Another in which a demented Army officer (Sean Penn) ogles at a female revolutionary from afar, getting some perverse pleasure as the woman holds other soldiers hostage. Most directors would have fallen prey to grossly objectifying the woman in this scene. But Paul Thomas Anderson sails through. Even in a scene seen through the eyes of a voyeur, he gives the woman the power. That, perhaps, sets the tone of the film. One Battle After Another is scattered and batshit crazy, veering into Coen Brothers territory more often than the Paul Thomas Anderson zone. But despite this, it is a sensitively depicted satire on modern-day America with political undertones and some brilliant performances.

One Battle After Another review: Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a washed-out former revolutionary in the film.

The plot

One Battle After Another opens with Ghetto Pat (Leonardo DiCaprio), a bombmaker and member of the revolutionary group, French 75. He is romantically (or just sexually) involved with the group's leader, Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor). As their revolution against an autocratic government escalates, Perfidia becomes the object of attention for Captain (later Colonel) Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn). She is eventually arrested, and Pat goes on the run with their daughter, Charlene. 16 years later, as the father and daughter live their lives in hiding, Lockjaw reappears. A new political opportunity means he needs to clean up his mess, and killing the two is on top of that list.

Revolution on celluloid

Despite a 2-hour-50-minute runtime, One Battle After Another is relentless, just like a film with that title should be. It has an irreverent tone that could be confused for disrespecteful, but is more satirical. The trick is that while the narrative mocks everything, the characters do not. For them, this is life and death. The comedy happens to them, not because of them. Paul Thomas Anderson deserves credit for balancing the macabre and the satire almost perfectly.

The visual appeal of the film enhances its watchability. There are many sequences that jolt you, and some that simply hit you afterwards. One particular car chase sequence towards the climax, shot in a motion-sickness-inducing style through the up-and-down winding roads of the American Midwest is the cherry on the cake.

Sean Penn, Teana Taylor shine; Leo is sublime

Teana Taylor grabs you by the collar in the first 20 minutes of the film. Her no-holds-barred portrayal of a crazy revolutionary is off the charts and immensely fun. Sean Penn then takes over. He is as unrecognisable as he is unlikable as the racist, voyeuristic soldier, who only looks at Perfidia as a means to an end. Penn has given some of the finest performances in cinema history over the years, and this one is good enough to be bracketed along with them in the hall of fame. The actor masterfully captures not just the mannerisms of Lockjaw, but his demented psyche too.

Movie Review

One Battle After Another

4/5

Black comedy action

Former revolutionary Ghetto Paul (DiCaprio) must save his teenage daughter from a vindictive soldier (Sean Penn), who wants to eliminate them to ‘unblemish’ his past.

Director

Paul Thomas Anderson

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti

Verdict

This unhinged-yet-sensitive political satire from Paul Thomas Anderson excels because of its balanced tone, brilliant cinematography, and exemplary performances, particularly from Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Teana Taylor.

Chase Infiniti as the daughter is a great find. The actor holds her own against seasoned performers and is the film's emotional backbone. You feel her anxiety and her fear, which is an actor's biggest win. Perhaps the most difficult job among the cast belonged to Leonardo DiCaprio. He is the hero while not being one. Pat is a washed-out alcoholic who is nobody's saviour. He needs to be the story's anchor, letting other more flamboyant characters outshine him. But give him an inch, and DiCaprio reminds you why he is one of the finest actors of his generation. He beautifully anchors the film, keeping you engrossed, even inviting pity. A pitiable and sorry hero is a tough thing to make likeable. But like he has done earlier in The Departed and Don't Look Up, Leo again excels there.

But despite the fun and games, One Battle After Another is political to the core. It makes fun of racists, spoofs immigrant detention camps, shows a government run by anti-immigration blue-eyed boys, and touches upon subjects like abortion and racial 'purity'. And despite being so political, the film has the courage to mock anarchy and violent revolutionary tactics as well. Yes, the film takes a clear stand. But nobody is spared across party and ideological lines.