Leonardo DiCaprio always brings something special to the screen. Seeing his name on a movie makes you expect something great. But even he can’t save every film. One Battle After Another is a clear example of that.
DiCaprio gives his usual strong performance. He owns every scene he’s in. But the movie itself struggles. The story feels long and stretched. The runtime drags, and much of the film is difficult to sit through.
The plot revolves around two characters, Bob Ferguson played by DiCaprio and Perfidia Beverly Hills played by Teyana Taylor. They belong to a group called French 75, which claims to fight oppression. But instead of feeling like revolutionaries, they come off as extremists. A lot of the film focuses on this group, and it can feel tedious. Many audience members left the theater before the movie even ended.
The last 40 to 50 minutes, where we see the father-daughter relationship between Bob and Willa, is the movie’s strongest part. It hints at what the film could have been. But overall, the pacing and story do not justify the long runtime.
Another problem is the themes the movie tackles. It mixes extremism with revolution and includes excessive sexualization of women. Unlike other films that explore dark or controversial topics successfully, this movie fails to balance its elements. It also touches on sensitive topics like violence and open borders in ways that feel heavy-handed.
The only consistent strength is Paul Thomas Anderson’s direction. His style shines in certain scenes, like a high-speed chase with Willa. The camera work and storytelling create tension and capture complicated relationships, which are hallmarks of his work. But even his skill can’t fully rescue the movie from its larger issues.
So should you watch One Battle After Another? If you are a DiCaprio fan, you might want to see it just for him. Some performances are good, and the final act is interesting. But most of the movie is slow, overly long, and hard to enjoy. If you want a fun or exciting movie experience, this isn’t the one.