By Steve Crum

And the Co-Winner of Crum’s Most Wildly Wordy Film Title of the First Quarter of the 21st Millennium is…One Battle After Another. It ties with 2022’s Everything Everywhere All At Once. But like the latter, One Battle has its own vision driven by its own greatness—including co-producer/writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti. Add tech & stunt crews at their peak. 

This film is stunning, an amazing achievement.

Paul Thomas Anderson has given us movie greatness before, particularly his 2007 work, Let There Be Blood. He has risen to the occasion once again with One Battle After Another, studio labeled as a “black comedy-action-thriller.” Telling the story from the viewpoint of modern day American anarchists, “The French 75,” is unique in itself. By the conclusion, 162 minutes later, plot complexities have enveloped the likes of the federal government, including the military, and a pregnancy that fuels an influential, undercover hate group. 

Is there any reference herein to current events, circa 2025-26? Consider a line spoken by Sean Penn’s military officer, Col. Steven J. Lockjaw, who pursues The French 75: “If you want to save the planet, you’ve got to start with immigration.” Hmm. 

Incidentally, when Lockjaw first encounters the revolutionary Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor), it is the most lewdly hilarious scene in film history. Hands down. 

In a proverbial nutshell, One Battle’s plot opens on revolutionaries “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun (DiCaprio) and Perfidia, who are lovers, as they do what they and their F-25 group do well: set bombs and fires while freeing immigrants from a detention center. 

Segue to 16 years later when Perfidia and Pat’s 16 year-old girl, Willa (Chase Infiniti), are living in a sanctuary city of California. The whereabouts of her absent mother really drives the movie to multiple happenings, so no spoilers here. By this time, dad Pat is a bonafide pot head who has become the ol’ toke at home who lazes around while his kid Willa has become the brains of the family. By the way, for most of the rest of the movie, Pat dresses in the same pajamas and robe—including the many outdoor sequences. 

Re-enter Col. Lockjaw, whose very active military duty still includes chasing down every last member of F-75, a group still active. (Pat is retired, and not on the grid.) Lockjaw is particularly interested in finding Willa, even though they have never met. Fear not, their link is clarified in the film early on. 

Adding fuel to Lockjaw’s violent battles is the inclusion of The Christmas Adventures Club—an organization of wealthy…white men. Enough said. See it to believe it. 

In addition to those mentioned, other particularly good cast members are Benicio del Toro as Willa’s karate teacher and leader of undocumented immigrants; and Regina Hall (Deandra/“Lady Champagne” of F-75. Speaking of names, Anderson’s dark humor seems to include a homage to Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove. Col. Lockjaw vs Gen. Jack D. Ripper, anyone? 

Oscar worthy cinematography, music (unconventional) and production design help tie the bow on this totally unpredictable, epic motion picture. 

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GRADE on an A-F Scale: A