A Knockout Hit Before It Even Opens
With a title like One Battle After Another, you’d expect chaos—and that’s exactly what award-winning director Paul Thomas Anderson delivers, in the best possible way. The film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and breakout talent Chase Infiniti, has critics buzzing ahead of its theatrical release.
Already holding a 97% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Anderson’s latest is being hailed as an instant classic, a genre-defying marvel, and one of the boldest cinematic rides of 2025.
Critics Are Calling It “Mindbending Brilliance”
In their ecstatic review, Empire called the movie “a blast from start to finish (and there are many blasts within),” while boldly declaring it a “stone-cold, instant classic.”
RogerEbert.com praised Anderson’s screenplay as “phenomenal” and “timeless,” adding:
“Anderson’s phenomenal screenplay is a timeless story of resistance, one that playfully weaves together influences as broad-reaching as the true story of Weather Underground and cinematic depictions of rebellion, but it’s also a remarkably propulsive, fun, and eventually moving piece of work about the human beings caught up in the chaotic machine. It’s a live wire that drops in the first scene, setting off sparks for the next 162 minutes.”
A Father. A Daughter. A Vanishing. A Reckoning.
So, what’s it all about?
DiCaprio plays Bob, a burned-out revolutionary living off the grid in a haze of paranoia, raising his fiercely capable daughter Willa (Infiniti). But when his old nemesis (Sean Penn) resurfaces after 16 years—and Willa disappears—Bob is thrust back into a world he tried to escape.
As he races to find her, the film unpacks the weight of the past, the unpredictability of the present, and the deep bond between a broken father and his fearless child.
Watch the Trailer Here:
20 Years in the Making — And Worth Every Second
This film wasn’t rushed. Producer Sara Murphy revealed that Anderson began developing One Battle After Another two decades ago. The screenplay evolved, the themes sharpened, and the vision deepened. Now, that patience has paid off.
According to Deadline,
“The trailer really didn’t give us much of an idea of what the impact of this movie really is,” wrote Deadline Hollywood. “But it seems to me that, 20 years gestation or not, this is an extraordinary crackerjack hell of a film that has met its time. Some of it is so absurdly funny it looks like real life and art have somehow merged into the most pertinent of ways for 2025. Mindbending brilliance doesn’t begin to describe it.”
A Genre-Bending Triumph
Collider called the film a “generation-defining masterpiece,” applauding its tonal tightrope walk between action, satire, and personal drama.
“generation-defining masterpiece.” “In just under three hours, Anderson creates a captivating action film, an incredibly timely look at how people in power can utilize their position for manipulation and personal gain, an extremely funny comedy, and maybe his most personal exploration of a father and daughter relationship – all in one of the most beautifully shot and well-acted films of the year.”
Variety echoed the sentiment, spotlighting its powerful ensemble, including Benicio del Toro in a mysterious turn as “Sensei.” The publication also praised the movie’s unpredictable nature:
“‘One Battle After Another’ has the kind of twists and turns that feed the audience, giving us the childlike sensation that we have no idea what’s coming next, and that that’s the happiest way there is to watch a movie.”
Mark Your Calendars: September 24 Is Movie Night
Presented by Warner Bros. Pictures in partnership with Ghoulardi Film Company, One Battle After Another is more than just a film—it’s a cinematic event.
With knockout performances, striking visuals, and a narrative that swings from the absurd to the emotionally profound, this is the kind of film that sticks with you long after the credits roll.
Coming Soon to Theaters and IMAX®
Experience the chaos, the laughs, and the heart of One Battle After Another when it hits cinemas and IMAX® screens nationwide starting September 24, 2025.
One story. One father. One revolution. Don’t miss it. #OneBattleAfterAnother
Photo & Video Credit: “Warner Bros. Pictures”
