One Battle After Another: The "Stone-Cold Masterpiece" That Divided the Box Office

If you have been following the global film conversation in 2025, one title has dominated the discourse more than any other: One Battle After Another. It is a film of contradictions. It has been hailed as a "stone-cold, instant classic" and a "masterpiece" by major publications, currently sitting at a staggering 95-98% approval rating on review aggregators. Yet, financially, it is technically a flop, struggling to break even against its massive US$175 million budget.

For Australian film enthusiasts, the arrival of Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest epic—his first collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio—presents a fascinating dilemma. Do you rush to the biggest screen possible to witness what critics are calling the artistic peak of the year, or do you wait for its imminent home release given the mixed word-of-mouth regarding its runtime and density?

This "black comedy action thriller" is Anderson’s most expensive and expansive project to date. Set in a near-future, alternative America that feels uncomfortably close to our own, One Battle After Another is a sprawling, chaotic, and visually stunning ride that demands attention. Whether it earns your love or your confusion, it is undeniably the cinematic event of the year.

The Plot: A "Vineland" for the Modern Age

At its core, One Battle After Another is a story about the lingering ghosts of the past. The film follows Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a washed-up ex-revolutionary who was once known as "Ghetto Pat" Calhoun, a member of the radical group "French 75". Sixteen years after leaving the life, Bob exists in a state of "stoned paranoia" in the fictional Californian town of Baktan Cross, living off the grid with his spirited teenage daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti).

Bob’s precarious peace is shattered when his old nemesis resurfaces: Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), a corrupt and "reptilian" military officer who now leads a paramilitary force. When Willa goes missing amidst a raid on their town, Bob is forced to snap out of his drug-induced haze and scramble to rescue her, reconnecting with old allies like the martial arts instructor and community leader Sensei Sergio (Benicio del Toro).

Film literacy buffs will recognise the DNA of this story immediately. The film is a loose adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland. However, Anderson has radically updated the setting. While the book grappled with the hangover of the 1960s counterculture crashing into the Reagan era of the 1980s, the film transposes this dynamic to the present day. It serves as a critique of modern authoritarianism, updating the "Border Terror Response" and high-tech surveillance state to reflect a time somewhere between the Obama and Trump years. The result is a tone that whipsaws between "screwball farcical resistance" and high-stakes thriller, often described as The French Connection meets The Big Lebowski.

The Australian Verdict: What Local Critics Are Saying

While international praise has been deafening, Australian critics have offered a more nuanced, though largely positive, perspective on the film.

Wenlei Ma, writing for The Nightly (AU), was effusive in her praise, awarding the film a perfect 5/5 score. She highlighted the film's pacing, noting that it possesses a "momentum that propels everything forward always, and never wavers in capturing and holding your attention," calling it "superbly crafted on every level".

However, not everyone was entirely swept away by Anderson’s vision. Jake Wilson of the Sydney Morning Herald gave the film a respectable but reserved 3.5/5. While acknowledging that Anderson hasn’t lost his audacity as a stylist—noting there is "more cinematic invention here than in most other mainstream releases this year put together"—he found the film’s social commentary "largely toothless". Similarly, Nikki Gemmell of The Australian (3/5) felt the film, while a "sophisticated chase film," lacked the provocative edge of other recent political thrillers like Civil War.

Perhaps the most relatable take for Aussie audiences comes from Tom Crozier, a Melbourne-based filmgoer featured in The Guardian. He described the film as "incredible fun" that balances its farcical elements with action, predicting it will join the pantheon of films perfect to put on "when I get home from the pub".

Furthermore, the film has resonated in unexpected quarters. Insights Magazine, the publication of the Uniting Church in Australia, declared One Battle After Another "The Defining Film of 2025." Their review praised the "impeccable" craft and the performances, noting that despite the chaos, it remains a story about how "awful men will bend their brains into horrible shapes" to justify their actions.

Performances That Define 2025

If the direction is the brain of the film, the cast is its beating, chaotic heart.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob: This is not the suave DiCaprio of Inception or the commanding presence of The Revenant. As Bob, DiCaprio leans into physical comedy and vulnerability. Critics have described his portrayal as a "bumbling hero" characterized by "stoned paranoia". It is a performance stripped of vanity, with DiCaprio playing a character who is "vulnerable, frazzled, directionless," often seen running for his life in a tattered bathrobe.

Chase Infiniti as Willa: In a cast of heavyweights, newcomer Chase Infiniti holds her own. Anderson himself called casting her "the best decision I’ve made in a long time". As Willa, she provides the film's emotional anchor, portrayed not as a damsel in distress but as a "spirited, self-reliant" survivor who inherits the ghosts of her parents' revolutionary past.

Sean Penn & Teyana Taylor: Sean Penn delivers what has been called a "career-best" performance as Col. Lockjaw, a villain defined by "lascivious tics" and a "reptilian fanaticism". Opposite him, Teyana Taylor is "radioactively charismatic" as Perfidia, Bob’s former partner and Willa’s mother. Her performance has been singled out as "eruptive" and "steaming with revolutionary zeal".

Controversy and Criticism

Despite the acclaim, One Battle After Another has not escaped the culture wars it depicts. The film’s sympathetic portrayal of revolutionaries blowing up detention centres has drawn ire from conservative media outlets in the US, with some labelling it "pure left-wing propaganda" and an "Antifa wet dream".

More nuanced criticism has emerged regarding the film's representation of women of colour. Ellen E. Jones, writing for The Guardian, questioned Anderson’s use of the "racist Jezebel trope" in the character of Perfidia. Critics have pointed out that Perfidia is "hyper-sexualised," citing scenes where she prioritises sexual gratification over escaping an exploding bomb. Furthermore, the film has been critiqued for its "fetishised" depiction of interracial relationships, particularly in the dynamic between Lockjaw and Perfidia, which some argue reduces complex racial dynamics to a "race kink". While some defend these choices as a satire of white supremacist fixations, others feel the film "bites off more than it can chew" regarding intersectionality.

The Visual Experience: VistaVision Revival

If you have access to an IMAX or premium large-format cinema in Sydney or Melbourne, this is where you want to see this film. Anderson and cinematographer Michael Bauman made the bold decision to shoot the majority of the film using VistaVision.

This 1950s technology runs 35mm film horizontally through the camera rather than vertically, creating a larger negative area. The result is a high-resolution, widescreen image with sharper depth of field and reduced grain. This format was crucial for capturing the film's massive scope, particularly the "sui generis chase scene" shot in the rolling hills of Borrego Springs, which has been described as a technical marvel and one of the best car chases in years.

One Battle After Another Streaming & Release Dates

For Australian viewers wondering how to watch:

Theatrical: The film was released globally in late September 2025 and is still playing in select cinemas.
Home Media: The film made its digital debut for rental/purchase on November 14, 2025. Physical media collectors should mark their calendars for January 20, 2026, when the 4K UHD and Blu-ray versions hit shelves.
Streaming: In the US, the film launched on HBO Max on December 19, 2025. For Australians, Warner Bros. titles typically land on Binge or Foxtel Now shortly after their US streaming debut. Keep an eye on your local listings for a late December or January drop.

FAQ: Everything You Need to Know

1. Is One Battle After Another based on a true story? No, it is a fictional story. It is loosely based on Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland, though Anderson has updated the setting and plot significantly. However, it draws heavy parallels to real-world history, such as the Weather Underground and modern US border politics.

2. Why is the movie rated R? The film contains "pervasive language, violence, sexual content, and drug use". It deals with mature themes including domestic terrorism and kidnapping.

3. Is One Battle After Another a comedy or a thriller? It is a genre-blending film described as a "black comedy action thriller". It mixes the tension of a political thriller with the "screwball" energy of a comedy, often shifting tones rapidly.

4. Did One Battle After Another flop at the box office? Technically, yes. Despite grossing over $205 million worldwide (making it Paul Thomas Anderson's highest-grossing film ever), it fell short of its estimated $300 million break-even point due to a massive production budget of up to $175 million.

5. What is the "VistaVision" format mentioned in reviews? VistaVision is a high-resolution 35mm film format created by Paramount in the 1950s. The film runs horizontally through the camera, offering a larger negative area. This results in sharper, less grainy images, which Anderson used to give the film’s landscapes and action sequences a unique, immersive texture.

Conclusion

One Battle After Another is a film that refuses to be easily categorized. It is a financial disappointment that critics are calling a masterpiece. It is a period adaptation updated for the modern political nightmare. It is a slapstick comedy about terrorism.

While it may have failed to light up the box office in the way a superhero franchise might, it has swept awards bodies like the National Board of Review and secured its place as the artistic peak of 2025. Whether you watch it for DiCaprio’s unhinged performance, the stunning VistaVision cinematography, or simply to see what the fuss is about, it is a film that demands to be seen.

Have you seen One Battle After Another? Did it deserve the Oscar buzz, or did the critics get it wrong? Let us know in the comments!

References

The Guardian, "Best films of 2025 in the UK: No 1 – One Battle After Another".
Variety, "The Awards Season Gamble".
Ticket 2 Ride, "One Battle After Another (film review)".

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