One Battle After Another (2025) is a powerful story of resistance | Film Review
- Bianca
- Dec 9, 2025
- 4 min read
What a year for the revolution. Not only did Kendrick bring back Gil Scott-Heron’s iconic line, but that quote is vital in one of 2025’s most buzziest films, One Battle After Another.
Just to make you aware, there will be spoilers in this review, so keep that in mind if you want to continue watching, but I am very excited to talk about this film, so let's get started.
One Battle After Another follows an ex-revolutionary forced back into his old lifestyle when he and his daughter become targets of a corrupt military officer. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. It is written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Right away, the film sets the tone. It introduces Perfidia and Ghetto Pat, members of the revolutionary group French 75, who have a romantic relationship and become parents to a baby girl. It also quickly introduces us to Lockjaw, the corrupt military officer, who lusts after Perfidia. Flash forward, she messes around with both of them. Things don’t work out with Ghetto Pat, and she truly doesn’t care for Lockjaw at all. She gives birth and abandons her child, leaving Ghetto Pat to raise her on his own.
The visuals in One Battle After Another are really good. One of my favorite shots is Charlene, now known as Willa, inside the car, and as she closes the car door, the camera moves with it.
There are also some awesome extreme wide shots, especially on the road in the desert, showcasing the amount of space. Instead of feeling small or cluttered, these shots feel big and empty. You see right away that no one is around except a few characters. Bob, formerly known as Ghetto Pat, is desperately trying to find Willa, but in those extreme wide shots, he's nowhere in sight. I think it evokes hopelessness because the shot is so big and he’s nowhere around to save his daughter, even though he’s trying.
The scenes where Willa is driving over the hills almost make you feel like you are riding over those hills, like maybe it was just me, but I could sort of feel knots in my stomach. Those scenes were very thrilling to me. They also utilize some really cool shots with the rear-view mirror and the side mirror.
Lastly, I loved the outside scene where Bob is following the three guys as they try to escape on the roof. It's nighttime, so there’s not much lighting, but it's lit in a way that works. The silhouettes and the shadows looked really good. Even though we saw the chaos happening previously, you still understand the atmosphere below with the smoke, flashing lights, and background noise of chaos.
Despite the film being pretty suspenseful, it also has some funny moments. Bob has already become a meme, and you can’t help but laugh at that part when you see it. But Bob's drug use has affected his life and relationships.
He has to re-figure out things from his past as it relates to the French 75 that he hasn’t thought about or engaged with for years. But Bob is genuinely in distress. Willa’s life also changes, discovering her connection to Lockjaw, meeting Deandra, and learning the truth about her mother. That final scene where Bob finally finds Willa and she is so on guard, she’s not quick to just run to Bob, that was a super emotional part. That Gil Scott-Heron quote remains important. It was literally between life and death.
There are some real standouts in this film, and I think for the most part, it was well cast. Teyana Taylor may not have had the most screen time, but her impact from the first act drives the story. Because of her, Bob is a father, he changed his ways to raise his daughter, but still raised her with that revolutionary mindset.
Leonardo DiCaprio really embodied his character. I think he makes you feel what he’s feeling, and he goes through a lot.
Sean Penn as Lockjaw did a good job being an extremely unlikable character. One moment that really stuck out to me is the tonal shift in his voice during the Christmas Adventurers interview regarding whether he’s had an interracial relationship. In my opinion, Sean Penn’s expression and tone nail the psychology behind lying.
Regina Hall’s character Deandra feels very nurturing, especially for Willa, who didn’t grow up with her mom. Deandra just cares; she cares about Willa, she cares about helping immigrants, she cares about the revolution.
Benicio del Toro’s character, Sergio, was awesome. He’s more than Willa’s karate teacher, he’s a community leader helping immigrants escape via his hidden passage, and he really was Bob’s greatest defender.
Last but not least, Chase Infiniti as Willa, she kills it as an ordinary teenage girl just practicing karate, hanging with friends at the dance, to suddenly getting thrown into situations from her parents' past, adjusting to it, and fighting to stay alive.
In conclusion, I completely understand the critical acclaim for One Battle After Another. It’s a timely story that reflects very real struggles people face today. I think the main takeaway is to fight for change because that’s what people do during a revolution.
Check out the trailer below:
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