Movie Reviews with VUE: One Battle After Another is an instant classic ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
The Most Exciting Film of the Year
Some films arrive quietly; others crash through the cinema doors demanding attention. One Battle After Another is firmly in the latter camp. It’s a riot of adrenaline, paranoia, black humour, and emotional heft — the kind of movie that reminds you why the big screen still matters.
Plot and Pacing
I’ll admit, the first 20 minutes had me slightly bewildered. The backstory is dense — revolutionaries, betrayals, and shadowy military figures all crowding into the picture. But once the film shifts into the present day, the confusion clears and the movie slams into sixth gear. From then on, it’s a rollercoaster of chase sequences, blistering confrontations, and moments of piercing stillness.
Performances
Leonardo DiCaprio is extraordinary as explosives expert Pat, once a figurehead of the resistance movement known as The French 75, now just a father desperate to protect his daughter. What makes the performance remarkable is not the explosions or the paranoia — though he delivers those in spades — but the tenderness. His love for his daughter Willa is so uncompromising, so raw, that it anchors the entire film.
Chase Infiniti, in her debut role as Willa, is a revelation. She doesn’t simply hold her own opposite DiCaprio — she challenges him, giving as good as she gets with a mix of wit, anger, and surprising vulnerability. Their chemistry makes the relationship not just believable but vital. The father–daughter dynamic is the beating heart of the story.
And then there’s Sean Penn, who plays Colonel Lockjaw with grotesque relish. He is repellent, terrifying, and oddly magnetic — a villain who lingers long after the credits roll.
Direction and Style
The film marries dark comedy with blistering action in a way that feels fresh and daring. Imagine Slow Horses on acid — cynical, sharp, and frequently absurd — but then add sequences of pure blockbuster spectacle. The pacing is relentless once the groundwork is set, the cinematography is kinetic without being chaotic, and the editing keeps the tension razor-sharp.
There’s also a satirical edge, a sly wink beneath the chaos, that elevates the film beyond standard action fare. It lampoons authority while exploring paranoia, survival, and the messy legacy of revolutionary ideals.
Themes
At its core, this is a story about love and survival. The battles, the betrayals, the politics — all of it is backdrop to a simple, powerful theme: a father willing to risk everything to protect his daughter. That emotional spine keeps the movie grounded even in its most outrageous moments.
Verdict
One Battle After Another is the most exciting film to watch this year — a dark comedy, a political thriller, an action blockbuster, and an intimate family drama rolled into one. It’s chaotic, yes, but deliberately so; it keeps you off-balance, then hits you with something funny, terrifying, or heartbreakingly tender.
Instant classic status is assured.
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