One Battle After Another is not the usual entertainer. But writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson executes it with brilliance and also makes a strong political statement. The film is 162 minutes long and doesn’t seem stretched or boring even for a moment. There’s a constant background score and at times its feel is contrary to the goings-on in the scene. Yet, it somehow flows very well. The camerawork is A-1, especially in the chase scenes; it immerses you and on IMAX, the experience was even greater. A minor issue is that certain developments, though important, happen rather conveniently. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers yet another outstanding performance. Sean Penn is on another level and he’ll surely get a nomination in the Oscars. Benicio del Toro (Sergio St Carlos) and Teyana Taylor (Perfidia) leave a huge mark, while Chase Infiniti (Willa), Tony Goldwyn (Virgil) and John Hoogenakker (Tim Smith) also do well. Carlos McFarland (Bluto; Willa’s classmate) is hilarious. All in all, One Battle After Another shouldn’t be missed.
My rating – **** out of 5!