Bob is a washed-up revolutionary living in a haze of stoned paranoia, off-grid with his spirited and self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces and Willa goes missing, the former radical races against time to find her as both father and daughter face the repercussions of their pasts.
One Battle After Another was among the secret screenings at Fantastic Fest 2025, and it’s the kind of film that stays with you long after the credits roll. Any movie that exceeds two and a half hours has a lot to prove, but this one justifies every minute. The pacing is excellent—deliberate and unhurried without feeling slow—and the stunning visuals draw you further into its strange, chaotic world.
The film’s characters are deeply engaging, even when they’re downright deplorable. While the story relies heavily on caricature and exaggeration, the direction and craftsmanship are exceptional. Sean Penn’s portrayal of Colonel Lockjaw is intentionally over-the-top, a performance so exaggerated that it’s hard not to react, even if that reaction is disgust. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Bob with both passion and a surprising sense of playfulness, grounding the story with moments of real humanity amid the chaos. Benicio del Toro, even with limited screen time, makes every scene he appears in feel vital. And Chase Infiniti brings strength, vulnerability, and a fierce physical presence to Willa, commanding the screen in a way that marks a standout debut.
One thing the film emphasizes more than anything is how political everything is—not as a sermon, but as a reflection. The revolutionary group French 75 clearly draws inspiration from real resistance movements; they oppose immigration detention centers, confront an authoritarian colonel, and embody idealism in ways that feel both familiar and unsettling. The movie doesn’t shy away from showing the repercussions of extremism—how it can fracture relationships, distort loyalties, and leave both heroes and villains morally compromised. DiCaprio’s Bob and Taylor’s Perfidia aren’t portrayed as perfect; they argue, doubt, and sometimes their choices seem driven more by obsession than justice. There are also moments that feel eerily relevant: the ideological polarization, the distrust of institutions, and the way identity becomes weaponized. One Battle After Another doesn’t provide easy answers, but it forces you to confront the idea that when past radicalism comes back, its ghosts are never just symbolic—they carry weight, pain, and harm. It’s messy. It’s uncomfortable. And, surprisingly, it’s also essential.
There’s a lot about One Battle After Another that’s intentionally absurd — from its heightened political backdrop to the more ridiculous side characters — but rather than shy away from that, the film embraces the chaos. It’s this confident embrace of tone that lets it strike a balance between dark satire and genuine emotional weight.
It’s not a perfect film, but that’s not its goal. Ambitious, bold, and often wildly entertaining, One Battle After Another rewards viewers’ patience and focus. Even with its quirks and excesses, it’s the kind of movie that sticks with you — one you keep thinking about long after leaving the theater. For me, that makes the experience more than worth it, and it comfortably earns a solid 4 out of 5 stars.