One Battle After Another: 2025’s Must See

Release Date：Sep/26/2025

Genre：Dark Comedy/Action/Crime/Drama/Thriller

Director：Paul Thomas Anderson

Cast：Leonardo DiCaprio、Sean Penn、Benicio Del Toro、Teyana Taylor、Chase Infiniti

Viola's Rating：

This is the fourth feature film Leonardo DiCaprio has acted in since winning the Oscar for The Revenant. Similar to his role in The Revenant, DiCaprio once again tries to rescue his child from an interracial marriage. Still, instead of being the hero of the film as he usually is, he plays a homebody who receives more than he gives in One Battle After Another, which will be released in the US on September 26, 2025.

Loosely based on the 1990 novel Vineland, this dramatic crime-action thriller was created by Oscar-winning director Paul Thomas Anderson, known for his dark comedies. One Battle After Another tells the story of a group of ex-revolutionaries who reunite to rescue one of their own’s daughter when their evil enemy resurfaces after 16 years. 

As a dark comedy, the protagonist Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) isn’t the typical hero who’s good at everything, fighting and winning every battle he encounters. Instead, he doesn’t even remember the passwords needed to access critical information for the rendezvous point. Shaggy and sloppy, this loser-like, ridiculous ex-revolutionary nevertheless wins the audience’s heart. Despite his incompetence, moviegoers will cheer him on, hoping he can eventually bring back his daughter. 

The rebellious organization Ferguson belongs to is called “French 75,” named either after the powerful French 75mm field gun or the cocktail inspired by it. Its defining characteristic is exactly the same as the kick of its namesakes, being able to knock people down quickly and precisely. In the first part of One Battle After Another, French 75’s deeds are showcased on the big screen, delivering adrenaline-packed action sequences and setting the tone for the motion picture. 

Yet beneath the violent plot, what Anderson really wants to explore is career vision, love, and responsibility. When Ferguson was a revolutionary, he dedicated himself 100% to the cause, but when he became a father, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to his daughter. He’ll do anything to save her. 

Alongside Ferguson’s rescue mission, One Battle After Another also weaves in social issues, especially racism. Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) and Ferguson represent the far-right and far-left, respectively, something that may make audiences wonder, “Does the US really need this movie right now?” especially since Charlie Kirk was just fatally shot not long ago due to political polarization.

All in all, One Battle After Another is no doubt the best picture of 2025. Its 161 minutes of nonstop, thrilling excitement, paired with impeccable camerawork, make it a spectacular piece of entertainment, but it also leaves moviegoers with deeper food for thought: Is this imaginary world actually the one Americans are living in today?

Picture Credit: IMDb