When leaving the theatre after watching One Battle After Another, it takes great courage not to echo Bob Ferguson’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) shouts of “Viva la revolución” that escape from every fibre of his being. After 2 hours and 50 minutes of relentless anxiety and awestruck captivation, PTA’s latest feature leaves you with a profound sense of hope – something a big-budget blockbuster has failed to do for many years.

Brought to life through innumerable generational acting performances (particularly Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, and debut star Chase Infiniti) and grounded by a Jonny Greenwood score that haunts with an enigmatic simplicity, One Battle is a marvel of filmmaking. The script’s tight pacing keeps you on your toes throughout the thrill ride, seamlessly moving between multiple subplots that culminate in a masterful chase sequence, transporting your soul into an alternate reality where time is a forgotten dimension. And, by the end, the only thing you are sure of is that you just watched something profoundly important. On the surface, the film tells the tale of a washed-up revolutionary trying to save his only child from a fascist military captain. At its core, One Battle After Another explores the relationship between a drunk girl-dad and his fiercely capable daughter, as Bob tries to keep Willa out of a fight that she has been forced into.

Along the way, you are introduced to the other central characters: the ever-depraved Colonel Lockjaw (Sean Penn), the sincerely lovable Sensei (Benicio del Toro), and the calmly heroic Deandra (Regina Hall). What stood out as truly remarkable is the film’s ability to weave these themes of guerrilla politics and family connection into a narrative where each contrasts, reinforces, and ultimately depends on the other. It asks: What is revolution, if not love brought to action?

What I find interesting in discussing Anderson’s latest outing is how it fits into his broader filmography. The auteur’s work has explored many ideas, ranging from the depraved porn industry of the 1970s to the Californian oil boom in the early 20th century. However, what piques my interest is his fascination with character. Most importantly, I believe the familial bond between Bob, Perfidia, and Willa continues PTA’s discussion of motherhood and fatherhood, as thoroughly explored in Magnolia, offering a profound perspective into how our parents shape us, for better or worse. One Battle delivers an optimistic view: perhaps we can use what our parents taught us to build a better tomorrow – but only if we try.

Similarly, I believe the film has a great deal to say about forgiveness. How do we forgive our parents for the struggles they have forced us into? Can we forgive those who willfully abandoned us? Should we forgive the society that we have inadvertently left ourselves with? As with any truly moving piece of art, One Battle leaves us with as many answers as it does questions. The film is also Anderson’s most culturally relevant and overtly political piece to date. The first act posits a world on the brink of political ignition: well-drilled antifascist revolutionaries declare war on anti-immigration militants through rockets, raids, and robberies.

Only then, when the fire catches on both sides and hope seems lost, does the film ask its most important question. What if this nightmare is actually what we have allowed ourselves to live with in 2025? Its fictional world feels like a reflection of our own, and only by viewing it as a passive audience do you wake up to the horrors that we live with every single day.

Still, it would be ignorant not to mention the loudest critiques of the film, specifically as it relates to the politics in its production and messaging. Leonardo DiCaprio has recently signed on a 10% stake in a luxury hotel project in Tel Aviv and is good friends with many A-list Zionists (read Quentin Tarantino). This stands in clear contrast to the leftist, decolonial message the film is trying to get across. How do we truly make sense of a character who so strenuously opposes the realities of the actor who plays him? The film’s portrayal of black women has also come under fire by some, particularly with the character Perfidia Beverly Hills, as stereotypically over-sexualised and fetishised. Even if a character is meant to subvert or satirise a stereotype, one must still reckon with its inclusion to begin with. These criticisms are well-warranted and deserve to be included in the conversation, along with the widespread acclaim the film has received.

This is precisely what a big-budget movie should do. Not only does it have you sitting on your tippy toes for its entire runtime, but it also leaves you with a conversation worth having. In fact, I think the central message of the film is that this conversation needs to happen now, so that we can act before it’s too late.

One Battle After Another is not just a 3-hour chase sequence featuring Leonardo DiCaprio. It is the love between a father and daughter. It is a revolutionary anthem. It is the latest work from one of the greats. It is a protest. It is a community. It is trauma from the past. Most importantly, I think, it is hope for the future.