‘One Battle After Another’ is Thrilling and Relevant
Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
When his daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) is taken by an old foe, Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) enlists the help of his friends to get her back.
This movie rocks! It’s one of those films that, when the credits were rolling, I wanted to stay for the next showing. I immediately wanted to experience this film again because it is just so much fun. It is adrenaline-pumping and absolutely hilarious without watering down the emotional moments or shying away from some important themes. This is one of those movies that is both weighty and substantive while also being so much fun to watch.
Of course, this film is stacked with incredible talent. Leonardo DiCaprio is great as Bob, who is pretty out of place in this world and ill-prepared for this situation. While he used to be a revolutionary, he hasn’t lived that life in quite some time. And, in addition to being a single dad, he’s often high and intoxicated. This does hamper his ability to spring into action the way he may want to, and DiCaprio handles this perfectly.
There’s an earnestness to his performance that is really captivating. He is trying so hard to find his daughter, and you see his desperation in both the situation and the way that he is struggling to get through it. There are so many moments where DiCaprio is absolutely hilarious without ever losing that grief at the heart of the character.
When Bob is in crisis, he seeks the help of Sensei Sergio St. Carlos (Benicio Del Toro), who runs the dojo where Willa studies. Benicio Del Toro is amazing in this film (as always), bringing this cool, calm, and collected presence to Bob’s floundering. Their contrasting personalities make for some hilarious moments, while never diminishing the seriousness of the situation that they find themselves in. Sensei is also an important guide for Bob and for others that he encounters in this film.
Chase Infiniti is perfect in the role of Willa. She is absolutely believable as the daughter of these two revolutionaries who finds herself in this impossible situation. We see her fear as she finds herself in these dangerous situations and the shock on her face when all of her father’s paranoid ramblings start to be relevant and helpful. She is a tremendous actress who brings so much to this role, and I cannot wait to see what she does next!
Chase Infiniti in One Battle After Another | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Teyana Taylor and Regina Hall are also great as Perfidia and Deandra, respectively. Both of these women don’t get a ton of screentime, but when they are on screen, they are electric. Teyana Taylor can do anything, and I will believe her in any role that she plays. She is perfect as the strong leader, Perfidia. I was ready to run through a brick wall for her, so I absolutely understood the connection between her and her crew.
Deandra is such a competent character who also understands the danger of the situation that they’re in. One Battle After Another is so smart is consistently showing us characters who understand what they’re doing, know the risks, but continue forward anyway because they believe it’s the right thing to do. The film never shies away from the stakes of what people are doing, but continues to remind us of the dangers, which makes what these characters choose even more powerful.
Sean Penn is also fantastic in this film as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw, the villain who is behind this kidnapping plot. One of the brilliant aspects of this film is that we understand Lockjaw so well, and there is a real humanness to this character—he is doing awful and inexcusable things, but we understand where he’s coming from. The screenplay and Penn’s performance both highlight these human parts of this character. At the same time, he’s filmed as this caricature of what a military villain would look like. Penn’s performance, walk, and mannerisms are all so unique and absolutely make for some humorous moments. The way that Lockjaw is filmed also often makes him look small, which I think is an important piece of this as well. This villain is intimidating and terrifying, while also having some really human desires, and being an absolute laughing stock. All of these things coalesce to create a captivating character that I am both scared of and feel like I understand.
Teyana Taylor and Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
An aspect that surprised me about One Battle After Another is how relevant and hopeful it is. The film is unafraid to address issues like immigration and how migrants are treated here in the United States. We also see the militarization of police and what it looks like when that force is brought to bear on innocent civilians. We see a number of unjust things happen throughout the film, not just to Willa, but to regular people who are just trying to live their lives. And in 2025, all of these aspects are incredibly relevant and resonant.
But we don’t just see the difficulties and tragedies, but we also see how people are showing up to care for others throughout the film. There are so many ways that these characters try and get involved in doing what they believe is right and fighting for justice. There are the violent revolutionaries that Perfidia leads, the “Latino underground railroad situation” that Sensei leads, the radio broadcasts that are featured throughout, and more. The film is clear that there’s no one-size-fits-all way for us to engage in our communities, but there is always a way for us to do something.
In a day and age where it’s easy to feel isolated and alone, One Battle After Another is a surprisingly hopeful reminder that we can make a difference, even if it’s only in the lives of a few people, that’s still worth it. I was shocked by how hopeful this film left me; it was not at all what I expected after this action-comedy romp.
Benicio Del Toro in One Battle After Another | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
One Battle After Another features some excellent performances from an incredible cast, a thoughtful screenplay that combines action and heart together perfectly, and a score that complements everything that we see on the screen. This film is unafraid to tackle some of the most relevant themes that we’re facing today, while also featuring an emotionally powerful film with characters you want to root for. It’s also shot brilliantly!
There is so much to love about this film, and I cannot wait to see it again. This is a really special movie, and I’m so thrilled that audiences are flocking to it.