Review: ‘One Battle After Another’ is non-stop chaos
‘One Battle After Another’ is a frantic display of social disruption that evolves into a desperate attempt to address past mistakes.
Standing up for one’s beliefs is a timeless tradition. There’s a rich history of protests and revolutions across the globe. Citizens challenging the system, the norm and the unjust. In some instances, people risk their lives attempting to bring about change. Levels of violence vary from pacifist to antagonist, while some are painted as the latter in spite of being the former. When activism fails, leaders are forced underground. They’re sentenced to a lifetime of hiding and watching everything they fought against reach fruition. Or they find another avenue to fight their fight. In One Battle After Another, crusaders learn the fight never truly ends.
The French 75 is a group of revolutionaries aggressively opposing deportation policies, anti-abortionists and capitalism. Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor) is fearless, delivering messages and bombs to further the cause. Her partner, Ghetto Pat (Leonardo DiCaprio), is the group’s explosives expert. They’re both mad — about each other and in general. However, during one of the group’s missions, they cross paths with the vindictive Colonel Lockjaw (Sean Penn) who repeatedly resurfaces to disrupt their lives. After the birth of Perfidia and Pat’s daughter, only one of them is willing to choose her over the cause. When everything inevitably goes wrong, father and daughter go into hiding, but even their asylum is fleeting.
This is one of Paul Thomas Anderson’s most accessibly bizarre pictures, featuring relatable themes and fascinating characters. Yet, it’s also very chaotic. Scenes are charged with frenetic energy, whether the 75 are carrying out an attack or Lockjaw is fulfilling a personal mission. The revolutionaries resemble anarchists, giving the film’s first act a disorderly feel. But focusing on the meaning behind the mayhem makes the turbulence more digestible.
Political statements in a movie about revolution are unavoidable, particularly as the characters confront many of the issues facing Americans today. Yet, it also shows the movement’s flaws. There’s particular humour found in the French 75’s adherence to long, obscure passwords that members are expected to recite after decades of inactivity… and a lot of drug and alcohol abuse. Pat’s inability to reply correctly is a gag that keeps on giving over the course of the film.
The Christmas Adventurers are the French 75’s antithesis. They consist of racists trying to safeguard the patriarchy at any cost. Lockjaw and his decades-long quest to detain alleged illegal immigrants is a perfect fit — except for his past indiscretions. The group’s affinity for St. Nick is absurd and a little creepy. But their rules are strict and Lockjaw may find himself on the naughty list.
The personalities are uniquely enthralling. Taylor plays a woman who’s strong-minded. She wants to always be in control and finds even the smallest act of defiance in situations where her power is restricted. She’s wild but knows exactly what she wants in life. Perfidia comes from a long line of revolutionaries and she has no intention of ever betraying her blood right.
DiCaprio portrays a man along for the ride. Pat loves Perfidia unconditionally, believes in the cause, enjoys shouting slogans like “Viva la revolución!” and provides an essential service with his explosives’ expertise. But with the birth of their daughter, he sees a path to a new life that Perfidia cannot accept.
However, they’re both outdone by Penn. His colonel is such a distinct character. In spite of not experiencing male baldness, he sports a forward-facing combover that runs down the middle of his military-issued buzzcut. He walks like he’s trying to keep something clenched between his butt cheeks. He’s obsessed with Perfidia in spite of his racist ideologies. He also has an uncommon way of speaking that makes his character appear either intimidating or foolish, but never both.
The film becomes progressively funnier the more out of control the situation becomes. Pat’s friendship with Benicio Del Toro’s Sensai Sergio St. Carlos is especially amusing. They seem to be on very similar wavelengths, though the karate teacher is the epitome of calmness while Pat is constantly bouncing off the walls.
The laughs range from awkward to explicitly funny, which is part of the movie’s charm. It’s frenzied but unambiguous, mixing political commentary with human connections in a manner that won’t please everyone, but will entertain those open to its intense energy.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio; Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro
