Director Paul Thomas Andreson delivers a khichdi of genres in a seamless manner. The best part of Paul Thomas Andreson narration is how he manages to find humor in even the direst of circumstances. The movie’s socio-political commentary- like the angle of racial discrimination- doesn’t feel force fitted at any point. There is a natural blend to the way events unfold
Starcast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor and others
Genre: Action thriller/drama
Director and writer: Paul Thomas Andreson
Based on: The Book Vineland by Thomas Pynchon
Producers: Adam Somner, Sara Murphy and Paul Thomas Andreson
Production Company: Ghoulardi Film Company
Cinematography: Michael Bauman
Music: Jonny Greenwood
Running time: 2 hours and 50 minutes
The best way to describe One Battle After Another would be a chaotic ride in the best manner. The movie takes the viewers on a roller coaster of a journey from the beginning itself. The plot doesn’t waste any time in establishing a revolutionary group called French 75. A scene stealing Leonardo DiCaprio along with a fierce Teyana Taylor are a part of this French 75. A revolutionary group taking on a fascist regime.
There is a daring rescue operation involving the immigration detention center. Sean Penn plays colonel Steven Lockjaw. He is absolutely smitten by Teyana Taylor’s Perfidia Beverly Hills. The first half an hour establishes the motives of French 75 and the mayhem they cause. However once incident changes everything leading Leonardo DiCaprio’s Bob and the young child played by Chase Infinti to go underground. Perfidia Beverly has already left her husband and daughter due to a certain friction. Bob is leading a quiet life with the grown-up daughter but the past returns back to haunt and soon the movie turns into a race against time.
A strong aspect of One Batlle After Another is the entertainment quotient. The movie raises many chuckles at regular intervals: this in spite of the tense situations. A lot of credit for that goes to Leonardo DiCaprio’s comic timing. When his daughter suddenly disappears, he knows that she is in peril and tries to contact his old comrades. However, the person on the phone insists on their secret code answers which Bob cannot recollect due to the overuse of drugs and alcohol in all these years. This keeps repeating generating a lot of comedy.
The portions of Bob as a father and how he interacts with the daughter’s friends specially the scene where she is going to a party is hilarious to say the least. Leonardo simply brings the house down. In the emotional scenes also, he does a fine job. The desperation is palpable making the viewers root for him. In short Leonardo is first rate.
Mention must also be made of the impactful socio-political commentary. The political violence led by colonel Steven Lockjaw in how the immigrants and the black community are treated has a contemporary touch. The result of extreme authoritarianism and how this leads to rebellious groups like French 75 has been well written and enacted.
The movie also pays a nod to Hitler’s dictatorial ways in a sequence resembling a gas chamber. Sean Penn makes for a suitably despicable antagonist even though the character becomes a mere caricature as the plot progresses.
The character of Chase Infiniti has been well crafted. There is a strong inner strength to the role and a certain street-smart nature. She isn’t someone waiting for her to dad rescue her. There is an important sequence where she bumps off an assassin after he fails to answer an important code question. Chase Infiniti more than holds her own opposite Leonardo.
The cinematography of Michael Bauman is also eye filling. The vast landscape specially in the tense chase sequence makes the movie a visual delight. The background score of Jonny Greenwood also adds to the drama.
Final word: I am sure that a person who is familiar with American political context would understand the film more comprehensively.
