The Stream: It’s a long movie at more than 2 and a half hours.

The Big Screen: Teyana Taylor, Leo DiCaprio and propulsive actions sequences.

The Final Bill: An entertaining, wild ride of a movie that’s thrilling, engaging and thought-provoking.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Writers: Paul Thomas Anderson
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Rating: R for pervasive language, violence, sexual content, and drug use
Runtime: 2 hours 34 minutes
Production Companies: Ghoulardi Film Company, Warner Bros.
Platform: In theaters September 26, 2025
Notable Trailers: Roofman, Anemone, No Other Choice, After the Hunt, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Is This Thing On?, The Bride!, Wuthering Heights

Hey, Streamers! As scary movies begin to fill up movie theater screens this fall, it’s good to have some counterprogramming for the less horror-inclined moviegoers. Thus, here comes an action, thriller from a great auteur, Paul Thomas Anderson, and a bona fide movie star, Leonardo Dicaprio, in One Battle After Another. In One Battle After Another, Leo plays Bob Ferguson, a former revolutionary and single father to Willa (Chase Infiniti), who has to go to drastic lengths to rescue his daughter when a threat from the past comes back into their lives. Political strife, car chases and a smidge of domestic terrorism hijinks ensue.

In One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson has written and directed a challenging and complicated movie that blends political themes and undeniably entertaining action. This movie is more than just an action flick as it weaves ideas about political turmoil, revolution, immigration, among other things throughout while also focusing on the tender connection between a father and daughter. The screenplay does a great job of blending these ideas together yet still creating an accessible and engaging action movie. Anderson uses editing and cinematography to enhance the look and momentum of this film. While the movie is over 2 and a half hours long, it never feels slow or boring – in fact, the final 45 or so minutes fly by. It moves from set piece to set piece with ease and will have you on the edge of your seat without you even realizing it.

Since this movie moves like an epic chase sequence, the audience meets various characters on its way to the conclusion. Thus, the cast gets memorable moments to shine. Teyana Taylor is a magnetic in her role as Perfidia Beverly Hills, who is Willa’s mother. Taylor is fierce and compelling. She has a commanding presence that lingers over the entire movie. Leo DiCaprio gets to play exasperated and desperate. He taps into some comedic moments that he’s done so well in movies over the years. He’s relatable in the most absurd ways. The entire cast is really great including Chase Infiniti, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Regina Hall. The size of their roles may vary, but their impact is undeniable.

Ultimately, One Battle After Another mixes an interesting narrative, strong performances, and great action sequences into a surprising and engaging movie. Even though the movie is more than 2 and a half hours long, the momentum of the story never lets it drag, and the movie even flies by at times. Paul Thomas Anderson hits another one out of the park with strong direction, amazing visuals, and a special story. Grab a big box of popcorn!