Director Paul Thomas Anderson is back, bringing with him a terrific chase thriller loosely inspired by the 1990 novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon.

Set in modern-day America, the film opens with Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor) walking down a road by an immigrant detention center, meeting up with a group of far-left revolutionaries known as the French 75. Among them is “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun (Leonardo DiCaprio), Deandra (Regina Hall) and others who engage in sporadic rebellious violence against authority and the government by blowing up courts, robbing banks, and freeing detained immigrants. In one such raid, Perfidia draws the attention of Captain Steven Lockjaw (Sean Penn) who develops a sexual fascination with her and eventually forces a sexual encounter. After a botched robbery, things go south for the group. Pat brings his newborn daughter with Perfidia, Charlene, and goes into hiding under the names Bob and Willa Ferguson after Perfidia abandons them.

Sixteen years later, Charlene/Willa (Chase Infiniti) is now a high schooler, while Pat/Bob has descended into drug abuse and paranoia. Meanwhile, Lockjaw has become a strong force in anti-immigration efforts and is invited to join a high-ranking clandestine society of far-right white supremacists, the Christmas Adventurers Club, promising a life of power and riches. Worried about his past with Perfidia and the possibility that Willa is his mixed-race daughter, Lockjaw begins his hunt for the pair and vows to cover up his past interracial relationship from the Christmas Adventurers.

One Battle After Another is a breakneck chase thriller that exhilarates and takes one breath away through its masterfully orchestrated action sequences. Clocking in at close to 3 hours, the film went by quickly. While it took some time to find its footing and set up its chess pieces in the first act, once the hunt begins, the film picks up completely and never lets go of the urgency, hurtling us through never-ending hoops and twists, culminating in a heart-thumping climax. “Ocean waves, Bob. Ocean waves,” is a phrase uttered multiple times by Willa’s zen karate teacher Sensei Sergio St. Carlos, hilariously played by Benicio Del Toro, to calm the nerves of an agitated and hungover DiCaprio on the run. In reality, the visual manifestation of ocean waves on a road evokes the complete opposite among the audience. Coupled with the most gorgeous road cinematography since Mad Max: Fury Road, the resulting scene is an instant classic, and one of the most original and beautiful car chases ever put on screen.

While extremely plot-driven, Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest output is equally character-driven. Set against the backdrop of modern-day America, or more so an alternate or near-future America, the film plays with stereotypes across the entire political spectrum, offering commentary and satire on the current political landscape of the country through its various multi-dimensional characters. The structure of the film and the hunt also remind me of No Country for Old Men, another terrific, nerve-wrecking chase thriller by the Coen Brothers, which highlights its three main characters through their dynamics in the hunt and their interaction (or lack thereof) with each other throughout the entire film. In similar fashion, One Battle’s characters are portrayed not only through their actions, but also through the role they play in the hunt. The story is motivated by character as much as it is by plot. Proof of that lies in a surprise scene involving one particular character towards the end which might seem redundant at first, but is actually intelligently subversive in its construction and adds layers to the character in concern and to the archetype the character represents in general (no spoilers).

The cast is perfect across the board. Given that this is a PTA film, pitch-perfect casting and performances are almost always expected. Leonardo DiCaprio is hilarious, and so is Benicio Del Toro, in a completely different way. Both are yin and yang, and whenever they are on screen together, it is a blast. The dichotomy between a restless father eager to find his missing daughter and a calm, nonchalant karate sensei who runs an immigrant network in town is an unexpected yet perfect combination that creates the most remarkable on-screen chemistry. Sean Penn is effortlessly funny as Captain Lockjaw, a commanding officer who constantly walks like he has a stick up his ass and smacks his lips in disapproval at any and every thing. The genius of his performance lies in how he rides the fine line of commanding authority and pathetic submission throughout the entire film, crafting a truly captivating on-screen presence that parallels Christoph Waltz’s Nazi officer Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds.

Film composer Jonny Greenwood collaborates once again with PTA. The score is absolutely terrific and serves as a pivotal guiding force through the entire film. Sometimes overwhelming, the score knows when to take over and when to take a step back. The orchestra comes crashing in during the opening minute of the film, punctuating a moment that becomes more significant as the film progresses. The theme is then repeated two more times in the film, highlighting the connection between the scenes and the fatefulness of the events. River of Hills, in particular, is a masterpiece in tension scoring. Coupled with the impeccable cinematography by Michael Bauman, the climax of the film will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest scenes in this decade, if not this century.

All in all, One Battle After Another is Paul Thomas Anderson returning to full form, delivering a near-perfect whirlwind of a film. It is certainly the best film of the year so far.

Author: Chia Jing Heng (andreusjh99)