Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another is a slow-burning process of exploration of what is left after the battle ends. The movie, set in the aftermath of a failed revolution, tells a story of the wounds that never heal.

Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio), once a relentless revolutionist and now a single dad, drifts through life in a drug-induced haze. When the past he attempted to bury resurfaced and put his teenage daughter (Chase Infiniti) in danger, he is forced to confront the past – and himself.

This might be the only downside of the production. As a visual piece, One Battle… is worth every praise. The film was shot using unique VistaVision technology and the cinematography is breathtaking: dusty Californian valleys baked in the sun, flickering neon hideouts, beautiful open landscapes with majestic mountains shown in natural light and through wide-angle lenses. This creates such a staggering image that the film is worth seeing on the large screen. The score perfectly underlines the tension and becomes a part of the film’s rhythm, though it never seems overwhelming.

This role is loved by his fans, but the performance that caught the eye of the critics was Sean Penn’s role as Lockjaw. His acting is one of the most captivating elements of the movie – his voice, his walk and his characterisation together create a truly bewildering persona.

Viewers who admire Anderson’s famous films, such as Magnolia (1999), There Will Be Blood (2007) or The Master (2012), will be quite surprised to see how he ventures into the political action thriller genre – an unfamiliar manner for the director, though one that still bears a piece of his unique style. One Battle After Another may appear to be a radical departure from his previous work, yet it definitely continues his fascination with loneliness, disappointment and the chaos of human desire.

One Battle… replaces operatic coincidence with constant dynamic. The focused, calm camera work that contrasted with the vulnerability of those on screen in Magnolia, here is replaced by relentless action, as though camerawork and editing were dictated by the pulsating soundtrack from Jonny Greenwood. Yet beneath the surface, the film echoes Magnolia’s despair – people still search for meaning in a world of chaos, humour masks existential pain.

A comparison to Anderson’s two other films, There Will Be Blood and The Master, reveals another dimension of the director’s artistic evolution. Both are serious studies of power and belief, showing protagonists engulfed in obsession and moral decay, consumed by their ideologies.

His new film shifts this internal struggle into the public sphere, turning psychological conflict into literal warfare. Its modern setting transforms Anderson’s usual physical loneliness into political alienation, where action substitutes for reflection but never distracts from emptiness.

Ultimately, One Battle After Another reimagines Anderson’s repeating concerns, such as loneliness, faith and control, through this newly introduced cinematic mix of genres. The film is louder, faster and easier to grasp, but its roots stay with PTA.