Film enthusiasts are in for a treat as the potential best film of the year has finally arrived.
Directed by one of Hollywood’s most esteemed filmmakers and featuring an A-list star delivering one of his career-best performances, this three-hour epic is being hailed by critics for its unprecedented portrayal of our volatile, perplexing modern era.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest offering, One Battle After Another, sees iconic actor Leonardo DiCaprio take on the role of Bob Ferguson, a former revolutionary turned cannabis-smoking recluse who is thrust back into action when his daughter finds herself in peril.
From the acclaimed director of There Will Be Blood and Phantom Thread, this relentlessly gripping black comedy expertly intertwines thrilling action sequences with poignant commentary on 21st Century America, as Bob seeks assistance from karate master Sergio St. Carlos (portrayed by Benicio Del Toro) whilst evading formidable adversaries.
The film has been almost universally hailed as a “masterpiece”, earning an impressive 98 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on a whopping 120 reviews, reports the Mirror.
It also currently holds the title of the highest-rated American fiction film on Metacritic released this decade.
Slate has dubbed it as “the movie of the year”, noting that after Anderson’s decades-long endeavour to bring it to the big screen, the result is certainly worth the wait.
Their glowing review proceeded to describe One Battle After Another as a “mysterious yet gloriously entertaining movie”, noting that despite a stellar cast headed by DiCaprio, the standout performance comes from the “always-great but never-better Sean Penn” as the film’s antagonist, Col. Steven Lockjaw.
IndieWire also branded the film a “masterpiece”, stating in their critique: “A propulsive, hilarious, and overwhelmingly tender paranoid comedy-thriller car chase blockbuster whatever, PTA’s $~150 million Leonardo DiCaprio epic is the first movie of its size to accurately crystallize how insane it feels to be alive right now.”
They noted the high-octane thriller “begins at top speed and barrels forward so fast that you can barely even tell it’s moving in a perfect circle.”
Meanwhile, Next Best Picture’s Daniel Howat declared on X: “Propulsive from the jump, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is a jaw-dropping masterpiece.
“It captures the chaos of revolution, and the urgency of a father searching for his daughter. As riveting as it is playful, the film flies by, firing on all cylinders. A defining piece of cinema.”
Movie enthusiasts are even suggesting One Battle After Another is virtually certain to not only receive a nomination but secure Best Picture at next year’s Academy Awards.
One film lover wrote on X: “One Battle After Another is one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen in my life and far and away Paul Thomas Anderson’s finest cinematic achievement of his career.
“Wrap it up people, the Best Picture Oscar race is over. 10 out of 10.”
And another fan said: “Im calling it now. One Battle After Another will win Best Picture and Best Director.”
Are you planning to experience this gripping yet heart-wrenching blockbuster at the cinema this weekend?
One Battle After Another is in UK cinemas now.
