One Battle After Another — One Mistake After Another

I went into One Battle After Another with high expectations. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, and Paul Thomas Anderson involved, the promise was cinematic mastery. What I found instead was a film built on narrative shortcuts, implausible plot twists, and ethical oversights. From romanticizing violent rebellion to handling betrayal superficially, the story fails to capture the tension and moral complexity it aims for.

The film’s most troubling choice is introducing what can only be described as “reverse rape” to justify a relationship between a white supremacist and a Black woman—a contrived device that avoids ethical responsibility and flattens character agency. Other implausible elements include the main character demanding information without knowing the password, and portraying white supremacists as omniscient, all-powerful figures.

Despite its remarkable cast and visionary director, the film collapses under its own contradictions. One Battle After Another stages many battles—political, moral, and narrative—but wins none, leaving viewers disappointed rather than provoked.