--- title: "One Battle After Another: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/one-battle-after-another/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/one-battle-after-another" critics_score: 93 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # One Battle After Another (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 93 from 10 reviews: 10 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are as close to unanimous as they get: every notice is positive, and the spread runs from warm to ecstatic without a single mixed or negative voice. The praise clusters first on the action, with the late desert car chase named again and again as the sequence people leave talking about, and then on the cast. Leonardo DiCaprio’s burnt-out ex-revolutionary is the most often singled-out performance, with Sean Penn’s villain, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti close behind. Jonny Greenwood’s score and the VistaVision photography draw regular mention, as does the film’s head-on engagement with present-day American politics. Reservations are faint. The Guardian, the coolest of the notices, finds the pulp tone cartoonish and the forces of reaction drawn in broad strokes, and Screen Daily wonders quietly whether the film believes lasting change is possible. Nobody argues it is dull, and nobody argues it is short. ## Radio Times — Patrick Cremona Rating ★★★★★. 17 September 2025. The critic hails it as the best film of the year so far and a masterpiece, praising the thrilling and uproarious chase, sensational performances especially DiCaprio and Penn, inventive action set pieces, timely themes and emotional father-daughter core. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/app/one-battle-after-another-review-leonardo-dicaprio-shines-in-the-best-film-of-the-year-so-far/) ## Time Out — Lou Thomas Rating 5/5. 17 September 2025. The critic calls it a mighty 162 minutes of danger, comedy, excitement, love, sex and confusion, highlighting DiCaprio's fun performance, inspired sequences and timely political edge as a formidable piece of work from a director in top form. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/one-battle-after-another-review) ## The AV Club — Jesse Hassenger Rating A-. 17 September 2025. The review highlights DiCaprio's standout comic and moving performance as a burnt-out ex-revolutionary dad, and praises the film's smart balance of 1970s-style thriller elements, satire of white nationalism, righteous action, and themes of fatherhood and resistance. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/one-battle-after-another) ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2025. The critic hails the film as an exciting, goofy yet deadly serious epic that says no to complacency and oppression while celebrating the fight for justice and a father-daughter love story. It singles out the urgent, brilliantly directed engagement with contemporary American politics and the galvanic performance of Teyana Taylor as Perfidia for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/movies/one-battle-after-another-review-paul-thomas-anderson.html) ## Vulture — Alison Willmore Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2025. It is described as top-tier PTA that sprawls across genres and tones while refusing to center one character, with praise for DiCaprio's loser-era turn, Penn and Taylor's performances, inventive action sequences, and its measured optimism about cycles of activism and new volunteers stepping up. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-one-battle-after-another-is-top-tier-pta.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Richard Lawson Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2025. The critic calls it a furious, bracingly timely American epic and polemic that confronts current fascist creep and repressive politics head-on through an ex-revolutionary group's story. Anderson is praised for blending action, suspense, and ideas with strong performances (especially DiCaprio) and a mix of bleakness and cautious hope. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/one-battle-after-another-review-leonardo-dicaprio-1236372737/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2025. The critic describes Anderson's loose adaptation of Pynchon's Vineland as a bizarre, pulpy action thriller with comic-book energy and political indignation. It singles out the superbly managed car chases, Jonny Greenwood's score, and the central father-daughter story amid cartoonish forces of reaction. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/sep/17/one-battle-after-another-review-paul-thomas-andersons-thrillingly-helter-skelter-counter-culture-caper) ## Empire — Alex Godfrey 17 September 2025. The critic hails it as a stone-cold instant classic and blast of entertainment, praising its ambitious yet humane take on revolution and family, DiCaprio and Infiniti’s central relationship, and a thrilling car-chase sequence. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/one-battle-after-another/) ## Evening Standard — Nick Howells 17 September 2025. The critic deems it the coolest and most consummately masterful movie of the year, a rollicking riot and visual symphony, singling out the genius desert car chase sequence and DiCaprio’s hapless yet loving performance. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/one-battle-after-another-review-paul-thomas-anderson-leonardo-dicaprio-teyana-taylor-b1247490.html) ## Screen Daily 17 September 2025. The critic describes it as Anderson's most purely entertaining vehicle, an audacious action-thriller with muscular chases, electric energy from Greenwood's score and strong performances, while noting quieter concerns about lasting change in a corrupt world. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/one-battle-after-another-review-leonardo-dicaprio-powers-paul-thomas-andersons-gripping-thriller/5208987.article) ## Sight and Sound 24 September 2025. The critic praises Anderson's giddying, farcical political action thriller as a terrific ride full of relish, with Kubrickian satirical absurdism, inventive chases, ravishing VistaVision visuals and a strong Jonny Greenwood score. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/one-battle-after-another-theres-so-much-relish-paul-thomas-andersons-political-cat-mice-caper) ## The Independent — Clarisse Loughrey 18 September 2025. The critic calls it a ferocious masterpiece and definitive artist’s statement, praising its scale, swagger, clarity on resistance under white supremacy, and hopeful conclusion while highlighting standout performances from Teyana Taylor and Sean Penn. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/one-battle-after-another-review-leonardo-dicaprio-b2828827.html) ## Total Film — Jordan Farley 17 September 2025. The critic describes it as one of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/action-movies/one-battle-after-another-review-one-of-the-best-studio-movies-in-years-and-an-instant-classic/) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Rating 10/10. 17 September 2025. The critic calls it a generation-defining masterpiece and Anderson operating at peak power, blending a big-budget action film with timely political commentary, humor, and a deeply personal father-daughter story into an essential, propulsive work. They single out the masterful direction, standout cast performances (especially DiCaprio and Penn), and Jonny Greenwood’s score for particular praise. [Read the review](https://collider.com/one-battle-after-another-review-leonardo-dicaprio-paul-thomas-anderson/) ## Den of Geek — David Crow Rating 5/5. 17 September 2025. The critic hails Anderson's most action-heavy and transgressive film to date as a subversive epic that begins as sly comedy about political opposites vying for a revolutionary woman's attention and evolves into a plot-driven chase with profound emotional and political depth. Praise centers on the standout performances, especially Chase Infiniti as the daughter Willa who embodies hope amid the chaos, alongside DiCaprio's wry turn and Penn's sinister villainy. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/one-battle-after-another-review-leonardo-dicaprio/) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Rating 10/10. 17 September 2025. The critic calls it the best movie of the year, a fiercely political yet darkly funny action-comedy-thriller unlike anything PTA has made before. They single out the propulsive car chases, shootouts, and Leonardo DiCaprio's hilarious burnout performance for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1969966/one-battle-after-another-review/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond 17 September 2025. The critic calls it an extraordinary, crackerjack film that defies easy description and stands as a masterpiece. He singles out the sensational car chase sequence toward the end as one that ranks near the top of cinematic chase scenes. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2025/09/one-battle-after-another-review-leonardo-dicaprio-sean-penn-1236546480/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/one-battle-after-another.md