On Sep. 26, 2025, “One Battle After Another” was released to the public. This exhilarating film is a must-see for fans of Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn.
The movie opens with a revolutionary woman, played by Teyana Taylor, named Perifidia Beverley Hills. Perifidia presents herself as a colorful character with many layers.
She’s a member of a radical group, French 75, with what can be seen as extremely left-wing and not shared by many in the world. The group fights for abortion and deportation — issues relevant to today, in a radical way.
The group begins by freeing a group of detained immigrants from a detention center. The liberation of the immigrants sets off a domino effect of events, and the group grows more powerful and renowned. The most prominent leaders give potentially Oscar-worthy performances.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Pat, a white minority in a predominantly African American rebellion. Pat, who lives in a constant state of high, is constantly paranoid because of his past as a revolutionary.
He pushes this worry onto his teenage daughter; naturally, she doesn’t listen to him. Willa, played by up-and-coming actress Chase Infiniti, rebels against her father as teenagers do.
I was excited for this movie since I saw a few clips in early July. Tell me the clips of Teyana Taylor shooting a huge gun — while pregnant — wouldn’t entice you.
I walked into this movie with high expectations and was left amazed. It left an interesting impact on me. I feel like this movie was a reflection of our current world in some ways.
While initially it was initially a strong film at the box office for the first week or so, it only went downhill after that. While the reviews remain mostly positive, the film’s box office performance has been dismal.
The film cost an estimated $200 million to make and grossed around $142 million at the box office. My theory is that the film’s potentially politically alienating message may have been off-putting for some people.
Often, the media and films today are a reflection of the beliefs and values of many people. The film also explores many wedge issues of the world today, such as government overreach, abortion, immigration, racism and white nationalism.
An important message I’ve pulled from the movie is about the principles and morals of Colonel Lockjaw — the fact that he lacks them. I’m watching a real-life depiction of a villain willing to do anything to get what he wants.
Overall, the film reels you in with its action-packed plot, and it would be a great film to add to the watchlist.