Une bataille après l'autre

The film kept my attention and I genuinely enjoyed watching it, but I walked away feeling like something was missing. I'm still not sure why critics are so ecstatic about it - it's a solid piece of work, just not exceptional in the way the reviews suggest. I don't regret the time spent, yet I don't feel any desire to rewatch it either.

I'll admit, this didn't grab me at first. The opening felt slow, and the revolutionaries were a little too over the top for my taste. But somewhere along the way, the film won me over, mostly thanks to Bob. I've never been a big DiCaprio fan, yet he's fantastic here as a paranoid, anxious ex revolutionary who's clearly let himself go. He stumbles through scenes with this jittery, washed out energy, like a man who's spent far too many years drunk, high, and avoiding reality.

His phone calls with the revolution's customer service line where he can't remember the code he desperately needs, had me laughing out loud. Moments like that reminded me how rare it is to see something this original anymore.

The film throws everything into the mix: revolutionaries, white supremacist secret societies, hidden tunnels, explosions, political tension, bursts of action, and a healthy dose of absurdity. It's chaotic, strange, and surprisingly entertaining once it finds its rhythm.

Granted it's good, and I like most of PTA's films, but it's not like this is anywhere near as brilliant as something like There Will Be Blood or The Master.

The plot is very simple, and while that's not a bad thing, I found it difficult finding anything substantial to grab onto. The performances are certainly good but again it feels like all the actors with the exception of probably Chase Infiniti and maybe Sean Penn aren't given a whole lot to do.

In my opinion this was far less interestingly photographed than something like Phantom Thread, and with less compelling characters than something like The Master, and lacked the spectacle and gravitas of something like There Will Be Blood.

Still better than most films releasing these days, but if you're looking at all the rave reviews like I was and expecting a masterpiece, from my perspective I'd be lowering my expectations.

It gets a 7/10 for being well performed and pretty well written, but I can't go beyond that because it lacked the depth I'd normally be seeking from filmmakers of PTA's caliber.

The movie "One Battle After Another", in summary, is about a former revolutionary on a mission to save his missing daughter. Directed and co-written by Paul Thomas Anderson, it's a thrilling political action flick that really shows off, once again, his talent for both writing and directing. However, the movie isn't consistent in its construction; at times it's unconvincing, and other times it feels unfocused. More than once, I had the same reaction I did with last year's "Emilia Pérez": a wildly original story that often seems to jump around without much logic, where anything can happen.

The whole movie basically belongs to Sean Penn as Col. Lockjaw. He totally steals the show with a character who's creepy, unhinged, and downright disturbing.

Like "Emilia Pérez", it's one of those stories you're either into from the start or you just don't care about at all.

I tried to watch this film not expecting too much, but the hype and mostly positive reviews overwhelmed my simple little brain. I'm certainly not disappointed, but also not dazzled. The film is highly enjoyable, darkly funny and very entertaining, but not the masterpiece I was longing for.

Leo plays an ex-revolutionary whose partner (ex-Mrs Iman Shumpert Teyana Taylor) has turned for the feds, leaving him to raise their daughter alone. Penn is the weird maniac obsessed with the turncoat and in turn wants to hunt down her now 16yo daughter.

The film is far too long, but races along at such a pace that the viewer is never bored. Penn and Leo are both desperately waging dual Oscar campaigns, but it is DiCaprio who delivers a wonderful performance, not far removed from Rick Dalton, but no less brilliant. 8/10.