In a world where resistance and the idea of a revolution is more prevalent than ever, One Battle After Another is a movie that solidifies PTA as a mainstay in the fight for film supremacy.

Speaking of a revolution, there will need to be a new one started against the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences if Sean Penn does not win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. His nasty, yet brilliant work as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw in this movie is the best acting to come from this man’s mind and body in his entire career, and maybe anyone’s career. As a painfully menacing force, Penn forces you to look around every corner whether he is on screen or not. Penn does not work in this film if he didn’t have the scope of PTA’s vision or the other fantastic players to bounce off of though, so let’s get to them.

If Penn wasn’t in this, we would exclusively be talking about Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob. Channeling his inner Jeff Lebowski, Leo turns in a performance that only expands on his role as Rick Dalton from the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood trailer scene. Bringing almost a laugh per minute, he brings levity to a pretty serious role as a father figure doing everything he can to protect his daughter. Said daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) turns in a child performance that is far from the annoyance that she could have been. Can you even call this a child performance when she’s 25 in real life though? Either way, the multiple layers of her performance are not to be ignored. Benicio Del Toro and Teyana Taylor only bring those layers deeper and deeper to add an uncontrolled electricity to every scene. Regina Hall is in this movie too, sorry I’m not saying more, I wish you did more <3.

Many things are clear within this and that includes showing off that not only is PTA a perfect director, but also a writer. Taking you up and down hills of circumstances that will not only have you laughing from absurd truths, it will feed you non stop energy through disbelief in what you’re witnessing. I wish I knew more about the technical aspect of films, as all I can say the scale of everything brought to screen is simply put, beautiful. You could be in a car, a karate studio, or a mountain road and you’ll be lost in the freedom of every shot. This film is important for many many reasons as it digs a tunnel deep into your brain with its strides and details. Everyone and everything is running circles around anyone who dares try to come close.

I could get nitpicky with the small details I found to be expected, but I won’t be a prick. The social commentary is important, the performances are on another level, and the direction had me losing my mind. OBAA is a highlight from the big screen as the seasons change.

9/10