Car chases have appeared in movies for decades now, and various directors have managed to put their own personal touches on them. Paul Thomas Anderson apparently sought to do just that in his 2025 movie release, One Battle After Another, and he succeeded with flying colors. The sequence in question enhances the already-stellar third act in a major way. Honestly, I thought I’d seen every kind of big-screen, vehicular pursuit, but this stressful and climactic segment is something else.
Major spoilers for One Battle After Another lie ahead.
Why Is The Final Car Chase In One Battle After Another So Great?
From a storytelling standpoint, this chase across a hill-laden road centers mostly around young Willa Ferguson, who seeks to evade capture from her newly discovered biological father, Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw. Ultimately, Lockjaw is handled by Christmas Adventurers Club member Tim Smith, who’s been hired to kill the colonel. That leaves Smith as Willa’s primary pursuer all while her Lebowski-like dad, Bob, ends up driving on the same road to find her.
The narrative stakes are high enough, but PTA and his DP, Michael Bauman, skillfully boost them via the way they shoot the chase. Filmed at the “Texas Dip” near Borrego Springs in California, the sequence is filmed from three distance-related perspectives, which highlight the road ahead of the drivers, the hills in the distance and the ways in which the vehicles drift in and out of each drivers’ sightline. The frontal road shots are particularly immersive, as they’re filmed almost from the perspective of the cars as opposed to their occupants.
What makes those aforementioned shots even cooler is the natural dipping nature of the road, which is downright mesmerizing. On paper, the notion of filming (and in such a distinct location) feels obvious, but to actually see it executed is mind-blowing. As amazed as I was, stress kicked in while I was in the theater as well, as the shots of the cars drifting in and out of sight made me nervous. So, you can imagine that I gasped when Tim crashed his car into Willa’s parked vehicle (a trap she devised by taking advantage of his blind spot).
The critically acclaimed One Battle After Another, which is PTA’s first true thriller, delivers plenty of excellent scenes with incredible set pieces. However, I’d argue that, from a technical standpoint, this car chase is the film’s greatest achievement, and that’s saying a lot with this fantastic flick.
There’s A Lot To Love About One Battle After Another
As noted in our One Battle After Another review, it’s one of the best films of 2025 and a strong addition to Paul Thomas Anderson’s filmography. Anderson tells a story steeped in political and social commentary, but he never preaches. The performances from the cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Regina Hall and up-and-comer Chase Infiniti, are also stellar. And, of course, the filmmaking on display is nothing short of impeccable. There’s even another car chase earlier in the movie that’s as aptly staged as it is visceral.
That second chase, though, is still the crown jewel and, even if viewers have seen films like Smokey and the Bandit, The Italian Job or Baby Driver, they’ll still appreciate it. I’d imagine viewers will also enjoy the wild ending that ultimately comes after the emotionally draining sequence. I’m not sure how any other filmmakers could possibly top this particular car chase, but I’d be mighty impressed if someone managed to. For now, though, I know I’m going to have to see OBAA’s chase a few more times.
One Battle After Another is now playing in theaters nationwide and, if possible, check it out in IMAX or VistaVision. Believe me, it’s well worth it for that chase scene alone.