Close Menu

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    Testament Unleash Cover of “Seek & Destroy” from Metallica Tribute Album

    October 23, 2025

    ‘Married To Medicine’: Heavenly Kimes Branded a ‘F***ing Liar’ in Explosive Season 12 Trailer

    October 23, 2025

    Kantara Chapter 1 Hindi Box Office Day 21: Beats Rajinikanth's 2.0, Now The 6th Highest-Grossing Hindi-Dubbed South Film!

    October 23, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    8881199.XYZ
    • Home
    • Holly
    • Bolly
    • TV Shows
    • Music
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    8881199.XYZ
    Home»Hollywood»One Battle After Another Is Paul Thomas Anderson’s First True Thriller. Here’s Why I Think He Should Make More Of Them
    Hollywood

    One Battle After Another Is Paul Thomas Anderson’s First True Thriller. Here’s Why I Think He Should Make More Of Them

    David GroveBy David GroveOctober 3, 20257 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email
    One Battle After Another Is Paul Thomas Anderson’s First True Thriller. Here’s Why I Think He Should Make More Of Them
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email


    SPOILER WARNING FOR ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

    Aside from Stanley Kubrick, Paul Thomas Anderson is my favorite director. And, up until I saw One Battle After Another (which we gave a five-star review), I thought I had his number.

    But, no. I most certainly did not have Mr. Anderson’s number. Because even though I’ve loved every PTA film (especially Licorice Pizza, which I had to warm up to, but now adore), I really didn’t know what I thought of One Battle After Another while I was watching it. That’s because this movie is an action thriller, and PTA does not do action thrillers.


    You may like

    However, now that I’ve actually had time to sit with the film, I think PTA should make even more thrillers, and for a number of reasons. Here are just a few.

    One Battle After Another

    (Image credit: One Battle After Another)

    Paul Thomas Anderson Actually Does A Really Good Job Of Creating Tense Moments

    Now, I’ve always known that PTA can drum up the tension when he wants to, as he’s exhibited this talent in films like Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and There Will Be Blood. Hell, he even did it in his very first film, Hard Eight, which some might view as a thriller, but I would categorize it more as a crime drama. So, tension for PTA is nothing new.

    However, when I’ve always thought about PTA’s past flicks, tension was never the first word that came to mind. Wry-humored? Sure. Nostalgic? In many ways. Serious? You betcha! But suspenseful? No, that’s not a word that I would associate with PTA. Hitchcock? Of course, as that was his bread and butter. But PTA was not that kind of director.

    That is, of course, not until One Battle After Another, since this movie is suspenseful (and tense!) as all hell. The story mostly concerns a drugged-out, middle-aged man named Bob Ferguson (Or “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun) (DiCaprio) who spent a lot of his youth making explosives and aiding a left-wing revolutionary group called French 75.

    Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News

    He fell in love with one of its members, named Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyona Taylor), and eventually had a child with her (or so he thinks). As a dad myself, I can relate to losing all of the fire in your belly once you have children, since that’s exactly what happened to Ferguson: He had a kid, and settled down.

    Which is where the tension comes in, since a corrupt military man named Col. Lockjaw (Sean Penn) has suspicions that Ferguson’s child, Willa (Played by an amazing Chase Infiniti) might actually…well, I’ll just leave it there, but what I will say is that Lockjaw disrupts Ferguson’s whole existence. And, Ferguson, whose mind isn’t what it used to be from years of drug abuse, needs to protect his daughter at all costs, and those moments are really riveting!

    See also  'CAMP' is a Witchy, Resplendent Ode to the Power of Letting Go

    Benicio Del Toro getting arrested in One Battle After Another

    (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

    PTA Can Also Create Compelling Heroes And Villains

    Honestly, if there’s any movie in PTA’s catalog that might be my least favorite, it’s Inherent Vice, which I think says more about my feelings toward Thomas Pynchon’s writing than it does about PTA’s directing (Even so, I definitely think you should watch it if you want to get into the director’s work). The characters just didn’t work for me, and I had a hard time determining who I should root for or detest.


    You may like

    However, PTA doesn’t have that problem with One Battle After Another, as it’s entirely clear who the good guy is (Ferguson), and who the bad guys are (Lockjaw, and the Christmas Adventurers, who I’ll get into later). This is actually interesting since One Battle After Another is also based on a Pynchon novel (this one, Vineland), but one I will assume is a more loose adaptation than Inherent Vice was. Anyway, when it comes to the other “good guys,” it’s a bit harder to determine if they’re actually good, which is compelling.

    Benicio del Toro is certainly on the “good” team. He plays Willa’s sensei, Sergio St. Carlos. HE’s also a neighborhood leader who looks out for the people in his community. So, yes. A class act.

    Willa is also on the good side, as she wants no involvement in the drama that comes her way. The rest of the “good characters” is where things get interesting, as I don’t necessarily think the members of the French 75 are “good.”

    They’re destructive, and when it all comes down to it, they’re no better than the disillusioned men in Fight Club (which you should definitely rewatch). It’s in this way that PTA can create compelling heroes and villains in tense situations, which is great. He should do it more often.

    Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro in One Battle After Another

    (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

    He Has A Knack For Using Humor To Make Even Ugly Material Digestible

    Here’s the thing about One Battle After Another: Even though it deals with some serious subject matters, like sanctuary cities, military overreach, and white supremacy, it’s still really funny. This is one of the reasons why I often come to PTA’s films, as his sense of humor usually finds a way into his projects.

    See also  Keanu Reeves' Post-'John Wick' Comedy Movie Gets Angelic Rotten Tomatoes Score Ahead of This Weekend's Release

    And, this is perhaps the one aspect of Vineland that I think might have seeped into this loose adaptation, since the stoner comedy in Inherent Vice finds its way into this story as well. However, the humor in this film is really important, because without it, some of OBAA would be a bit hard to stomach.

    Case in point, the Christmas Adventurers Club, which consists of white supremacists who secretly run the country. They are looking to recruit Sean Penn’s character with the assumption that his blood is “pure” and that he hasn’t had any relations with any non-white women.

    Now, this is icky on multiple levels, and I know white nationalists exist (and possibly in high positions), but PTA gets a ton of humor out of them by making their beliefs seem comical and wrong.

    This is important, especially in a thriller, since 1. These characters do pose an incredible threat to our protagonists, and 2. It’s important that PTA makes it clear that there is nothing to admire or like about white supremacy, thus making them villains that you’re happy to see get taken down. But, I don’t know if any of this would work if the movie didn’t have PTA’s particular brand of humor.

    Leonardo DiCaprio wearing a hoodie in One Battle After Another

    (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

    Lastly, He’s Also Excellent At Putting Current Events In His Action Scenes

    I’m going to be frank with you. I don’t particularly care to follow current events. In fact, I’d much rather pay attention to all of the upcoming horror movies coming out rather than, like, you know, news about tariffs, immigration, or government shutdowns. That said, “real” news is important, and if I’m going to have to absorb it, I’d prefer to do it in the form of a movie rather than on some dedicated TV network.

    And, OBAA tackles many real-world issues, such as sanctuary cities. The movie takes an obvious side, but it presents it in a way that feels relevant to the plot (and feels thrilling at the same time).

    Or, what about white nationalism? PTA works this into his action scenes in fascinating, exciting ways. All of these surprised me since I didn’t know PTA had it in him to make a semi-political action thriller, but now that I know he does, I want more of it!

    So, if you’re reading this, PTA, please make another action thriller! You’re really good at it!



    Source link

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    James Bond Reboot Plot Rumor Will Have Action Fans Rolling Their Eyes

    The Key Way Christopher Nolan’s Batman Movies Impacted The Duffer Brothers’ Work On Stranger Things

    ‘Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc’ Review: The Popular Anime Bloodfest Gets a Sweet and Sad Movie Sequel

    Jason Statham Action Thriller With High-Flying Director Gets Glorious Release Date

    Don't Miss
    Bollywood May 21, 2025

    Riteish Deshmukh directorial Raja Shivaji to launch on Could 1, 2026, in six languages; deets inside : Bollywood Information – Bollywood Hungama

    Jio Studios and Mumbai Movie Firm have confirmed their magnum opus, Raja Shivaji, will launch…

    32 Alternate Historical past Films And TV Reveals That Will Get You Considering ‘What If?’

    August 1, 2025

    Is Scarlett Johansson Joining Tangled Live-Action? Find Out As Film Talks Proceed at Disney

    October 10, 2025

    How John Fithian Goals to Eradicate ‘Wasted Effort’ in Distribution with New Platform, Attend

    February 14, 2025

    Hera Pheri 3: Farhad Samji Out, The OG Priyardashan In – Akshay Kumar Breaks The Greatest Good Newwz For His Followers!

    January 30, 2025

    FBI – Episode 7.10 – Redoubt – Press Launch

    January 24, 2025

    Why Is Sean Diddy Combs Upset As Luigi Mangione Positive factors Recognition Amongst Inmates In Brooklyn Jail?

    January 9, 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from SmartMag about art & design.

    8881199.XYZ is your source for the latest Hollywood news, movie reviews, TV show updates, celebrity gossip, and music industry insights. Get daily updates on trending movies, popular series, and exclusive stories straight from the entertainment world. Whether you’re a film fan, TV show follower, or music lover, we deliver fresh, engaging content to keep you in the loop on all things Hollywood. Supported by third-party ads, 8881199.XYZ offers free, high-quality entertainment news without intrusive experiences. Explore Hollywood’s best with us for your daily dose of celebrity and industry buzz!

    Our Picks

    Man Ritchie's New Sherlock Holmes Star Talks Strain of Taking Over the Iconic Position

    March 14, 2025

    I Cherished Alien: Romulus, And I am Psyched To Hear The Director Acknowledge ‘Errors’ He Desires To Keep away from As He Plans Out The Sequel

    January 15, 2025

    Jeff Probst Defined Why Parvati Isn’t On Survivor 50, And Followers Are Not Shopping for His Reply

    September 19, 2025
    Exclusive

    London Singer Sedric Perry & Producer KDRC Share Soul/Funk Single “KNEW ME” | Stereofox Music Weblog

    July 4, 2025

    SZA Surprises “Grand Nationwide Tour” Crowd In Paris With Lizzo For Their First “IRL” Efficiency

    July 24, 2025

    Denzel Curry pronounces 2025 “Mischievous South” world tour

    November 18, 2024
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
    • Home
    • DMCA Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    © 2025 8881199.XYZ / Designed by MAXBIT.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.