2025 has been a (mostly) great year for movies. But of the many films that have been released in 2025, there is one that has seemingly already won the title of ‘The Best Movie of 2025.’ In fact, that might not even be praise enough, as, according to Metacritic users, it’s the movie of the decade! The movie marked the return of one of the best directors currently working, alongside an A-list cast, a bonkers plot, and some incredibly grounded and exciting action. We’re, of course, talking about Paul Thomas Anderson and his 2025 critical darling One Battle After Another. While the film isn’t streaming yet on HBO Max or any other streaming services, the movie is currently available to purchase on digital stores, and One Battle After Another has redeemed its poor box office on digital.
Days after its digital streaming release, One Battle After Another is currently winning the battle on the digital charts (such a bad pun). The movie currently holds the #1 spot on iTunes and Amazon. The film has failed to make a dent on the Google Play Store’s digital movies chart. However, A Minecraft Movie has held the top spot in that regard for months. One Battle After Another sees Anderson team up with Leonardo DiCaprio for the incredibly relevant action thriller. If that wasn’t enough star power, the movie also features the likes of Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti, Wood Harris, and Alana Haim.
Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Bob, a revolutionary who’s well past his prime, living off the grid with his daughter, Willa. But when his daughter is taken by an old nemesis, Bob must bring himself back to reality to rescue her, while battling his own former demons. The plot is bonkers, and the trailers for the film dialled the quirkiness to 11. But, in true Paul Thomas Anderson style, the characters and story feel incredibly grounded and real. The official synopsis reads:
“Bob is a washed-up revolutionary who lives in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited and self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces and Willa goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her as both father and daughter battle the consequences of their pasts.”
Is ‘One Battle After Another’ Really “The Movie of the Decade”?
Whether One Battle After Another truly is the best film of the decade is a subjective opinion. But, websites like Metacritic try to make the subjective objective. Upon its release, One Battle After Another held a near-flawless rating of 97 on the review aggregate site, making it the best-reviewed film of the decade on the website. That score has since dropped to a 95. However, that kind of rating is still a remarkable feat.
Critics have also thrown similar praise at the film. One Battle After Another holds a tremendous 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. One critic who contributed to that score was MovieWeb’s own Julian Roman. In their review for One Battle After Another, they wrote:
“Paul Thomas Anderson lobs a cinematic grenade in One Battle After Another, a vivid, unrelenting and surprisingly humorous action-thriller that strikes at the heart of America’s most divisive issues.”
- Release Date
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September 26, 2025
- Runtime
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162 minutes