One Battle After Another 2025

I went in blind here. Kala ko nung una, dahil sa title, puro violence lang ang ibibigay ng film. At inexpect ko rin na baka maging bit boring or linear siya gaya ng mga recent works ni Leonardo like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Don’t Look Up, or Killers of the Flower Moon. Pero mali ako. What I got was something deeper and more alive parang mix ng Purge at Taken, may tension ng Get Out, gritty aesthetic ng Breaking Bad, at may halong military vibe ng Sicario. This one had urgency, grit, and momentum that kept me engaged all throughout. At visually, the color and urban scenes sometimes felt like The Dark Knight or Inception, parang Christopher Nolan mismo ang nagdirect. Production design was on point. Naramdaman mo agad yung raw at intense environment sa Mexico, mula sa cramped at rugged na mga lugar hanggang sa parang top echelon presence ng Christmas Adventurer Club na binubuo ng mga all White Americans. Pinakatumatak sa akin ay yung one continuous shot habang hinihila ka papasok sa apartment, it felt like you were being pulled straight into their world. Continuous shots were impressive. Also the lenses choice, capturing a creamy bokeh that elevated even the grittiest frames. Sobrang immersive, ramdam mo yung claustrophobic, lalo na kapag ikinumpara mo sa contrasting hotel luxury at sa underground meeting rooms. Cinematography was stunning, especially yung lowkey lighting at silhouette shots. The use of deep contrast ratios, precise shadow detail, and rich tonal blacks made every frame feel both oppressive and cinematic. Adding to that, this film also made history: One Battle After Another is Anderson’s first feature shot in IMAX. Since mas malaking screen, mas halata ang film grains dahil shot on film and not digital. For me, that really adds to the aesthetic para siyang period film set in modern times, giving the visuals a textured, timeless quality. Watching it in IMAX was better than Atmos. The helicopters, explosions, and large scale sequences weren’t just heard, they were felt. Super immersive, almost overwhelming in scale. At yung piano score grabe. 25 minutes worth of piano driven tension, crafted so well that it shifted between comedic tone, urgency, and dangerous undertones. May sariling tema si Lockjaw, dark and menacing na parang Darth Vader on piano. Add to that the perfect music inserts: Soldier Boy, Shut Up and Dance With Me, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and Ready Or Not Here I Come. Sakto ang pasok ng bawat kanta, giving moments a weird mix of irony and punch. Si Leonardo, ibang klase. While being high, confused, panicking, trying to recall something elusive. Sabay sabay lahat ng emosyon na to nasa mukha niya. Nakakabilib kung paano niya na execute ang mga layers na yon all at once. Yung performance nya dito can match his best works like The Wolf of Wall Street, The Revenant, or even Django Unchained. At hindi lang intense, may comic timing din siya dito na swak at hindi pilit, gaya ng “I’m Batman… I’m Peter Parker,” yung gapang niya habang nagtatago sa pulis na parang callback sa Wolf of Wall Street, at yung threatening ng lalakeng kasama ng anak niya papunta ng dance. May meta humor pa sa security question na “What is my favorite pussy?” Nakakatuwa kasi ngayon lang ulit ako naka experience ng maraming tao tumatawa sa loob ng sinehan. At maganda rin na the characters in my opinion were given equal spotlight, hindi lang si Leonardo ang front and center. Si Benicio naman, may quiet intensity. Controlled, minimal, pero bawat titig at kilos may bigat, na lalo pang nag amplify ng tension sa eksena. Yung villain, played by Sean Penn, may Daniel Craig energy, refined pero menacing, magnetic kahit kontrabida. At hindi pwedeng hindi i highlight si Chase Infiniti. Debut film niya ito, at impressive agad ang presence niya. She plays a teenager trying to fit into modern society habang binabantayan ng overprotective na ama. Despite all that pressure, she equipped herself with great survival skills na lumabas sa pinaka crucial na moments ng film. In a way, may coming of age vibe siya, na mas nagbigay ng puso sa kwento. The way her character successfully duped her killer was brilliant, para siyang twist na kasing linis ng The Shallows when the shark was finally taken down. Breakout performance in my opinion. Connected dito, hindi lang sa acting standout kundi pati sa likod ng kamera. Michael Bauman did a remarkable job as Director of Photography. Nung sinearch ko siya sa IMDb, halos puro gaffer ang credits niya sa mga known projects, pero dito ang lupet ng gawa niya. The visuals looked like the work of a seasoned veteran, with masterful control of lighting. Hindi ito gawa ng may kaunting experience lang bilang DOP. At dahil gaffer na rin siya by trade, halata na madali niyang na apply lahat ng techniques na gusto niya kapag siya na ang naka helm sa DOP seat. DOP and gaffer go hand in hand, and this film proved how well he translated that skillset into cinematic vision. Yung action scenes, may pagka Sicario din ang dating: tactical, calculated, hindi lang basta bara bara. Pinaka standout yung car chase, na parang POV shots sa F1, pero dito nakalagay sa long winding desert road full of rolling hills and blind crests. Akyat baba, uphill downhill, kaya hindi mo makita kung ano ang nasa harap at nasa likod kung may humahabol sayo. Dagdag suspense yun. The car chase felt like riding the waves but at the same time a roller coaster of emotions. That unpredictability made the sequence tense and strategic, parang chess game on wheels, at the same time para siyang mind games dahil sa surprises and unpredictability. Here’s what stuck with me: makes me wonder if may ganung mga tao talaga na ginagamit ang position or power for personal gain. Katulad ng ginawa ni Lockjaw na maghanap ng dahilan para may rason para pumunta sila ng Mexico, “drugs and tacos.” And you realize, hindi talaga government vs citizens ang pinapakita rito. Instead, may mga groups and secret clubs fighting their own ideological wars, using their power to manipulate narratives. This hit hardest during the rally part, where Lockjaw’s men ignited chaos by literally “playing fire by fire,” pushing the crowd into violence para majustify ang excessive force ng police. Parang commentary din siya on how some agents or infiltrators nowadays disguise themselves to fuel anger, giving the system an excuse to crack down. For me, this is a family film at the core, pero ang circumstances at ideologies ng far left at far right ang naglagay sa kanila sa ganitong dangerous entanglement. Kaya mas tumibay yung emotional pull kasi nakaugat pa rin sa relasyon ng mag ama. At the end of the day, it is more than just an action or crime story, it turned into a father and daughter film trapped in a gripping narrative. At nung sumalubong si Arya pagkatapos at nagsabi ng “I love you,” doon ko na feel na perfect ending talaga, cherry on top ng buong experience. TLDR -Akala ko magiging linear and boring like Leo’s recent films (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Don’t Look Up, Killers of the Flower Moon) pero hindi. This one has urgency, grit, and heart. -Leonardo delivers a career highlight mix of intensity and comedy. -Benicio is all quiet menace, Sean Penn magnetic as Lockjaw. -Chase Infiniti’s debut is a breakout, especially her clever final twist. -Cinematography and score are stunning, with Nolan like visuals, continuous shots, creamy bokeh, and a piano score that runs 25 minutes long. -IMAX format with film grains added a period film feel in modern times, more immersive than Atmos. -Car chase across desert hills is a roller coaster chess game. -Political subtext on power and manipulation adds depth. -Beneath it all, it’s a father and daughter story that hits deep.