Walking into the theater for One Battle After Another, I was unsure of what to expect. I typically avoid all trailers, celebrity interviews (unless I’m interviewing the talent), and other people’s opinions so I avoid any bias. With OBAA however, screenings began early, and by the time I saw it, film critics and peers dubbed it the film the best movie of 2025.

With a runtime of almost 3 hours , I can assure you not a single shot is wasted. The film opens immediately on the action and we meet the French 75, a group of revolutionaries including ‘Ghetto Pat’, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Perfidia Beverly Hills played by Teyana Taylor. We see them fall in love, commit crimes, and it’s a match made in heaven. From there, two things shake up the story. The first is Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), your typical racist military man with a dark secret; a love for Black women. Immediately he sets his sites on Perfidia. He allows her to continue her acts towards the revolution in exchange for sexual favors. Second, Perfidia becomes pregnant however, with postpartum depression creeping in and the longing for her old life , she ends up having to leave her family behind.

Flash forward meet “Bob Ferguson” aka Ghetto Pat. He has left his revolutionary days behind and spends his days in his bath robe, smoking pot, and trying to take care of his sixteen year old daughter ‘Willa” played by newcomer Chase Infiniti. Willa doesn’t always understand her dad ways but longs for answers on why her life is the way it is, catching hints regarding her dad’s old life.

Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw is gunning for membership to a white nationalist organization and the rules to join? No people of color. Which leads Lockjaw with a choice, he must eliminate his past before his chances for membership are ruined and thus, the hunt for Bob and Willa begins.

As we move through the film, one thing that’s clear is the fact that Bob’s revolutionary days are truly behind him. This isn’t James Bond or Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. Bob can’t remember the secret society password. He can’t jump from building to building. And he’s flying by the seat of his pants. It’s endearing and hilarious that Bob faces the reality of his current circumstance. He’s just a lucky white guy that has the help of past friends of the French 75, Deandra played by Regina Hall (her scenes are few and far between but powerful) and Sensei Sergio played by the charming Benicio del Toro, who serves as the not only comedic relief but Bob’s karate sensei guardian angel.

The film is well paced and dynamic with every frame keeping you on the edge of seat contemplating what will happen next. It never loses momentum. Sean Penn delivers one of the best performances in most recent years that is unhinged, specific, and the showcase of the thinking that many Americans, unfortunately, have displayed since the change in the Oval Office.

My one slight criticism of the film is the depiction of Black women on screen. And I fear that my white counterparts may miss this point entirely, especially because statements like “I love Black women” are casually thrown around in the film. To quote Kerry Washington in Scandal, “a criminal, a whore, an idiot, and a liar”, that’s what we’re seeing here.

Perfidia is incredibly over-sexualized, reminiscent of Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball. Both Bob and Lockjaw claim to love her, but we never actually see that love reflected in their actions. She’s ultimately shown as a sex siren who seduces and uses that to get what she wants. Later in the film, she’s also portrayed as a liar and disloyal, it starts to feel like a familiar pattern.

Deandra sacrifices everything to help Bob save Willa, and in the end, she’s left with nothing. Typical. A Black woman saves everyone and doesn’t put herself first, we’ve seen this before.

And then there’s Willa, a biracial teen who’s subjected to slurs like “mutt” and shamed for her identity. All of this brings me back to my original point: these depictions feel purposeful, and they speak volumes.

The film is urgent and reflects the moment we’re living in with themes of justice, freedom, and even the one-drop rule are loud and clear. And when you watch One Battle After Another, it had to be a Black woman. Teyana is perfectly cast simply due to how she’s depicted in mainstream media. If any other race of woman was chosen, the film wouldn’t pack the same punch. The message wouldn’t land as hard. The ending definitely wouldn’t be able to stand as strong. And without spoiling the ending, let’s be clear: there’s no happy endings in the film for the Black women in this story. And when you step outside of the film these dynamics are even more interesting, considering this is Leonardo DiCaprio’s first Black on screen love interest and PTA’s real life partner is Maya Rudolph a biracial woman. Throughout the film to the very end, I’m questioning what I’m seeing and why.

All in all, One Battle After Another is more than a wild ride, it’s a politically charged, genre-bending commentary that mirrors the chaos of our time. It’s belly ache funny, urgent, and at times, deeply unsettling because of the world we live in today. DiCaprio is at his sharpest (he continues to outdo himself), and Paul Thomas Anderson doesn’t hold back, challenging the film’s own absurdity with a surprising emotional core.

This is a film that stays with you, and one I’ll be thinking about for a long time. Easily and without a doubt one of the best movies of 2025 and a defining film for the century.