Months after revolutionizing cinemas, an extraordinary war film has just been released on HBO Max that aims to win all the awards

The world is becoming darker and darker, with extreme reactionary movements increasingly expanding (see last Sunday in Chile), and in the face of the anguish that we are running out of safe spaces, we need cinema to be one. But also that it is capable of talk about the reality we live.

The progressive disappearance of things other than small auteur cinema that is enough to exist and blockbusters devoid of content so as not to offend anyone does not make it easy to have those films that dialogue furiously with the present. It occurs rarely, but when it occurs in things as capital as ‘One battle after another’, it ends being rewarding.

The war continues

Paul Thomas Anderson firma another masterful work in a career full of themmaking a war and political thriller show that calls for revolution taking advantage of the extensive resources of a large studio. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and the emerging Chase Infiniti in the cast, the film makes its long-awaited streaming premiere through HBO Max.

Bob Ferguson was part of a command of rebels who committed violent acts to fight powerbut was disarmed when a military squad found them and tried to eliminate them. Now Ferguson tries to raise her daughter free of those pressures, although preparing her to fight and be critical of the system, since a great enemy from her past will come to finish the job.

But despite the intensity of this premise, shot with capital letters Through the use of VistaVision (a format that has returned in recent years against the odds), Anderson does not give up idiosyncrasies in order to make a pleasing show. If anything, it is responsible for disconcerting very early through a constant use of humor that alternates absurdity with stoner jokes.

‘One battle after another’: organizing the revolution

DiCaprio’s character becomes like this, from the ridiculousness of stoned and paranoid father who sees how life has surpassed him in all aspectsin a representative of the limits of a revolutionary movement, capable of becoming archaic or reactionary also by pigeonholing itself in certain ways. ‘One battle after another’ explores that in its conflict, where other revolutionary movements also enter, operating with less pomp but marked effectiveness.

Anderson’s thematic and dramatic texture is excellent, also establishing a powerful emotional core in this main father and daughter relationship to express the power of building together. And how the system finds different extensions to exercise repression and violence, viewed more critically among ordinary rebels than by authority.

‘One battle after another’ takes details from war classics with a strong message of revolution to rekindle a flame that is more urgent than ever. It makes a complete experience where its actors shine incredibly, the photography makes you feel completely small or hypnotized, and the music ends up transporting you to the necessary emotions. Is one of the movies of the year right nowand she can reaffirm it in a few months when she is showered with awards.

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