TL;DR
Paul Thomas Anderson is back with "One Battle After Another," a sprawling, surreal modern odyssey starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a father pulled back into his revolutionary past. This UHD 4K release is a visual feast, thanks to its analog VistaVision filming, offering incredible detail and depth, complemented by an immersive Dolby Atmos soundtrack. While light on bonus features, the film itself is PTA's most significant work in decades, a thought-provoking drama that shines on physical media. Dive into this visually stunning and thematically rich cinematic achievement. Read the full review to discover why this is a must-own for film buffs.
In 1999, a film was released that made a profound impact on many cinephiles. Director and screenwriter Paul Thomas Anderson had indeed helmed two feature films prior, of which Boogie Nights brought him international acclaim – but this particular film was a masterful mosaic of life stories, symbolism, nuanced acting, and engaging storytelling. The film we are referring to is Magnolia, and it is often cited among the greatest screenplays ever written. Following that success, Hollywood beckoned, and “PTA” has over the years created several distinctive, often lengthy, and artistically ambitious films with renowned actors, such as Punch Drunk Love, The Master and The Phantom Thread. While these always possess clear artistic merits, none achieved the same critical and popular resonance as Magnolia. However, his recently released and Golden Globe-winning One Battle After Another signals a compelling return to the singular filmmaker’s peak form, and it is now available on UHD 4K, which will be the subject of this review.
A Modern Odyssey Through Chaos
The film follows Bob Ferguson, portrayed by the consistently brilliant Leonardo DiCaprio. Bob navigates the precarious balance between a devoted father and a desperate survivor in a California that evokes both familiarity and an unsettling alienation. When echoes from his revolutionary past resurface, he is compelled to break his isolation, embarking on a surreal and politically charged journey.
DiCaprio delivers an exceptionally physical yet profoundly fragile performance here. He is joined by Regina Hall in the role of Elena, the film’s emotional core. Yet, it is in the confrontations with the antagonists that sparks truly fly; Sean Penn is ice-cold as the manipulative Col Lockjaw, and Benicio del Toro captivates in every scene as the eccentric fixer Sensei Sergio St. Carlos. Their delivery of PTA’s razor-sharp dialogue is a masterclass in cinematic artistry.
Cinematic Imagery and Exceptional Sound
PTA stands as one of the last prominent advocates for analog filmmaking, a commitment vividly demonstrated here. What was immediately striking in theaters, and now truly excels on the 4K release, is the choice to film in VistaVision. For those unfamiliar, this technique involves the 35mm film running horizontally through the camera, yielding a significantly larger negative area compared to standard 35mm. The outcome is an unparalleled richness of detail and a distinct ‘purity’ in the image, approaching the fidelity of 70mm while retaining the classic character of 35mm.
On this UHD disc with Dolby Vision, this translates to an absence of coarse, sometimes distracting grain, offering instead an image of immense depth. Faces, textures in clothing, and the sprawling Californian landscapes are rendered with a three-dimensional sharpness. It’s an organic and luxurious aesthetic that few digital cameras can replicate. The detail in the dusty landscapes and DiCaprio’s weathered face is so intricate that nearly any paused frame could serve as an exhibition-worthy photograph.
The soundtrack in Dolby Atmos is equally impressive. Jonny Greenwood’s dissonant, often beautiful yet occasionally abrasive score permeates the room, intensifying the film’s dreamlike atmosphere. The dialogue remains crystal clear in the center channel, while the surround speakers effectively immerse the viewer in the urban chaos.
On the Bonus Material front, it is unfortunately notably sparse, which is particularly regrettable for a film of this caliber, given its traditional production methods and ensemble of acclaimed actors, for whom behind-the-scenes content would be highly valued.
One Battle After Another is a nearly three-hour-long, expansive, pulsating, and at times surreal portrayal of a modern American dystopia, where one man’s pursuit of redemption leads him through a tangled web of corruption, family secrets, and unexpected alliances. It resonates long after viewing, and while perhaps not achieving the perceived “perfection” of Magnolia as a film, it stands, in our estimation, as PTA’s most significant film in 25 years. The UHD 4K edition does exceptional justice to its cinematic imagery, and the choice of VistaVision bestows a visual and cinematic elegance that makes this a mandatory addition to any collection. It serves as yet another compelling demonstration of why physical media continues to hold an advantage over streaming for discerning film enthusiasts, even for drama-action-political satires where special effects are not the primary focus.
SF Studios provided review copies for this test. Material providers have no editorial influence on our tests; we always write independently with our readers and consumers in focus.
