Paul Thomas Anderson’s New Film Is Already Breaking the Internet—Here’s What Critics Are Raving About
"Blisteringly intense" and "stunningly satirical"—PTA's newest film is already getting the kind of first reactions that turn heads.
Paul Thomas Anderson is back in theaters September 26 with One Battle After Another, a crime story with a wicked streak of dark comedy. The first wave of reactions hit on September 9, and the vibe is: buckle up. We are talking big praise, capital letters, possible hyperventilating. And yes, the cast list is as loaded as you heard.
Quick refresher: what is this thing?
Anderson’s new film follows a crew of former revolutionaries who get pulled back together when an old foe resurfaces after 16 years. The mission: save the daughter of one of their own. It sounds gnarly on paper, and critics say it plays as both nerve-jangling and surprisingly funny on screen.
The boldest take so far
"One Battle After Another might be the best movie released by a major American studio since I started working as a critic (~2010). distressing how little else comes to mind!"
That atomic hot take comes from IndieWire chief critic David Ehrlich, who lumped the film in with his modern top-tier favorites like The Wolf of Wall Street, Ad Astra, Sinners, and Mad Max: Fury Road.
The early buzz, at a glance
- Jordan Raup (The Film Stage) calls it blisteringly intense and unnervingly funny, a ride through the rotten underbelly of America that still finds tenderness. He also drops an inside-baseball note: despite the Pynchon vibes, Anderson barely pulls anything from Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, building a world that feels entirely his.
- Simon Thompson says it is a powder keg: a sharp script, a killer score, and a sprawling ensemble that could have gone off the rails in lesser hands but lands as chaotic in the best way.
- Rachel Leishman (The Mary Sue) finds it both fresh and weighty, ranks it among the year’s best and one of Anderson’s strongest, and loves Leonardo DiCaprio’s unhinged energy. But she says the movie belongs to Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, and Regina Hall.
- Courtney Howard (Variety) says it rips, balancing absurdity, satire, and suspense. DiCaprio is in peak form, Teyana Taylor stands out, and Chase Infiniti is a revelation. She also singles out Jonny Greenwood’s score as a thunderbolt.
- BJ Colangelo (SlashFilm) goes full body-reactive: electric, sensational, explosive. Everyone delivers, but the headline for her is the same — Chase Infiniti is a star — and Anderson serves a full-on feast.
Who is popping in the cast
The film toplines Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio Del Toro, and Sean Penn, but nearly everyone shouting from the early screenings keeps circling the same trio: Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, and especially Chase Infiniti, who multiple critics say straight-up steals the movie. DiCaprio, for his part, is getting raves for going big in all the right ways.
Also getting love: Jonny Greenwood’s score, which is reportedly pounding, propulsive, and a major part of the film’s grip. If you were wondering whether Anderson-Greenwood remains one of the great director-composer combos, the answer appears to be yes.
Bottom line
I have not seen a single meh take yet, let alone a pan. Everyone seems either impressed or over the moon. One Battle After Another hits theaters September 26, and I am officially moving it to the must-see column. You in? Or do you think the hype machine is running hot? Either way, we will find out soon enough.