One Battle After Another Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

One Battle After Another Blu-ray Movie Review

Running on empty.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III January 16, 2026

A long-gestating project from maverick writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another is a bracing, subversive, and surprisingly funny film about a group of American revolutionaries whose daring exploits lead to sixteen years of fallout for everyone involved. Starring an ensemble cast of A-listers and several lesser-known actors including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti, this sprawling saga may lightly test viewer patience at 162 minutes... but there are several enormously entertaining stretches along the way that help it breeze by faster than expected. Needless to say, I pretty much had a blast with this one.

One Battle After Another begins with the introduction of a far-left American revolutionary group we'll soon know as "The French 75". Two of its members, "Ghetto" Pat Calhoun (DiCaprio) and the soon-to-be pregnant Perfidia Beverly Hills (Taylor), fall in love after their group breaks into San Diego's Otay Mesa Detention Center to free immigrants and she humiliates commanding officer Steven J. Lockjaw (Penn), who also develops an attraction to the dominant Perfidia. Lockjaw later catches her in the bathroom of a local courthouse attempting to plant a bomb that will go off after hours, but she agrees to a late-night encounter in exchange for her freedom. It's an early sign that Perfidia isn't above taking "the easy way out", and she does exactly that after a French 75 bank robbery ends with the death of a security guard. Having already given birth to daughter Charlene (who's primarily raised by Pat and her family while she continues the fight), Perfidia rats out the scattered members of her group, is put in witness protection by Lockjaw, and hides out in the sterile suburbs like a schnook while most of her former friends are captured or killed, one by one.

Fast-forward 16 years, and "Ghetto Pat" -- who now lives off-grid as "Bob Ferguson" in the sanctuary city of Baktan Cross, California -- has taken full custody of Charlene, who now goes by "Willa" (Infiniti). Both presume that Perfidia was killed long ago; the now-teenage Willa has no memory of her mom and a similarly rebellious spirit, while she also deeply resents her dad's substance abuse and paranoia. But it turns out Bob might be right: Lockjaw is still on the hunt for them as the last remnants of French 75 and, as his search narrows, so do their chances for a second life. Lockjaw also treads on other paths along the way, joining a white supremacist organization (amusingly named "The Christmas Adventurers Club") while trying to bury all the literal and figurative signs of his attraction to women of color.

Contrary to reports of One Battle After Another being some kind of liberal propaganda piece, it's really not. Sure, it clearly leans left on the whole and that end-credits song choice certainly makes a bold statement, but Anderson's film doesn't necessarily paint either side in a glamorous light based purely on their political or social beliefs. I'll leave the commentary there and move along... but simply put, it has broader appeal than you might expect. It also has loads of fundamental strengths, from a top-notch supporting cast (Benicio del Toro will win a lot of hearts as Willa's super-chill sensei, Sergio St. Carlos) to great needle-drop music cues, appealing cinematography (largely shot using VistaVision cameras), and a steady flow that, while admittedly a bit too drawn-out at times, is solidly supported by several lengthy sequences that effectively combine suspense, mystery, and humor too keep things entertaining. It's also the rare film I wanted to re-watch immediately after my first viewing and, for that reason, One Battle After Another should hold up to multiple replays as ardent fans dissect its themes and peel back layers of subtext and visual motifs.

Those ardent fans, as well as interested newcomers, have certainly pre-ordered One Battle After Another on either 4K or Blu-ray, but it's here where things get a little confusing. While both offer proportionately perfect A/V presentations for their respective format, they're also completely devoid of any extras. Word has it that a forthcoming 4K Steelbook edition (whose domestic version has long since sold out of pre-orders for its slated March 6 release) will also include a full bonus disc of bonus features, which have yet to be announced. If you don't care about behind-the-scenes stuff, buy it now on either format and enjoy... but if you do, the question remains: can you hold out until then?

One Battle After Another Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As usual, please refer to my separate 4K review for a general overview of this film's technical specifics and visual aesthetic. One Battle After Another's mostly VistaVision cinematography is obviously built for 2160p but has survived the down-conversion to 1080p/SDR surprisingly well and, despite the film's lengthy running time, basically gets a dual-layered disc to itself which leaves room for a format-supportive bit rate. While fine detail, textures, and overall color representation obviously take a hit in direct comparison to the UHD, this disc still runs extremely smooth and performs as strongly as expected, whether it be a tight close-up, an extremely wide shot, low lighting, or a fast-moving action sequence. No compression-related issues could be spotted along the way, and I dare say that on small to medium-sized screens, the differences in visual output between both formats really won't be all that extreme. While it still can't help but come in second place overall, those with no plans for a 4K setup will be perfectly fine with this Blu-ray.

One Battle After Another Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Also not surprising is the default Dolby Atmos mix, which as always can fold down into Dolby TrueHD 7.1 or 5.1 depending on your setup. Long-time fans of Anderson will notice more than a few signature sonic touches here, from discordant and jagged music cues to more traditional vintage pop needle-drops, as well as layered and occasionally overcooked dialogue for emphasis. Everything has been treated with care and feels like the product of a purposeful decision, and the end result has been carefully wrapped in an enveloping mix that features strong channel separation, support for the Atmos-exclusive height channels, precise object-based placement, and a sporadically shifting sense of reality that'll put you in the various mindsets of its many characters. Have fun cranking this track at a high volume, because it's an often lively and active mix that commands your full attention at almost every turn.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are offered during the main feature... although as in theaters, much of the sporadic Spanish dialogue is not translated but often easily picked up on in context.

One Battle After Another Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase; there's no slipcover, but we get a Digital Copy code. Somewhat shockingly, no extras are included. As mentioned earlier, word has it that a forthcoming 4K Steelbook edition will also include an exclusive bonus disc... but the street date is currently set for March 6 and, as of this writing, pre-orders have long since sold out. (I didn't even get one, but perhaps another window will open up before then.) I'm very much against this kind of release strategy on principle, but at least we were kinda told ahead of time.

One Battle After Another Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another fits right in with his diverse body of work, yet it still feels like bold new territory for the celebrated writer-director. Its subject matter may prove divisive to some for clear-cut reasons, but it's an objectively well-made film with great performances, unforgettable moments, and a few enormously entertaining stretches that mostly keep its formidable runtime at bay. Warner Bros.' 4K UHD edition offers outstanding A/V merits, but the total lack of extras -- combined with the news of a forthcoming and possibly hard-to-find 4K Steelbook edition that will have them -- should rightfully irk home video enthusiasts. With that in mind, the movie's what counts in the long run and this otherwise solid disc is certainly good enough for an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Recommended.