A film (truly) not to be missed

Far from praising ourselves, two issues ago we noted on these pages: "But the film that could mark the start of this season will not be a Venetian one but will be released in theaters in September without a festival screening, despite the strong names involved: BATTLE AFTER BATTLE is the new film by Paul Thomas Anderson (one of the recognized masters of contemporary cinema) starring Leonardo DiCaprio alongside Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, and Regina Hall. Anderson wrote, directed, and oversaw the photography of a story of conflicted men divided by difficult pasts (former civil rights activists versus white supremacists) and still destined to fight each other in the increasingly unpeaceful contemporary USA."
After repeated viewings (three times, as a good cinephile sick of something remarkable) the recommendation to see it must be reiterated, also supported by the general critical consensus for a profound and multifaceted work, capable of being appreciated by the cultured and the distinguished for its spectacular nature, in a practice consolidated by the best American directors capable of combining entertainment and creative rigor.

Battle after Battle, in fact, is a cinematic work that must be viewed carefully to appreciate the many layers of a story. It is, first and foremost, the story of a protagonist inadequate in the face of life, and especially in the face of a daughter he raises without help (I'm walking a tightrope to avoid spoilers...), but the story is not ordinary or banal (no bourgeois interiors) and confronts the still-open wounds of American society. Leonardo DiCaprio must navigate terrorists born from the 1970s movements, a fearsome and paranoid soldier (a fantastic Sean Penn), and the "Christmas Pioneers," a white supremacist group so disturbing in its apparent normality.

But the story, full of chases and shootouts, is immersed in the contemporary climate of selfishness and divisions that remain in the background, but bring the harsh reality before the viewer's eyes. The repeated sight of Mexican immigrants locked in cages next to the wall dividing the border between two states confirms Paul Thomas Anderson's creative talent. Cinema at its best for a work destined to go down in history and worth catching up on during these weeks of its release in theaters.

Davide Bracco
NP November 2025