Movie Review
One might say that One Battle After Another is a perfectly timed piece of cinema, given the current political climate, which explains why it’s such a big contender this awards season (already winning the Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy). The film is based on Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland and overlaps multiple genres, blending black comedy, action-thriller, and political drama.
I’m likely in the minority here, but this movie bored me. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy many parts of it. The acting, for one, is outstanding. Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn put on a masterclass in their performances. Benicio Del Toro gives such a subtle comedic overture to the character of Sensei that he ended up being my favourite. I wouldn’t expect any less from three former Oscar winners.
The movie features some fantastic action sequences, specifically the highlight where the vehicles thunder through the desert. The final climactic car chase pays clear homage to Bullitt.
I’ll give this movie another watch—maybe I was just in a weird mood the night I saw it. But for me, it wasn’t everything; everyone made it out to
Video
The red, yellow, and brown tones of the Dolby Vision HDR presentation showcase the cinematography of Michael Bauman. Shot on 35mm film and presented in its theatrical 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the image fills the screen with a density that only VistaVision can provide. The HEVC encode on this BD-100 disc is flawless, handling the complex grain structure without a single artifact. The choice allows for natural film grain while keeping the image sharp and brilliant. This visually feels more like a western than a political drama or black comedy its been described as.
The nighttime sequences are detail-rich and while allowing the warm fiery glow of the lights to shine without blowing out the image.
Audio
While One Battle After Another’s audio is presented in Dolby Atmos (Dolby 7.1 TrueHD) the movie uses the fronts soundstage more, which is typical of PTA films. That’s not to say the heights and rears don’t get used, however, they are used to enhance the most intense moments in the film. It’ll sound like the helicopters are flying right through your movie room.
Crucially for a Paul Thomas Anderson film, the dialogue is locked to the center channel and crystal clear, never getting lost amidst any of the action. The score also takes advantage of the full sound stage in a unique way slowly building up into the heights and then into the rears, maximizing payoff of intention of the scene.
Thundering through the desert, the climactic car chase sequence takes full advantage of the spatiality and rumbles through the LFE as each of the vehicles’ distinctive roars (or whines – hello Mazda) as they fly down the road.
Special Features
None. There are zero. Therefore, the score matches the amount of bonus material included.
That being said, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will be releasing a Steelbook later this year which may include some, but that’s yet to be announced, and honestly, that’s a dirty move. I won’t double dip.
Conclusion & Final Thoughts
Ultimately, One Battle After Another is a puzzling release. As a film, it’s a technically brilliant but narratively exhausting ride that I respect more than I actually like. As a 4K UltraHD product, however, it is an absolute, undeniable knockout.
Warner Bros. has delivered a reference-quality transfer that pushes the format to its limit. The VistaVision photography sings in Dolby Vision, and the Atmos track is a masterclass in control. However, the studio’s decision to gatekeep the extras for the Steelbook release is a frustrating, anti-consumer tactic that punishes day-one buyers.
If you are a pixel-peeper or an audiophile, this is a Must Own for your demo shelf. I’m sticking with this standard slipcover release—unless that future Steelbook artwork is mind-blowing, I’m standing my ground.
