Leonardo DiCaprio’s New Movie Has the Best Action Sequence of the Year

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Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film, One Battle After Another, is now in theaters and sparking a lot of conversation. Critics and audiences are praising the strong performances, Anderson’s skillful direction, and the film’s relevant themes. But one sequence near the end stands out as particularly impressive. It’s a brilliantly crafted scene – the pacing, visuals, editing, and story all come together perfectly – and many are calling it the most exciting and best action sequence of the year.

Towards the end of the movie, there’s a thrilling car chase. This film marks director Paul Thomas Anderson’s most significant dive into the action genre, delivering a fast-paced, exciting experience while still maintaining his unique filmmaking style. The chase isn’t just spectacle; it brings together all the film’s major themes and plotlines for a powerful, satisfying climax, showcasing the director’s skill. While car chases are common in action films, the way it’s done in *One Battle After Another* sets it apart and makes it truly memorable.

A Chase Fueled by a Father’s Desperation and a Daughter’s Escape


Warner Bros. Pictures

The nearly three-hour film, *One Battle After Another*, centers on Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti) Ferguson, who are separated early in the story and relentlessly pursued by the dangerous Colonel Steven Lockjaw (Sean Penn). Bob spends the film trying to rescue Willa, while she’s forced to confront the past decisions of her parents as former members of a revolutionary group called the French 75. Lockjaw eventually captures Willa and intends to harm her due to his prejudiced and self-centered beliefs, but she manages to escape in a car.

As Willa drives along the winding hills of the Texas Dip near Borrego Springs, California, all the story’s main threads come together. The director’s style creates a seamless, almost musical, effect, and this car chase specifically highlights three key conflicts: Bob’s desperate attempt to reconnect with his daughter, Willa’s fight for freedom, and a white supremacist’s deadly pursuit to silence Willa and cover up a scandal involving his racist group, The Christmas Adventurers Club.

The car chase starts slowly and cleverly, thanks to the skillful work of cinematographer Michael Bauman and editor Andy Jurgensen. It builds gradually, mirroring the character Willa’s disoriented perspective as she drives through the desert, leaving both her and the audience uncertain of what’s coming. Soon, Tim Smith (played with quiet threat by John Hoogenakker) appears, pursuing Willa across the hills. Bob’s old, worn-out car is glimpsed in the distance, and the stage is set for a thrilling chase. Director Paul Thomas Anderson uses a first-person perspective of the winding road to create suspense, making viewers feel as lost and unsure as the characters.

An Action Sequence That Ties Into the Character Arcs


Warner Bros. Pictures

The tense car chase, driven by Johnny Greenwood’s dramatic piano music, serves a deeper purpose than just action. The film has built its emotional core around the idea of trust – shown through things like the connecting tones between former revolutionaries and Willa’s faith in Bob as a father. The chase throws all of that into chaos, replacing trust with uncertainty and danger. Every turn is risky, and a small mistake could be fatal. However, this also becomes an opportunity for Willa to rely on her own instincts and take control. In a clever and unexpected move, she slams on the brakes at a crucial moment, jumps out of the car, and shoots Tim while he’s off guard.

The action started with a powerful sense of what was bound to happen, a confrontation that felt inevitable. The tension was incredibly high, because the entire story of *One Battle After Another* depended on whether Bob could get to his daughter in time. After almost three hours of intense action, he was closer than ever. But instead of Bob being the hero, it’s Willa who saves the day, with Chase Infiniti giving an amazing performance as she finally reunites with her “father.” However, the reunion isn’t entirely happy; Willa discovers that her real father was Penn’s villainous Lockjaw, which makes her distrust Bob after everything that’s happened.

The exciting car chase ends in a dramatic crash, leading to a heartfelt conclusion for Willa and Bob. As Willa questions Bob’s identity, his trust device finally connects with hers, completing a beautiful melody and revealing a long-held secret: he is her father. After a moment of hesitation, they share an emotional hug and move forward. Throughout *One Battle After Another*, the film delivers thrilling action sequences, and director Paul Thomas Anderson concludes the story with a visually impressive and meaningful scene that ties everything together.

Paul Thomas Anderson Reinvents the Action Set Piece


Warner Bros. Pictures

This film showcases a remarkably assured director, orchestrating each scene with precise control over its pace, rhythm, and mood. *One Battle After Another* revitalizes the familiar car chase, offering fresh perspectives that immerse the audience and cleverly utilizing the setting to convey the disorientation of the moment. It’s difficult to recall another driving sequence so intensely gripping, with a resolution that’s both fulfilling and reinforces the film’s central ideas. It’s a brilliant combination of a genre often dismissed as simple entertainment and the sophisticated storytelling of a truly gifted filmmaker.

Throughout the movie, Bob is motivated by his fear for his daughter’s safety in a dangerous world – a world that feels all too real. He’s also haunted by his own doubts as a father. But the film’s exciting climax delivers a powerful message: Willa is resourceful and strong enough to protect herself, and she’s demonstrated that strength throughout the story. This theme, more than the action itself, is what makes the sequence so memorable and elevates *One Battle After Another* into a truly outstanding film.

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2025-10-12 00:59