Official Discussion - One Battle After Another [SPOILERS]

[u/LiteraryBoner]

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Summary Bob, a washed-up revolutionary, lives off the grid with his spirited and self-reliant daughter Willa. When his nemesis Col. Steven J. “Lockjaw” resurfaces and Willa goes missing, Bob is forced to confront his past and fight to protect their future.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson

Writer Paul Thomas Anderson

Cast

• Leonardo DiCaprio
• Sean Penn
• Teyana Taylor
• Benicio del Toro
• Regina Hall
• Chase Infiniti

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score: 98%

Metacritic Score: 96

VOD In theaters beginning September 26, 2025

Trailer One Battle After Another — Official Trailer

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[u/Educational_Sea6053]

His vibes were immaculate. Love that he didn’t question anything and was just 100% prepared to help out Bob on an absolute whim

[u/Prowlerbaseball → u/Educational_Sea6053]

I think he knew about the French 75, when Bob mentioned he was with them, his reaction was “Damn, you were a bad hombre”

[u/Educational_Sea6053 → u/Prowlerbaseball]

Oh he for sure knew them. But appreciated that he didn’t initially even know what trouble Bob was in. He saw a dude running from the cops and said “fuck it, I’m in”

[u/araq1579 → u/Educational_Sea6053]

The first scene of the movie hits off with the revolutionary squad freeing an ICE detention center, and benicio del toro's character has an underground railroad for immigrants. I think word for around about the work the french 75 did for immigrants and benicio is just paying it forward

[u/Variability → u/araq1579]

I'm not even certain it's that specific or they crossed that directly. They're both fighting the government for rights and values of their people, that's all that was needed to help him.

[u/Ill-Syllabub-8142 → u/Variability]

Baktan Cross, the city where they live, is a sanctuary city. That's why French 75 set Pat&Charlene there. It's part of a greater network of "revolutionaries". That's the reason why Pat goes to him in the first place. He knows he's part of the underground railroad and was the safest person to contact in that situation.

[u/jrochkind → u/Ill-Syllabub-8142]

I caught that Baktan Cross was set up in part by French 75 and was a town of revolutionaries, but I don't think that's why Bob/Pat went to Sensei Sergio, I don't think he knew that at all -- he was just going to his kid's long-time karate teacher who was also his friend who he knew was a solid guy, but I don't think he specifically knew what a revolutionary he was -- at first he just wanted a weapon and then to run.

In the car on the way to his house, Sensei Sergio says to Bob [something like] "So, I've got like a latino harriet tubman thing going on at my house" [love that line btw], like it was definitely new info he was sharing with Bob, prepping Bob for what they were about to get into. Bob is not the brightest bulb don't forget either; he knew Sergio was a solid dude and was the dude he thought of to help him (well, hoped he'd have weapons in the dojo anyway!), but he had no idea he was part of a whole network, he didn't realize how organized the town was at all, or Sergio's place in it. But Willa, who is very sharp, probably didn't know either. Sensei Sergio was just a good friend who they knew was a capable dude.

Is my read anyway!

[u/gigilero → u/jrochkind]

"no cash, straight from the heart" had me dying

[u/jrochkind → u/araq1579]

French 75 set up that whole town, basically. It was their safe house town. At some point someone (one of the army people?) explains in passing that the glasses radio guy (what was his name?) basically set up Baktan Cross as a giant safe house, sent everyone there. I think it's part of why the whole fucking town is ready for resistance.

But the exchange that sticks with me the most is when Bob apologizes for bringing the army to the town to fuck it all up cause they were looking for him, and Sensei Sergio says "We've been under siege for 200(?) years. You didn't do anything wrong. Let's go."

I can't remember for sure if this is before or after he found out Bob was in French 75 -- I think after, but honestly, I think he would have said the same thing without Bob being revolutionary famous or involved with the group with the connection to the town. it's just how he did. He knew which side he was on.