LayarHijau – This year’s absurd crime film, One Battle After Another (一战再战), stole the show during the opening gala of the 9th Pingyao International Film Festival, held in the ancient city of Pingyao, Shanxi, China, on September 24. The film immediately drew attention from audiences and senior filmmakers, exceeding all expectations. Previously, legendary director Steven Spielberg even watched the film three times, calling it “a brilliantly insane masterpiece,” highlighting its acclaim among top filmmakers worldwide.
Premiere Screening Sparks Audience Enthusiasm
At the premiere, festival founder Jia Zhangke attended and highly recommended the film in both Mandarin and English, Sohu reported. After the screening, the audience gave a standing ovation in appreciation. Several senior filmmakers praised Paul Thomas Anderson’s remarkable directing skills and the film’s highly stylized visual language.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro delivered tense and compelling performances, earning praise from both critics and audiences. Their acting was described as “natural, full of tension, effortless yet dramatically rich.” The film was shot using the rare VistaVision technology and is compatible with IMAX and 70mm formats, creating an immersive viewing experience with retro visual aesthetics. Viewers marveled, saying “every frame could be a wallpaper.” The ancient city of Pingyao buzzed with discussions about the film.
Official Clip and Global Acclaim
Beyond the festival, the film has already premiered in several countries and received international media praise, achieving a 96 MTC score and 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Many media outlets have listed One Battle After Another as a strong contender for next year’s Oscars.
Today, the official clip titled “Crazy Code” was released, showing Leonardo DiCaprio interacting with a secret organization in absurdly humorous scenes. DiCaprio, alongside Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti, shared their experience working with Paul Thomas Anderson, highlighting the unique charm of the script and character development.
One Battle After Another is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures and Gladdy Productions, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film is scheduled to hit theaters in mainland China on October 17.
