The Battle for Critical Acclaim: A Controversial Take
In a recent podcast episode, renowned author Bret Easton Ellis sparked a debate by criticizing the overwhelming praise for Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film, "One Battle After Another." This movie, currently the highest-rated of 2025 on Metacritic with a score of 95, has left Ellis questioning the motives behind such acclaim.
"It's a shocking display of critical adoration," Ellis stated, "and I believe it's primarily due to the film's political alignment with the left." Ellis, a self-proclaimed fan of Anderson's work, cited "There Will Be Blood" as a masterpiece, but he draws a clear line when it comes to "One Battle After Another."
"The praise it's receiving is based on its political ideology, and it's quite evident that critics are responding to that aspect," Ellis explained. "It's being hailed as a masterpiece, the greatest film of the decade, even of all time, solely because it resonates with a particular leftist perspective."
And here's where it gets interesting: Ellis predicts that this film's popularity will be short-lived. "It will soon be seen as a relic of a bygone era, a post-Kamala Harris era," he said. "People will gather around it, pretending it's fantastic, when in reality, it's just not. It's a liberal time capsule that feels outdated even in 2025."
But Ellis isn't alone in his critique. Responding to a film critic who deemed "One Battle After Another" an "important" movie, Ellis firmly disagreed: "It doesn't reflect the current state of America. It's not in touch with the pulse of the nation."
Inspired loosely by Thomas Pynchon's "Vineland," the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a former revolutionary forced out of hiding. The cast also includes Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, and Teyana Taylor, all generating Oscar buzz. Despite the rave reviews, Ellis stands firm in his belief that the film's political message overshadows its artistic merit.
Variety's Owen Gleiberman, however, praised the film as a "mesmerizing vision of a police-state America." He wrote, "'One Battle After Another' captures the urgency of our times, giving us a chilling wake-up call. It speaks to the dangers and anxieties of our moment while remaining relatable and grounded."
Since its theatrical release on September 26, the film has grossed over $114 million worldwide, becoming the first Anderson-directed film to surpass the $100 million benchmark.
So, is "One Battle After Another" truly a masterpiece, or is its critical acclaim a result of political bias? What do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below! We'd love to hear your opinions on this controversial topic.
