Panic World BONUS: One or two hot takes on One Battle After Another
Oct 3, 2025
In this lively discussion, Ryan Broderick, a keen commentator on internet culture and film, joins Grant to dive into One Battle After Another. They explore how the film reflects today's political climate and critique its portrayal of activist politics. Ryan compares it to other works and discusses characters like Perfidia and Ghetto Pat, revealing the film's complex racial optics. Their banter also touches on Hollywood's struggle to depict modern activism credibly, all while highlighting powerful performances that elevate the narrative despite its flaws.
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Film As 'Weird America' Mirror
- One Battle After Another fits a trend of 2020s films probing 'weird America' and generational anxieties.
- Ryan argues it improves on similar films like Eddington by being more fantastical and clearer about its politics.
Read The Movie As Near-Future
- The film's timeline can be read as spanning decades with a leap about 10 years into the future.
- Ryan thinks that futuristic reading clarifies political elements like the disappearance of ICE as a distinct agency.
Prologue: French 75 And Perfidia's Escape
- The prologue follows a radical group called the French 75 freeing migrants and then splintering after a botched job.
- Ryan and Grant describe Perfidia's arrest and her later witness protection escape as the film's inciting arc.