“One Battle After Another” updates the counterculture of 1960s’ America to the present day.

The movie is a hair-raising yarn that will keep you on the edge of your seat and your eyes riveted on the screen.

“One Battle After Another” is visceral. There’s the kinetic direction by Paul Thomas Anderson. There’s a searing performance by Leonardo DiCaprio, a wickedly good turn by Sean Penn, a memorable appearance by Benicio Del Toro and a sparkling feature movie acting debut by Chase Infiniti.

“One Battle After Another” Cinematographer Michael Bauman (Director of photography, “Licorice Pizza,” 2021), filming in VistaVision (high resolution, widescreen 35mm format) creates variety and immediacy with his camera setup choices, enhanced by the often rat-tat-tat editing by Andy Jurgensen (Editor, “Licorice Pizza”; Radiohead, Haim music videos).

In “One Battle After Another,” Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a stoned-out former leader of a counterculture underground anarchist group.

Nearly two decades later, living as a recluse, Ferguson is tracked down by Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), who will stop at nothing and no one, including kidnapping Willa (Chase Infiniti), daughter of Bob Ferguson and Perfida (Teyana Taylor).

Ferguson is aided by Sergio St. Carlos (Benicio del Toro), who leads an underground group of undocumented aliens.

This all takes place against the backdrop of Sacramento and its nearby southern California environs of deserts and mountains.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson wrote the screenplay, said to be inspired by the 1990 novel, “Vineland,” written by Thomas Pynchon.

The jittery, screechy, avant-garde score is by Jonny Greenwood, guitarist and keyboard player for Radiohead.

The sense of “One Battle After Another” is that of a Quentin Tarantino movie (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” 2019; “Pulp Fiction,” 1994) for its sense of place, frenetic pace, chase scenes and hair-trigger violence, modulated by scenes of silence.

There’s a madcap “Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote” Looney Tunes cartoon depiction to the characters, including their goofy names.

Paul Thomas Anderson (11 Oscar nominations, including for “Licorice Pizza, 2021”; “Phantom Thread,” 2018; “There Will Be Blood,” 2008; “Magnolia,” 2000; “Boogie Nights,” 1998) is an auteur of the outsider. He seeks solace for his characters, who invariably have made bad choices. He’s the cinematic king of characters of bad choices.

Anderson writes great character roles and, therefore, gets great performances from his actors.

DiCaprio (six Oscar nominations; one Oscar, actor, “The Revenant,” 2016) gives Ferguson a knucklehead haze and bounces around life like a pinball.

Penn (five Oscar nominations; two Oscars, actor, “Milk,” 2008;“Mystic River, 2003) is scary and quirky as a colonel with a kernel of truth in his salute.

Del Toro (two Oscar nominations; Oscar actor, “Traffic,” 2001) gives a nuanced performance as a martial arts teacher.

Other outstanding turns are by Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti, the latter especially remarkable.

The films of Paul Thomas Anderson are not for everyone. Watching his films are almost a battle in and of themselves. “One Battle After Another” is no exception.

“One Battle After Another,” MPA rated R (Restricted: Persons under 17 require an accompanying parent or adult guardian.) for pervasive language, violence, sexual content, and drug use; Genre: Action Crime Thriller; Run time: 2 hours, 41 minutes. Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous: “One Battle After Another” was filmed from January to June 2024 in Arcata, Cutten, Eureka and Trinidad, all Humboldt County; Sacramento; Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Borrego Springs, San Diego and Otay Mesa, all Calif., and El Paso, Tex.

At The Movies: “One Battle After Another” was seen in Dolby Cinema at AMC, AMC Center Valley 16.

Theatrical Movies Domestic Weekend Box Office, Oct. 3-5: “Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” playing for three days only in movie theaters, opened at No. 1 with $33 million in 3,702 theaters.

2. “One Battle After Another” dropped one place from its opening week at No.1, with $11.1 million in 3,634 theaters, $42.7 million, two weeks. 3. “The Smashing Machine,” based on the life of Mixed Martial Arts fighter and UFC champion Mark Kerr (played by Dwayne Johnson), $6 million in 3,345 theaters, opening. 4. “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” dropped two places, $5.2 million in 3,507 theaters, $21.6 million, two weeks. 5. “The Conjuring: Last Rites” dropped one place, $4 million in 2,753 theaters, $167.8 million, five weeks. 6. “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle - Part 1: Akaza Returns” dropped three places, $3.5 million in 2,547 theaters, $124.6 million, four weeks. 7. “Avatar: The Way of Water,” 2025 re-release, $3.1 million in 2,140 theaters, opening. 8. “The Strangers: Chapter 2” dropped three places, $2.8 million in 2,690 theaters, $10.6 million, two weeks. 9. “Good Boy,” a dog discovers supernatural forces in the Comedy Thriller, $2.2 million in 1,650 theaters, opening. 10. “The Long Walk” dropped three places, $1.7 million in 1,930 theaters, $31.9 million, four weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Oct. 5 is subject to change.

Unreel, Oct. 10:

“Tron: Ares,” MPA rated PG-13; 1 hour, 59 minutes. Joachim Rønning directs Evan Peters, Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee, Jared Leto and Gillian Anderson in the Science-Fiction, Action film. A computer program named Ares is sent from the digital world to the real world. The movie, third in the “Tron” series, is a sequel to “Tron: Legacy” (2010). The original “Tron” was released in 1982.

“Anemone,” MPA rated R; 2 hours, 1 minute. Ronan Day-Lewis, in his feature film directorial debut, directs his father, Daniel Day-Lewis, in a screenplay they cowrote. Also starring are Sid Akbar, Sean Bean, Samantha Morton, Safia Oakley-Green and Samuel Bottomley in the Drama. A man goes into the woods in northern England to reconnect with his estranged brother who is a hermit. It’s Daniel Day-Lewis’s first film since “Phantom Thread” (2017).

“Roofman,” MPA rated R; 2 hours, six minutes. Derek Cianfrance directs Channing Tatium, Kirsten Dunst and LaKeith Stanfield in the Biography Crime Drama. A criminal who hides on the roof of a toy store finds romance inside the store. The movie is based on a true story.

“Kiss of the Spider Woman,” MPA rated R; 2 hours, 8 minutes. Bill Condon directs Diego Luna, Tonatiuh and Jennifer Lopez in the Musical Drama. A political prisoner recounts a Hollywood musical to his cellmate. The movie is set in Argentina in 1983 during a military dictatorship. The film, based on the stage musical by Terrence McNally and John Kander and Fred Ebb, is the second movie adaptation of the 1976 novel by Manuel Puig. The original 1985 movie starred William Hurt, Raul Julia and Sonia Braga.

“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” MPA rated R; 1 hour, 53 minutes. Mary Bronstein directs Rose Byrne, Conan O’Brien, Danielle Macdonald, A$AP Rocky and Christian Slater in the Comedy Drama. A woman with an illness battles real and imagined psychological demons.

“Soul on Fire,” MPA rated PG. 1 hour, 51 minutes. Sean McNamara directs William H. Macy, John Corbett and Stephanie Szostak in the Biography Drama. After a debilitating accident in a fire, a young man fights for survival. The film is based on John O’Leary’s book, “On Fire, The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life.”

“Fairyland,” MPA rated R; 1 hour, 56 minutes. Andrew Durham directs Emilia Jones, Scoot McNairy, Geena Davis, Cody Fern, Maria Bakalova, Adam Lambert and Nessa Dougherty in the Drama. A girl grows up in San Francisco during the 1970s and 1980s. The movie is based on the 2013 book, “Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father,” by Alysia Abbott.

“Deathstalker,” No MPA rating: 1 hour, 42 minutes. Steven Kostanski directs Daniel Bernhardt, Patton Oswalt, Christina Orjalo in a remake of the 1983 Action Adventure Fantasy film.

Opening date information from Internet Movie Database as of Oct. 5 is subject to change.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes