Screen Scene with John Heal

One Battle After Another is lean, relentless filmmaking — a war drama that trades spectacle for precision. Every frame carries purpose, every silence hums with tension. It’s not a story of glory, but of endurance — the toll of persistence carved into every decision and breath.

The direction is sharp, favoring grounded realism over grandiosity. Combat sequences are brutal but never gratuitous, captured with a handheld intimacy that pulls you into the chaos without glamorizing it. The pacing is tight, unflinching, and human — each scene driven by emotion rather than explosion.

Performances are uniformly strong, but the lead commands attention: restrained, weary, and utterly believable. The script balances grit with grace, offering moments of fragile quiet amid the storm. The score underscores without intruding, low and tense, like a heartbeat on edge.

If there’s a misstep, it’s a brief middle stretch that loses focus before rallying to a powerful, devastating close. But by the end, the film earns its title — a story of survival, sacrifice, and the small mercies that keep us fighting.

Cinematography: 4/5

Score: 4/5

Plot: 4.5/5

Dialogue: 4.5/5

Pacing: 4/5

Ending: 5/5

Overall: 4.5/5