One Battle After Another recently hit theaters, packed with action and star power, but audiences are not just talking about its stunts and faces. Many moviegoers are taking to social media to voice their frustration, arguing that the film seems more focused on pushing a particular message than telling a story. The debate has grown louder online, sparking heated discussions about Hollywood’s direction. The chatter even reached Elon Musk, who sided with viewers, adding fuel to the controversy.

An X account, Wall Street Apes, shared a video of a man who walked out of One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, criticizing the film’s opening and storyline. According to him, the movie began with an Antifa war cry, showed immigrants being freed from detention, and quickly escalated into calls for violence. At the same time, a secretive conservative group was portrayed as a racist organization. Shocked by the plot, he questioned how Rotten Tomatoes rated it 98 percent. Elon Musk agreed with the post, simply writing, “Brutal.”

One Battle After Another is notably directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, inspired by Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio alongside Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. It premiered worldwide on September 26. Critics have largely praised it, reflected in the aforementioned Rotten Tomatoes rating. The consensus on X, however, appears to disagree with them, accusing the review aggregator of pushing “woke propaganda.”

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Fans cry foul over Leonardo DiCaprio’s potential Oscar-favorite title, One Battle After Another, after one moviegoer disseminates his rightist views on the film.

Fans under the aforementioned X post became vocal about their disappointment with One Battle After Another, calling it heavy on propaganda and questioning its storytelling. While one reminisced about films from before the 1990s, suggesting those offered a more genuine cinematic experience, another looked at the numbers, noting that with its significant budget, the movie would need around $500 million to break even, which does not seem to be happening, pushing it into flop territory even with the propaganda in question. Many, meanwhile, also pointed out that hidden messaging in movies is not new, as Hollywood has done this for decades.

Alternative discourse on X also targeted Leonardo DiCaprio personally, claiming his movies hold no value after he promoted climate issues to the common man while boarding his private jet, with one pointedly even accusing him of preaching violence in an already sensitive time.

The debate around One Battle After Another clearly shows just how divided audiences have become, with discussions on X mixing film critique, politics, and celebrity behavior. Some focus on budgets and box office numbers, while others zero in on messaging and moral contradictions. A movie today can spark conversation far beyond the screen. Whether it is seen as a cinematic misfire or a bold cultural statement, the controversy proves that modern blockbusters can ignite debates that go well beyond entertainment.

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What are your thoughts on One Battle After Another getting slammed on X? Let us know in the comments.