Leonardo DiCaprio’s politically charged thriller One Battle After Another has garnered critical acclaim but is struggling to recoup its $175 million budget due to a fierce backlash from conservative audiences.

Hollywood’s golden boy, Leonardo DiCaprio, finds himself at the center of an unexpected storm as his latest project, One Battle After Another, experiences a fierce battle at the box office.

Despite receiving rave reviews from critics, the sprawling political thriller has been met with backlash from conservative audiences, sparking a national conversation on the growing cultural divide in Hollywood.

While the film has been hailed as a masterpiece by industry insiders, it’s struggling to recover its rumored $175 million budget. The controversy surrounding its political content and radical left-wing themes might be the key reason.

Directed by the acclaimed Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another is a high-stakes action-thriller loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland.

The film features DiCaprio in the role of Bob Ferguson, a former far-left revolutionary turned paranoid recluse living off the grid with his daughter, played by Chase Infiniti.

The film dives into radical political themes, portraying Ferguson’s desperate attempt to reunite with his past comrades when his daughter is kidnapped by a nefarious group of white supremacists.

Right from the opening scene, One Battle After Another establishes itself as a fiercely political film.

The story kicks off with a violent raid on an ICE detention center, where unarmed civilians, including immigrants, are shot at by federal agents as they try to free detainees. It’s a moment that sets the tone for the entire film, which does not shy away from its left-wing slant.

This has sparked outrage, especially among conservative circles, where the film is being denounced as “woke” propaganda—many accusing it of pushing an overtly liberal, even pro-Antifa, agenda.

In spite of its polarizing politics, the film has been met with glowing reviews from major critics. Top-tier publications have lauded the movie as “the defining film of a generation,” and the action sequences have been praised as some of the most exhilarating ever put to screen.

However, despite the critical success, One Battle After Another is failing to perform as expected at the box office.

So far, the film has grossed over $100 million, but industry analysts are skeptical about whether it can make back its hefty budget.

The film’s massive production costs and politically divisive subject matter seem to be alienating a large segment of the audience, especially conservative moviegoers. Some predict that it could become a cult classic over time, but for now, the financials aren’t looking good.

The central issue for many viewers is the film’s portrayal of left-wing radicals. Critics, including conservative firebrand Ben Shapiro, have blasted the movie as “an apologia for radical left-wing terrorism.”

Shapiro, known for his sharp commentary on cultural issues, took to social media to condemn the film’s narrative, arguing that it paints a picture of the United States as a nation run by white supremacist Christian nationalists,

while people of color and a few “nice incompetent travelers” like DiCaprio’s character are left to battle against the system.

He described the film’s premise as “deeply problematic” and a “conspiracy theory masquerading as art.”

In the wake of Shapiro’s comments, the film has become a lightning rod for right-wing critics. Conservative podcaster Alec Mouhibian called One Battle After Another “pretentious” and slammed it as “worse than the worst film ever made.”

Right-wing cultural critic Jack Mason of The Perfume Nationalist weighed in with even sharper criticism, accusing director Paul Thomas Anderson of using the film to push a leftist agenda at the expense of storytelling.

Perhaps most controversially, Alex Jones, the notorious conspiracy theorist and radio host, took to his platform to accuse the film of “fetishizing the liberation of illegal aliens” and “romanticizing the murder of federal agents.”

For Jones, the film’s politics are not just offensive—they’re dangerous, as they encourage violent action in the name of “social justice.”

Despite the firestorm of criticism from conservatives, One Battle After Another continues to enjoy a measure of success among more liberal audiences. In Hollywood circles, the film is being called a masterpiece, with five-star reviews across the board.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson, known for his work on There Will Be Blood and The Master, has garnered praise for his sharp direction and ability to craft thrilling, intense sequences that keep the audience on the edge of their seats.

One of the film’s standout performances comes from Sean Penn, who portrays an unhinged army officer whose descent into madness is one of the film’s most shocking moments.

Critics have praised Penn’s ability to steal every scene he’s in, with many calling his performance one of the best of the year.

The film’s progressive message has also earned it admiration from prominent figures like director Steven Spielberg, who called it “insane” in its brilliance, and pop superstar Taylor Swift, who described it as “the most relevant film I’ve seen in years.”

With endorsements like these, the film is expected to rack up a slew of awards nominations come Oscar season, though the question remains whether it can survive the box office backlash long enough to see any return on its investment.

David A. Gross, a movie consultant with Franchise Entertainment Research, suggests that the film may eventually break even, though it may need to rely on international markets and long-term theatrical runs to achieve profitability.

“It’s going to get a lot of awards nominations, but that’s two to three months away and unlikely to help this immediate release,” Gross explained. “If it lasts long enough in theaters and performs well abroad, it still has a chance.”

For DiCaprio, whose career has been a steady ascent toward the pinnacle of Hollywood stardom, the film’s lukewarm reception at the box office is a rare setback.

The actor, who has been lauded for his involvement in films that address climate change and social justice issues, previously admitted that box-office numbers are crucial to the success of any film.

“There’s an inundation of content right now,” DiCaprio noted. “People need a reason to show up to the theater, and that’s always been important to me.”

As for One Battle After Another, it remains to be seen whether the film can weather the storm of conservative backlash and recoup its hefty production costs.

It’s clear that the film is one of the most divisive releases of the year, striking a deep chord with audiences on both sides of the political spectrum.

If the film’s performance at the box office doesn’t improve, One Battle After Another could be remembered not just for its breathtaking action sequences, but for its ability to spark one of the fiercest cultural debates in recent Hollywood history.

For now, One Battle After Another is both a critical darling and a box-office casualty, a film that is perhaps too politically charged for mainstream audiences, but too important for Hollywood’s left-wing elite to ignore.

Whether it will ultimately be hailed as a cinematic triumph or a misguided misfire remains to be seen. But if the controversy continues to swirl, it’s clear that the battle for its place in history is far from over.