The Big Picture ‘One Battle After Another’: A Second Opinion With Van Lathan
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Oct 5, 2025 
Van Lathan, a cultural commentator and media personality, shares his insights on the box office implications and representation in 'One Battle After Another'. He discusses the importance of supporting smaller creators and critiques the film's portrayal of Black women, raising concerns about harmful depictions. The conversation dives into how patronage influences filmmakers, addressing the double standards that affect marginalized voices. Lathan also emphasizes the film's potential to spark discussions about representation while balancing entertainment value.
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More Paths, Same Patronage Bias
- Van praises expanded avenues for storytelling but recognizes patronage still skews who gets funded.
- He notes creators can find alternative backers, yet systemic patterns persist.
Penn's Character Drives The Film
- Van says he enjoyed One Battle After Another and found Sean Penn's character central to the plot.
- He calls Penn's character the only one with a clear want driving the narrative.
Unceremonious Violence Feels Real
- Van praises the film's unceremonious violence as realistic and surprising.
- He found the abrupt death of Lockjaw effective because it mirrored life's randomness.