I was blown away when "The Battle Within" took home the most awards in a variety of categories at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress.
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Supporting Actress
I was genuinely shocked by the cultural phenomenon that was "The Battle Within".
I found myself watching it twice, and each time I had to stop mid-sentence because I was in awe of the chaos on screen.
I started watching because one of my favorite actors, Leonardo DiCaprio, was in it.
I stopped because I was stunned by the sheer audacity of the film – I couldn't believe Leo had agreed to be a part of it.
Despite my initial hesitation, I mustered up the courage to keep watching and try to understand what had captivated the American film community.
Maybe I'm just missing something, or perhaps the film's greatness just flew right over my head.
About the MovieRelease year is 2025
Country of origin is the United States
Genre-wise, I'd say this movie is a solid action movie, with some thriller elements, a dash of drama, and a healthy dose of crime - all wrapped up into a neat 2 hour and 42 minute package.
Age rating is 18+, so be sure to check that before watching.
StoryI've gotta say, the premise of this thing is pretty wild. Back in the 2000s, Pat Calhoun was part of a left-wing extremist group with his girlfriend, and things took a dark turn when one of their heists went sideways and ended in murder. Fast forward 16 years, and Pat's living a new life in Southern California under the name Bob Ferguson, raising a teenage daughter who's basically a prisoner in her own home due to his crippling paranoia – we're talking no mobile phone, no friends, no nothing. But Bob's fears aren't entirely unfounded, as his old nemesis, Colonel Lokajo, has come gunning for him and his daughter.
xa0
Characters (Cast)xa0
Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor) - a firecracker of a character, this one. She's a passionate member of the left-wing extremist group, fighting for world peace, saving illegals, and getting into all sorts of scrapes.
xa0
Let's just say Perfidia's a force to be reckoned with – she's confident, outspoken, and unapologetic. But as a character, she's just not that likable.
xa0
The writer's portrayal of her is a bit too idealized, if you ask me. Perfidia's supposed to be this symbol of a strong, black woman fighting against the system, but it feels like she's more of a caricature.
xa0
And don't even get me started on how sexy she's made out to be. Perfidia's constantly flirting with the lead character, Leonardo DiCaprio's lookalike, and it's just a bit too much.
xa0
[Image 1] [Image 2] [Image 3] xa0
I've seen some pretty intense scenes in my time, but the way the mom in this movie freaks out when her partner gets too involved with their kid takes the cake. I mean, she's constantly jealous of the attention he gives their little one, and she's always complaining about how he's trying to create a normal family.
xa0
[Image 4] xa0
On the other hand, the character of Perfidia is a whole different story. She's all about the drama and the extremism, and she's got no qualms about using it as a cover for her own twisted desires.
xa0
[Image 5] xa0
The actress playing Perfidia, Teyana Taylor, didn't exactly blow me away with her performance. I'm not sure if I've seen her in anything else, but I'm hoping to forget this movie ASAP. The reason is that she completely lacked any range as an actress. In every single scene, she had the same expression on her face, and no matter what was happening, she just looked bored or annoyed. It was like she was phoning it in the whole time.
One thing that really bugged me was the amount of posing in this show. It looked terrible on screen. I'll admit it, from the first scenes I was hoping they'd get to the action part sooner.
xa0
xa0
Pat Caulfield aka Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) - Perfidia's boyfriend. He's a great explosives expert, which is what he used to do in the group. I was hoping Perfidia would calm down after having a kid. But in reality, she's still getting on his nerves and he's taking care of their kid together.
xa0
xa0
As their daughter grows up, he starts developing a persecution complex, which is why he even forbids her from having a phone.
xa0
xa0
Leonardo DiCaprio is great in this role. His character goes through a range of emotions, and it all feels really believable.
xa0
xa0
Steve Lockwood (Shawn Penn) - a colonel who's been humiliated by Perfidia during his mission. But instead of harboring hatred, he inexplicably developed feelings for her.
xa0
xa0
I didn't even recognize Shawn Penn as the actor at first. Although his character's erratic behavior didn't win me over, he delivered some impressive acting.
xa0
xa0
Overall impression.
xa0
The only plus for me in this movie is Leonardo DiCaprio's performance.I think Leonardo DiCaprio's acting literally saved this movie from being a disaster.
xa0
xa0
I was surprised by the film's success, and I think another actor would have made a huge difference. The lack of a Golden Globe nomination is a shame, especially since he's the only one who truly deserves it. I'm hoping he gets an Oscar.
xa0
xa0
The downsides:
xa0
Teyana Taylor's performance.I have to say, I wasn't impressed by Teyana Taylor at all. Her acting was decent, but her character felt like a caricature. She's portrayed as a black woman fighting for justice, and all the white guys are somehow drawn to her. It just didn't sit well with me.
xa0
I've got to say, the same expression on the actress's face in every shot really grates on me.
And that's all the more surprising considering she won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for this role.
xa0
xa0
In my opinion, actress Amy Madigan, who was nominated in the same category for her role in the film "The Tools", is way more deserving of the award.
xa0
Long runtime.Watching this movie for nearly 3 hours is a real torture. Honestly, it could've been cut in half and still been just as effective.
xa0
Empty story. Don't even try to find meaning in this movie. There just isn't any. I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out what this story's about and what the director was trying to say. And the more I think about it, the more baffled I am by all the glowing reviews for the screenwriter.
I've got to be honest, this movie was a complete miss for me. The one thing that did stand out was Leonardo DiCaprio's performance. His character's the only one you can actually relate to and feel for.
But even DiCaprio couldn't salvage this movie's totally empty story.
I'm not going to recommend it to anyone, there are just too many negatives. To be honest, I'm still trying to figure out why the American film community gave it such high praise.