There is a new movie online that takes everything you know about multi-dimensional movies and shreds it all apart. So, forget everything Doctor Strange 2 told you about the multiverse — this film provides a much fresher spin on the topic.
The film? Everything Everywhere All at Once, which made me laugh, cry and have an utterly fun experience throughout its 2-hour, 20-minute runtime.
Not surprisingly, Everything Everywhere All at Once has earned itself a solid 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes (opens in new tab). The movie has just finally made it to Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab) for purchase at the price of $19.99 (opens in new tab). And despite the price tag, I would implore you to watch this marvel (no pun intended) of a movie that stars Michelle Yeoh and Stephanie Hsu who bring their A-game.
Oh, and don’t go looking for a spoiler-warning: there are no spoilers ahead. We wouldn’t dare ruin any of the surprises for what could very well be one of the best movies this year when it’s all said and done.
Out-of-this world plotline
Settling in for Everything Everywhere All at Once, I was honestly not too convinced it would be great. After a busy day at work, I usually prefer winding down with some light comedy — the last thing I’d pick is a heady brain trip to the multiverse. Plus, with recent movies like The Adam Project and Marvel’s Doctor Strange 2 already featuring multi-dimensional, I was thinking “another one?”
But Everything Everywhere All at Once completely surprised me. Yes, it has its multiple universes that clash with one another. But between all the chaos, its story is beautifully simple, human and heart-warming: showing the struggles of an immigrant in the US, along with family dynamics between a husband and wife and a heart-tugging mother and daughter relationship.
Think of Disney’s Turning Red or Pixar’s Inside Out. This movie has meaning and it has a warm fuzzy heart — which I wouldn’t often say about many movies in the MCU.
The movie stars Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn, a struggling Chinese American woman who runs an unassuming laundromat with her husband Waymond (played by Ke Huy Quan – who also played Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.) Evelyn is visited by her action packed husband from another universe who warns her of Jobu Tupaki, an all powerful and evil “verse jumper” who threatens to tear reality apart.
Evelyn’s daughter Joy (played by the brilliant Stephanie Hsu — who was also in Marvel’s Shang Chi and Amazon’s Marvelous Mrs Maisel) is at the center of everything and struggles with her relationship with her mother.
Multiverse meets art
Everything Everywhere All at Once is divided into three parts of its title, like a theatrical piece. The whole movie is like a work of art that seamlessly flows into each other much like the various universes that come together.
There are multiple action sequences that have such striking background scores that they seem almost like mesmerizing ballet performances. The movie manages to mix pop culture references and make them artistically over-the-top to give them a sense of whimsy. There is a hilarious and equally bizarre reference to Pixar’s Ratatouille, and the concept of the everything bagel gets more time than you might expect. I’d say more, but I promised no spoilers.
Filmmakers Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (also known as The Daniels) deliver excellent CGI and lifelike-sets that can put Marvel’s CGI-driven MCU to shame. It’s enough to have you (like I was) I sat there entranced by the magnificence of it all.
Overall, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a tad bit long, but that’s my only gripe. It is a delightfully cathartic experience, and between all the chaos, the unmistakable human element will make it an endearing watch.
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