Everything everywhere all at once follows a middle-aged woman named Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh). She was living a mundane life. Just trying to do her taxes and avoid getting in trouble with the government. But suddenly she gets sucked into a bizarre journey in which she is the only one who can save the world by traveling to alternate worlds and interacting with her other selves. However, she got swept away into an even greater quest when she becomes lost in the multiverse's limitless realms.
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert also known as “The Daniels” are an edgy and fresh director combo with a wacky and unique approach. They made an incredibly unique and amusing film. A mixture of wild imagination, bizarre comedy, and science fiction. The writing is fantastic, the execution is flawless, and the performances are superb. Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis are all on the top of their game here. However, Michelle Yeoh really steals the show. It’s always great seeing her performing. She has some very great comedic scenes with Jamie Lee Curtis and also kicks some serious asses in the action scenes. What a talented woman!
The film is full of twists and turns. It's also absolutely packed with terrific action, impressive set-pieces, and a lot of heart. At its core, Everything everywhere all at once is basically a story about a mother and her daughter trying to understand each other and deal with generational trauma. But the way the Daniels delivered it is so unique, breathtaking, and unforgettable. And I’m not sure how the duo pulled this off but the film also managed to raise some interesting questions about the purpose of life, the universe, and just about everything else.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the film, I recognize that Everything everywhere all at once is not for everyone. This is not for those who can only watch formulaic and safe films. So, if you're expecting one of those big-budget movies, the kind of movie that you have to turn your brain off to watch, you'll be disappointed. This is much more than just visual noise and sequences that feel more like a series of video game cut scenes than an actual movie. Yes, there are action scenes, amazing ones. But they aren’t there to distract the viewer from the plot holes and bad writing like in most blockbuster movies. They actually enhance the experience and help to add layers to the film.
Overall, Everything everywhere all at once is a very interesting movie with plenty of laughs. But it's also a really powerful display in terms of its capacity to go from laughter to tears in the blink of an eye. I was blown away by how complex the plot was and how well it came together in the end. And I'm sure that the Daniels will continue to show the world a lot of goodness in the future. I'm excited to see what they come up with next.