‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Review
Stars: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tallie Medel, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., Biff Wiff | Written and Directed by Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Everything Everywhere All at Once falls into a unique place in the world of cinema right now. The multiverse is the hottest idea in Hollywood, with the last two Marvel movies both exploring the idea and bringing it to mainstream audiences. Through the eyes of Marvel it’s already an idea that feels like we’ve seen the limitations of what’s possible, until now. Everything Everywhere All at Once shows the endless possibilities of the multiverse, in one of the most original, unique and exciting films to come out in the last decade.
The multiverse movie follows Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) who’s stuck in a life that feels it never really went anywhere. She works every day at the laundromat that she and her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) own, surrounded by the failures of her hobbies, and by the ever-growing tax returns she’s stuck doing. She’s an average nobody waiting for adventure to find her, and find her it does. It soon becomes apparent Evelyn could be the key to saving the multiverse and it springboards us on one of the truly craziest adventures we’ve had on the big screen.
Everything Everywhere All at Once knows that if it is truly going to live up to its title then it’s going to have to throw “everything” at us, and that’s just what it does. The film travels to the wildest places and conjures up the most unique worlds to play in and to just get a brief glimpse at, leaving your imagination running off in every direction. The filmmakers really did spend every minute thinking of every crazy possible universe out there and it results in some of the most unique visuals in any film. The way the directors transition from worlds and show us the power of the multiverse is always creative and exciting, Everything Everywhere All at Once always leaves you in awe of what’s happening in front of our eyes and helps the film’s action set pieces feel the most original they have since The Matrix first burst onto screens. Every punch, kick and block feels fresh and it felt so good to see something new on the big screen, it’s a feeling that seems so rare today. It seems like every few weeks we go to the big screen to see the same types of films again and again, if it isn’t a superhero action film it’s another franchise with its next instalment. But don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of everything Marvel has done and you’ll find me first in line at the next screening of every major blockbuster coming out this year, but I know nothing will have its own voice as much as this.
What makes all this craziness really work though is Michelle Yeoh. Wrapped up in the brilliant filmmaking and fanatic visuals is a true showcase of one of the film industry’s true greats. It almost feels as if Michelle’s entire career has been leading up to this film, where not only does she get to showcase her amazing martial arts abilities and have some of the best fight scenes put on film, but here she gives a powerfully emotional performance that is truly the heart of the film. It’s what gives Everything Everywhere All at Once the edge over so many in recent years, there is a true heart to be found in the middle of all the universes. More than a story about a woman who must save the multiverse, it’s about a mother trying to connect to her daughter, a wife trying to hold onto her husband, and a woman trying to make sense of it all. All of that heart and emotional impact is encapsulated by Michelle Yeoh’s beautiful performance that will leave you with a tear in your eye. It’s the kind of emotional story beats that the truly best films get right and here this film gets so much right.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the funniest, most creative, emotional, action-packed films of the last decade and reminds us why original films are so important to us all. This film is a breath of life into a genre that was seeming to be stuck in the same old beats. It deserves to be seen on the big screen and deserves its title, it truly is Everything Everywhere All at Once.
***** 5/5
Everything Everywhere All at Once is in cinemas now.
