Film Review: Everything Everywhere All At Once

26/09/2022

To unpack the plot of ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ would require unraveling the story. This wildly original and thought-provoking genre-bending film is hysterically original, outrageously unpredictable, and profoundly intriguing. It demands to be seen to be fully appreciated. It is one of the very best films of the year and one of the most memorable action comedies of all time, leaving you with lots to ponder. You must see it.

On the verge of a divorce from her husband Waymond ( Ke Huy Quan), Evelyn Wang ( Michelle Yeoh ) is experiencing a range of problems in her life. Her daughter Joy ( Stephanie Hsu ) does not seem to understand her mother’s feelings, and her father Wang ( James Hong ) is coming to see her. As an Asian immigrant, Evelyn’s life is falling apart.

Gong Gong, Evelyn’s father, is very critical of his daughter’s decisions, including moving to the United States and marrying Waymond. On the other hand, Evelyn is not the most supportive mother to her daughter Joy, which weighs heavily on her. Waymond is a fun-loving man who isn’t satisfied in his marriage, but he tries to cheer her up in various ways – one of which is by putting googly eyes on things. Given that Waymond is taken over by a strange mutation, Evelyn’s life dramatically changes.

Before they pull the rug from under Evelyn’s feet and our own, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, known as Daniels, Daniel, and the Daniels, provide us with deep insights into the Wang family in this clever yet almost flawlessly made action-comedy. Despite the action-packed yet accessible nature of this film, which ranges from stylish to outrageous, the Wang family’s heart is never out of focus.

The film is driven by the Wang family’s emotions, but Michelle Yeoh carries most of it since the story centres on Evelyn. However, a talented ensemble supports her along with Waymond and Joy. Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu both play important roles as their performances demonstrate. Jamie Lee Curtis and James Hong also have their moments to shine.

The Daniels artfully orchestrate a precise blend of nonsense and opposing philosophies as Doughnuts and googly eyes, two opposing symbols, through VFX and imagery that are crammed with numerous easter eggs and blatant references to other films. Even the fight choreography, particularly Jackie Chan’s frenetic style, pays tribute to martial art films.

To comprehend ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’, you must first understand the story. This wonderfully original, wildly unpredictable, and thought-provoking film is a straight-up pleasure to watch. You’ll be left with a lot to think about—the least being a new appreciation for cinematic storytelling. This is one of the greatest movies of the year and, in my opinion, one of the greatest action comedies of all time. You simply must not miss it.