IronWatcher’s review published on Letterboxd:
Watched in the cinema (44th visit in 2022)
The multiverse is on everyone's lips. Whether in "Loki", "Spider-Man-No Way Home", or most recently "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness", the concept of several parallel dimensions and timelines colliding with each other is being used more and more frequently in the field of comic book adaptations. But you don't need a big blockbuster to dive into the mysterious multiverse - as Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the directing duo behind the strange and at the same time very loving "Swiss Army Man" now impressively prove. Their "Everything Everywhere All at Once" may not match the financial success of a Marvel film for a long time, but it will reward its viewers with a unique viewing experience they won't soon forget.
It is not easy to put this viewing experience into words, because after the rapid 139 minutes of playtime, in which a huge flood of information is hurled at the viewer with full force, you feel like you have been flattened. Yet "Everything Everywhere All at Once" begins quietly and harmlessly, introducing its sympathetic characters. It's about a Chinese family living above a self-run laundromat and struggling with everyday problems. Evelyn Wang (played fantastically and most charmingly by Michelle Yeoh) is the central figure here, running the business and looking after her family, the overload evident on her face. In addition, she is threatened with divorce from her husband (strong: Ke Huy Quan, known as Shortround from "Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom") and her relationship with her daughter (also great: Stephanie Hsu), who feels misunderstood and is torn apart by self-doubt, is not the best either. Plenty of material to make a suspenseful family drama out of already. But this is where the journey really begins.
After just a few minutes, you shift into top gear as soon as Evelyn is torn into several parallel worlds. The result is a wild, chaotic mix of sci-fi, action, comedy and martial arts that makes for incredible fun. Because what the directing duo conjures up on the screen here is a veritable firework of whacky ideas that don't want to end. It's all very confusing at first, but it's intentional in order to share the experience with the confused protagonist. Little by little, the elements come together in a meaningful way and you begin to understand what rules are being played by here. It is about nothing less than saving the world, no even all worlds. And Evelyn becomes a real superhero.
By travelling to other parallel worlds, Evelyn acquires the abilities of her other selves. But around her there is also so-called verse-jumping and thus clashes with enemies of far-off worlds (including a hilarious Jamie Lee Curtis). It quickly becomes clear why the title of the film couldn't be more apt, when everything takes place everywhere and at the same time. At this point, we don't want to reveal too much about the wonderfully wacky events involving dildos, hotdog fingers or an amusing reinterpretation of "Ratatouille"; the highly original adrenaline ride full of wit, spectacular moments and heaps of (subtle) references to other films should definitely be experienced for yourself.
It is also quite remarkable how well it is all staged. Fight scenes impress with great choreography (for the battle-hardened Yeoh, of course, the perfect playground), the camera is highly playful and sometimes changes the entire image format, and the carefully used effects are also convincing. It is hard to believe that this film was made on a modest budget of just 25 million dollars and should become a prime example for future Hollywood productions.
Even though the plot takes on ever greater dimensions, the core of this adventure is still about the actually tragic family story. All the many subplots are skilfully brought together and steered in the same direction, which has healing, love and self-knowledge as its goal. Thus "Everything Everywhere All at Once" is not only fun, but also knows how to touch emotionally. One of THE movies to see this year! Don't miss it!