Jacked In Reviews ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)

As well as the trailer for Everything Everywhere All at Once being packed with variety, the tagline for this movie certainly builds expectations. However, not long after the movie’s opening, you understand the hype is real and this could very well be:

THE BEST MULTIVERSE MOVIE EVER

We’re introduced to Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh), a middle-aged Chinese immigrant trying to balance her Laundromat business, her useless husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) and her relationship with her daughter, Joy (Stephanie Hsu).

With brief glimpses that not all is as it seems here and there, our suspicions are confirmed when an alternate (more superior) version of Waymond, from another universe, takes control of his body. Alternate Waymond then enlightens Evelyn about the fact that there is a multiverse occupied by endless variations of herself. Not only that, but she can access their memories/skillsets and it’s fair to say, from martial arts to hog dog hands, the possibilities are endless. This just might come in handy when Evelyn finds out she is also being pursued by the all-powerful, Jobu Tupaki and her weaponized destroyer of the multiverse… a bagel that contains everything.

In terms of wonderfully, creative, originality, directors Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert AKA The Daniel’s (Swift Army Man) have done it again. From the word go, this feature does not slow down. Front and centre we have Evelyn, who’s missed out on so many opportunities over the years causing her to be (hilariously) unapologetic in how she views the world around her. We’re going on this stunningly visual journey throughout the multiverse to see how her life could have panned out if things had been done differently and all the while, she’s fighting (literally) for her life. Not to mention, as well as having plenty of laughs and being gorgeous to watch, out of nowhere it gets you right in the feels in the most deeply profound way.

Brilliantly cast, a fantastic performance from Ke Huy Quan making his return to the big screen for the first time in 20 years and is just as loveable as ever. A marvellously layered performance from Jamie Lee Curtis who brings humour and intimidation to her role as the Deirdre Beaubeirdre the auditor. However, Yeoh and Hsu steal the show as mother and daughter with a flawlessly emotional onscreen chemistry.

In closing, Everything Everywhere All at Once is ambitious and absurd in all the best ways, it gives you exactly what is promised on the tin and totally nails it. Not only is the feature genius on multiple levels, but it gives you a tremendously refreshing feeling, knowing original movies like this are still being made. And one can only look forward to what The Daniels do next.

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