Everything Everywhere All At Once; Why I Loved It and You Should See It. A Review.

"Demanding franchise exploiters?" I anticipate you asking yourself.

Yes, I mean how even when a franchise appears to end, it never truly dies. Think about MARVEL's Infinity Saga franchise and how it still lumbers forward, cannibalizing the remainder of beloved comics left to generate content from, despite its culmination film: "Endgame."

There's also the way we suspend our dread when a character dies in modern movies because we are almost certain they'll be fine and return somehow (like what we were given in Disney's Star Wars with Chewbacca's supposed "death)." That is what I'm referring to. The Disney-fication of cinema and the obliteration of the multiverse concept that evolved from it with movies like "Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Stupidity Madness."

However, all that is put to rest for the two hours of this movie's runtime. It is a movie we can simply enjoy as a movie, feel long after we've left the theater, and, most importantly, remember, not just consume and forget about. Not to mention the execution of the multiverse as a plot-driver actually works, as long as you don't hyper-analyze it. It is only fiction after all.

What Makes The Multiverse Work In This Film and Not Others:

To start, the story spends very little time explaining how the multiverse works or what it is. When it is explained, it is done so in an intense situation that keeps us invested in the explanation and none of the characters belittle anything about that explanation with silly quips. The film takes the concept very seriously and displays that in the character's reactions. A couple shots show us a few simple drawn out schematics of the way the timelines are arranged for a visual aid.

The plot also focuses in on multiple key stories in the multiverse that the writers expertly weave together and sync up as the story continues. This retains interest in each of the possibilities shown and adds to the gravity of character actions.

The visual effects greatly help this film succeed where others fail when it comes to the multiverse gimmick. The CGI feels sparingly used and appears real. The nonsensical elements are easily noticed although I'd argue that was the point. I loved all the uses of practical effects as well, even if they were weirdly uncomfortable.

Each of the variant versions of Evelyn, our protagonist, are ultra-creative. I could very much tell that a lot of time, effort, and thought went into her many incarnations. I appreciated the amount of time spent on a few of her versions so that you could clearly explore each of them well. In other films, that element is very clearly rushed to save time on actually fleshing out those incalculable possible universes. Whereas, in this movie, I very much felt that the multiverse had endless, possible outcomes and that no outcome was improbable.

The Movie's Message:

I think this is the film's strongest point not only in value of what is conveyed, but also the way it is executed.

The movie is everything blue-haired, Disney-brain crybabies say they want in movies but can never actually produce on a consistent basis. Complaints about lack of diversity, inclusion, female leads, and gay characters in film are all put to bed in this one movie and they all benefit the story. Only if the viewer is truly a bigot would any of these facets of the movie be offensive or distracting from the immersion of the story.

Ultimately, the message revolves around the strength, unity, and sanctity of family; the power of kindness and love; and the bond between a mother and daughter. I love stories that can include multiple themes like that in one script. It's a testament of great writing.

Ok, But Why Should I Watch It?

Really? You're still not convinced to shill out $4 to rent this awesome movie off YouTube? Alright, fair enough.

I dare say that all the performances by the cast are done very very well. Michelle Yeoh's role as Evelyn is filled with emotion and motherly love. Stephanie Hsu plays the villain very poignantly and then switching between a hurt, lonely teenager who simply wants to be seen and escape her emotional pain.

The amount of action is so entertaining to watch. All the camera shots and angles make the entire sequence so interesting. It feels fresh yet reminiscent of classic martial arts choreography, with a bit of comedy sprinkled on top. The tone is usually light-hearted and meant to be a spectacle.

Another point I noticed was the use of very wide shots with the focus on something at the center of the screen. The shots are unique and capture your eye's attention. There is a lot of attention-to-detail put into every scene that you can look anywhere and notice something interesting that brings the film to life even more.

I do hope this article brought this film to your attention and aptly prompted you to put it on your Watch Later list, as I'm sure you are a productive member of society with many things to attend to after reaching the end of this awfully long sentence (I wrote this at 1am, please forgive me).