I am a little (read: really) late in discussing what a masterpiece Everything Everywhere All at Once is, but I believe the beauty of art is that it is no time limit or expiration date.
Everything Everywhere All at Once gives a new meaning to the word ‘omnipresent.’ A shorter and arguably, more impactful take on the idea of the multiverse, something that the Marvel animated series What If…? touched on for nine episodes, Everything Everywhere All at Once gives you the most mind-boggling and thought-provoking 2 hours 20 minutes of your life.
The film, take the audiences through a journey of existentialism, nihilism, hope, and acceptance. The movie’s core theme doubles down on the belief that human beings are a tiny fraction of an atom in the vast space of the universe and the multiverse while simultaneously restoring the idea that, at the end of the day, molecules are what make up the universe. Portraying Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), Evelyn’s (Michelle Yeoh) husband, and Joy (Stephanie Hsu), their daughter, as the angle and devil, respectively, on Evelyn’s shoulders, Everything Everywhere All at Once strikes a balance between nihilism and hope. The movie maps a perfect layout where midlife crises, cultural differences, and generation values meet at the crossroads and blend into constellations we’ve only dreamt of.
With various art and pop culture references spread throughout the movie, Everything Everywhere All at Once uses comedy, action, and profound moments to navigate the woes of philosophical questions that loom over everyone’s heads, everywhere, and every time. The movie explores laughter, tears, and drama through inner and interpersonal relationships, dilemmas, and growth, spanning multiple universes.
The last five minutes of the movie are intense, bittersweet, and will have you wiping your eyes – or at the very least, make you feel overwhelmed. Right before the curtains close, the final scene is the dagger that plunges into your mind, heart, and soul, and makes a permanent home in the form of the genre-breaking and genre-reshaping movie that Everything Everywhere All at Once is.