Everything Everywhere All at Once

This film almost unanimously received praise from both critics and audience alike. People even exaggeratedly rank it as one of the greatest films ever or the best they've ever seen. Going into this movie, my expectations were really high And I really wanted to be part of the majority who loves this movie. But unfortunately the opposite happened and I didnt like it. While I appreciate that this movie was made on a relatively small budget and managed to get some things right as it had so much potential with its strong female lead, philosophical component and some good action to move it along. But it fell really short. It is long and meandering. Visually confusing, thematically unoriginal. The first half was repetitive, boring and also quite silly. Half of the time I don't know what are they fighting for or what the heck is going on. And what was supposed to be the multiverse just felt like the characters were wearing silly different costumes. It is not until the last act that things of relevance happened. The performance from the cast was great though.

At some point in the last decade, cinema collectively decided that more is more. More movement, more colour, more genres crammed into one film. This movie epitomises that philosophy: pure, unfiltered chaos masquerading as profundity. It's action, comedy, sci-fi, family drama, absurdist theatre, and a philosophy lecture, all happening at once. And yet, somehow, it still manages to feel empty.

There's no denying the technical ambition. The editing is frenetic, the cinematography playful, the performances fully committed. Michelle Yeoh is brilliant, and Ke Huy Quan's sincerity provides the emotional backbone. The sheer number of visual gags, rapid-cut fight sequences, and surreal concepts is impressive on paper. But the question is, does it all add up to something meaningful?

The film touches existential themes- nihilism, generational trauma, the overwhelming weight of infinite possibilities. But it never truly settles, because settling is not in its nature. Instead, it constantly shifts gears, throwing another absurd joke, another action sequence, another universe into the mix. The emotional beats are there, but they fight for space in a film that refuses to slow down.

And that's where it stumbles. There's a point where maximalism becomes a distraction rather than a tool. The over-reliance on absurdity starts to feel less like a creative choice and more like an avoidance tactic, style suffocating substance. The visual effects, while inventive, often look cheap. The action, initially exhilarating, overstays its welcome. The sentimentality, while heartfelt, struggles to resonate when surrounded by hot dog fingers and googly eyes.

Then there's the Oscars. Seven wins, including Best Picture, Best Director, and three acting awards. A historic sweep for a film that, for all its originality, still feels like an unconventional choice for such conventional recognition. Will it be remembered as a defining film of the decade, or as a momentary fascination? Hard to say. I can respect its meaning, I just found it difficult to get through without getting bored. Also not as emotional as it was painted out to be! 5.8/10.

Firstly I should say I thought the actors did put in some very good performances and I can see why they were nominated although as to whether they deserved to beat some of their competitors is another matter.

I have to say I found this film to be tedious and almost unenjoyable to watch. It feels like a film made for the TikTok generation - no overall coherence with nuggets of scenes rammed together. Is this a film I would ever bother watching again - absolutely not.

Yes it is different - in much the same way The Artist was (and who talks about that film anymore?) but that doesn't make it good. It aims for a profound message whilst its style is overwhelmingly superficial. It's a film with little artistic merit or dare I say beauty (I am talking about the scenes and cinematography here not the actors) and it definitely did not move me except to pray it was going to finish.

In short it barely ticks the boxes of what I'd consider to be essential criteria for a great movie. Maybe this is the first of a new wave of this type of film and I am not getting it but when it had finished I felt pretty much nothing.

Ok, the movie contains a lot, a lot. It contains impressive action, drama, SF, humor as well as numerous incredible scenes and shots. I give him a big plus for his incredible originality and idea. However, for me personally, the film was a little too much, to put it that way. In the context of the Oscars, it's also incredible to me that the film picked up so many important awards. Is this the best movie of the year?! Reading numerous reviews and comments, it's clear to me that I'm in the minority and that's why I'm surprised by all the hype surrounding the film. For some, this is even one of the best films ever made. Due to these expectations, I have to admit that the film did not impress me at all. It's not a problem for me to admit that it's up to me and that I can't understand the magnitude of the film, which will obviously be a cult classic tomorrow. But I am surprised that such a strange film won over so many people.

There's a point here where we are swept up in sensory overload, where so much stuff is thrown at us that we tune it out. I reached a point about two-thirds through this where I couldn't get my mind back in it. Have we reached a point where we have no expectations of a conclusion. When one has someone playing multiple characters in multiple settings, there needs to be something tying it together. The protagonist needs to be someone we identify with who has wishes and hopes that lead us on. She seemed as confused as the storyteller and the husband. I guess I'll read some more about this film and hope with guidance to try to figure it out a bit. Obviously, all these universes and all this actions (way too much battling in my estimation) are leading somewhere. I thought the film had ended about six times. I don't mind being brought back in, but I wish I understood where we just landed. Yes, there is a lot going on and it is violently splashed on the screen. But I ended up exhausted and unsatisfied.