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The multiverse has hit the zeitgeist. What was once a buzzy theoretical physics concept has become the lynchpin strategy of studios seeking to reconcile decades of franchise filmmaking. Why have three separate Spider-man franchises when you can fold them all into one mega-franchise? With Marvel’s Doctor Strange and DC’s The Flash soon to follow into the multiversal hijinks it’s refreshing to see the directing duo of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively known as Daniels) tackle the multiverse without the weight of cynical franchise bloat. In the hands of Daniels the multiverse is not a cheeky “what if” cash grab but a profound exploration of success, failure, and the roads that lead us there.

To go into too much detail about the plot of Everything Everywhere All At Once would be a disservice to the film, since by design it is a story that revels in the wild unexpected, improbable unfolding of events that drive the narrative. Each surprise unleashing a literal world of possibility. The high concept fireworks are grounded by a spectacular performance from Michelle Yeoh, as Evelyn, a Chinese American laundromat owner that begins her day attempting to navigate a tax audit only to find herself jumping through varied alternate realities. Everything Everywhere is a chaotic collision of sci-fi adventure, kinetic kung fu action, and family drama, but what elevates the film into something special is its earnest and nuanced approach to examining the existential weight of navigating a life of possibilities. Daniels have created a masterpiece that finds itself comfortably in the company of the genre classics that inspired it.

Everything Everywhere All At Once in theaters now.