wrapped in a silly multiverse wrapper.

I think this is probably the major disconnect with fans of the film. Compared to the silly multiverse stuff from Marvel, EEAAO actually did something with the concept by addressing what it means to have made and regretted life decisions and what it would actually look like if you could somehow rise above those choices and not suffer from them. The daughter-mother dynamic then becomes a vehicle to explore that, depicting depression, nihilism and outward and inward destructive urges, and what meaning if any can be built amongst all of that while also folding in a fairly touching if somewhat basic story of immigrants (Asian and others too IMO) and their children.

The simple ending, for instance, where Yeoh’s character can’t quite ignore the multiverse is a pretty stark statement, to me, that enlightenment is almost unattainable however close you get, as it’s human nature to crave something else or new.

Without wanting to be harsh about this, there’s a real chance you didn’t quite get the film. Maybe its absurdism is to blame in part, being a distraction. But OTOH combining all of the above into a fun absurdist genre pastiche was definitely part of the quality of the film for fans. Kinda like seeing a stand up comic for the first time who turns out to be hilarious while also laying down some hard and deep truths.

To get back to my initial point about hype … part of the culture it has created is to emphasise the entertainment aspect of films over the meaning and artistic aspects. A “good” film is obviously good in the cinema in the middle of watching it. The audience will applaud scenes it’s so obvious.

Sometimes a film can mean something deeper and longer term with its quality lying in the discussion and understanding you have afterward and the random rewatch 5 years later.