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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringss
(Marvel Studios)
By Lucas Allen
Although Phase 4 of the MCU already started with the Disney+ shows “Wandavision,” “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and “Loki,” it was technically supposed to begin with the film “Black Widow.” Now, a new argument will be made on a true launch plate of the fourth phase for the theatrical universe with a brand-new addition to the already growing roster of heroes. “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” offers another section of the universe that’ll help refresh and regain any interest for the cinema-loving crowd.
In post-Endgame San Francisco, Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) lives a normal life with a valet job he shares with his best friend Katy (Awkwafina). One day, a group of thugs led by the sword-armed Razor Fist (Florian Munteanu) fights him in a moving bus, trying to steal his necklace. Afterwards, Shang-Chi reveals he’s the son of immortal warrior Wenwu (Tony Leung) whose weapon of choice is the Ten Rings that grant him incredible strength and abilities. Eventually he settled down and married Jiang Li (Fala Chen) to raise two kids Shang-Chi and Xialing (Meng’er Zhang). However, an unexpected tragedy led Wenwu to reclaim his rings and train his young son to become an assassin.
Soon enough, Shang-Chi and Katy travel to Macau to find his sister, Xialing, who’s the owner of an underground fight club. But Wenwu manages to capture all three and take them to his secret headquarters. The old man then reveals his plan for him and his men to locate his late wife’s secret village of Ta Lo to unleash a mystical energy for his own diabolical means. Now Shang-Chi and his friends must work together to find the unseen village and warn his aunt Ying Nan (Michelle Yeoh) and the other villagers of the dangers ahead.
Much like “Black Panther,” this Marvel movie fearlessly introduces audiences to a whole new part of the cinematic universe we haven’t seen before. This time, the movie pays tribute to Asian-American cinema with an emphasis on the classic kung-fu films of the 1970s. Think of this as a modern-day Jackie Chan film with all that amazing hand-to-hand combat combined with spectacular visual effects. It also works for those who love anime and manga especially those who want to see a movie like this well-represented with Asian actors front and center.
The movie does sometimes fall into the Marvel formula, including an exposition-heavy second act and a CG-filled finale that looks like a live-action remake of “Raya and the Last Dragon” (also with Awkwafina). Fortunately, that doesn’t overshadow both the story and characters since the script made sure everything remains on point. There’s also some hilarious comedy that’s also a standard with enough good jokes without turning it into a spoof. It’s also worth mentioning there’s a returning MCU character in an extended cameo, who becomes surprisingly integral to the third act.
Like any of the other Marvel origin films before this, this movie hinges on its lead star as the title character making a good first impression. Liu makes a great first impression in the title role thanks to his commitment to acting and class act kung-fu action. His scenes with the hilarious Awkwafina also help to serve some of the film’s most light-hearted moments. Best of all, Leung deserves an Oscar nomination for helping to create one of the more complex and well-written villains in the MCU.
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is magnificent entertainment from start to finish. Marvel Studios continues to provide great entertainment to the masses on both big and small screens. This film naturally is best seen on the biggest screen possible especially in any great theater screen.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: PG-13 (for sequences of violence and action, and language)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.75 Stars (Out of Four)
