In the last 13 years, Marvel Studios has established a well-deserved reputation for delivering action-packed movies full of humor and excitement. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is no exception.
Now that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has moved into its Phase 4 series of films, the path has been cleared for some of their lesser-known heroes to take their place in the spotlight. Shang-Chi, a Kung Fu master, was introduced to Marvel Comics in 1972 to take advantage of then exploding popularity of martial arts. This cinematic version of the character differs considerably from his comic book origins but fits in nicely with with current state of the MCU.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings opens with expository narration regarding the history of the titular legend. An ancient warrior by the name of Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) acquired ten magical bracelets that gave him the strength of a god and the power of immortality. Rather than using these powers for good, he amassed an army — also known as The Ten Rings — to help him topple governments and gain personal fortune until 1996.
It was then — while searching for the village of Ta Lo, a place said to harbor magical creatures and strong mystic powers — that Wenwu was met and defeated by Ying Li (Fala Chen.) Wenwu and Li fell in love but Wenwu was forbidden to enter Ta Lo. Forced to take Li away from her homeland, Wenwu gave up using the ten rings and Li gave up her powers. The pair married and had two children, Xialing (Meng’er Zhang) and Shang-Chi (Simu Liu).
In the present day, Shang-Chi — now known as Shaun — lives a low-key existence in San Francisco. He works as a valet with his long-time friend, Katy (Awkwafina.) The two are attacked by members of The Ten Rings who attempt to retrieve a pendant Shaun wears around his neck. When Shaun unleashes his fighting skills and defeats the assailants, he is forced to reveal his unusual lineage to Katy as well as confront it head on.
In the last 13 years, Marvel Studios has established a well-deserved reputation for delivering action-packed movies full of humor and excitement. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is no exception. In fact, Shang-Chi breaks new ground for Marvel by introducing martial arts to their action repertoire. As a result, the fight sequences — which are expertly choreographed — feel quite a bit different than the usual CGI-heavy action found in their superhero films. But don’t get me wrong, the action scenes still manage to feel and look as epic as anything we’ve previously seen from Marvel. (And there’s still a lot of CGI.) The introduction of Chinese style and traditions injects not only some welcome diversity into the MCU but also allows for new visual perspectives in the costumes, effects, and sets.
But all of that style and visual flair is worthless if the story falls flat. It doesn’t. While it’s yet another MCU origin movie, Shang-Chi manages to avoid most of the tropes of having the hero discover his powers, learn to use them, and deal with the duality of being a hero. When Shang-Chi beats down bad guys at the beginning of the movie without warning, it’s a welcome change of pace from the typical superhero origin trajectory.
The cast — almost exclusively Asian and Asian-American — is universally excellent. Simu Liu, who has done mostly TV work up to this point, is a charismatic lead and a worthy hero. Awkwafina provides levity and proves herself as more than just a sidekick. Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh lend their genre credibility to the proceedings and newcomer Meng’er Zhang smolders as Shang-Chi’s ultra-independent sister.
If you’ve hesitated to see Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings because you’re not familiar the character or you’re unsure of how it will fit into the MCU, fear not. It’s well-worth seeing. And, who knows, a few familiar faces may appear to help ease the transition to Phase 4 for you. And, as always, don’t leave before the credits finish.
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
