Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Review

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton 

Written by: Dave Challam, Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham

Starring by: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Chiu-Wai Leung, etc.

 Hard to believe the MCU has been around over 10 years at this point! A once thought to be impossible idea of a shared superhero universe has now become a worldwide phenomenon that has become the standard for modern comic book movie glory.  And it certainly not an easy feet to replicate even with the CW's "Arrowverse" shows and especially Warner Bros. DCEU that failed hard by the release of 2017's Joss Whedon co-directed "Justice League".  But as successful as the MCU has been overall, many fans have complained about the franchise becoming too formulaic in its execution.  Lots of comedy, snarky dialogue mixed with awesome superheroes but disappointing villains, etc. But I am so shocked and surprised to see "Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings" not only played with that formula but reinvented by also the film lots of unforeseen depth and stylistic innovation that separates it from the usual MCU film.  Honestly, it reminded me of "Black Panther" in the same vein aka a truly spectacular world building of a fictional and fantastical version of a culture with a strong protagonist and maybe even greater ensemble cast and a villain that breaks the cure of weak Marvel villains.  But one thing I must say that "Shang-Chi" beats "Black Panther" in is the mind blowing, mind bending action sequences as well as intricate, fluid fight scenes that are comparable to some of the best kung fu films in history.  Not to mention, there is strong segment in the movie that almost feels straight out of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is how truly amazingly smooth the direction is as the action is fast paced but every moment is so precise and impressive that it feels like you're watching a performance rather than a fight scene and it honestly works just as well as it did in that period epic. :)  There are so many elements of the film I want to talk about but I think I'll just go straight through this marvelous cast of characters first. :)

Newcomer to the world of action films and not just the MCU/superhero genre, Simu Liu is sensational as Shang-Chi, especially during the various fight scenes that feel both brutal, visceral and otherworldly at the same time.  Hard to believe he just learned marital arts for the film when his movement as Shang-Chi feels as real and authentic as a classic Jackie Chan film with the shocking stunt work, especially during that elaborate and damn near perfect action sequence of when members of the Ten Rings approach Shang-Chi on the bus.  He really has the potential to be one of the greatest action stars of this generation and not just a tremendously cast new hero for the MCU moving forward.  But it's not only the action scenes where Liu excels, but also the emotional conflict he has throughout the film when having to face his past he left behind as well as seeing the terrific, priceless chemistry between Shang-Chi and Katy.  I haven't heard of Awkwafina much prior to seeing this movie but my god, is she one of the most charismatic actresses I've seen onscreen in a long while.  A natural comedian of course, not only is her relationship with Shang-Chi surreal and touching, but she alone sometimes steals the show from Shang-Chi during the film's funniest moments.  She's also a very gifted dramatic actress, giving a nuanced performance during the more serious moments where she must support Shang-Chi as a friend during this traumatic journey that leads him back to his family.  I'm also glad that she stuck around throughout the entire film and wasn't just comic relief but a natural, integral part of the story, even helping out in the truly big budget spectacle that is the final battle of the film.  I really hope we see more of her down the line in the MCU and given her importance, even during that hilarious mid-credit scene, makes it seem like she will right there with Shang-Chi as he becomes more of a major player in the MCU.  GREAT! :)

But it's not just Awkwafina as Katy but also the other two supporting female characters in the film aka Meng'er Zhang as Xialing, Shang-Chi's bitter, resentful yet badass sister he abandoned for a new life in San Fransico and his aunt from the mystical land of Ta Lo, Yin Nan, played by the legendary Michelle Yeoh herself.  Xialing in particular highlights the overall theme of family of this film and how she must face the brother that left her.  I absolutely love their dynamic and how constant the reminder of Shang Chi leaving her with her father being brought up naturally in the story.  At one point, Xialing could have left Shang-Chi and Katy for dead while the Ten Rings found them but comes back for a clever and hilarious punchline to join her brother in the fight against their father's conquering organization of fierce warriors.  Meng'er herself is both stunning physically and a wonderful actress; making her fight scenes just as epic and well performed as Simu Liu.  I'm glad we have yet another female warrior in the MCU as a supporting character as she is definitely the Shuri to Shang Chi's T'Challa, but their dynamic is a lot more grim and serious than theirs having a deep rivalry between them despite working together in this film to stop their father.  In fact, the movie ends with an after credit scene that sets up Xialing as a major adversary in the MCU and one Shang-Chi might have to deal with in the highly anticipated sequel. As for Michelle Yeoh's Ying Nan, she doesn't show up for much of the film until near the final act of the film but once again shows her presence and acting skills are undeniable in a strong female role no matter how short her screentime was.  She delivers such natural exposition in telling Shang-Chi, his sister and Katy about the origins of Ta Lo, the ancient land that co-exists with our world that his mother was from and how they are the guardians of the great evil that lies behind the Gate they must stop from entering their world.  Lastly, I can't forget to mention, Fala Chen as Shang-Chi and Xialing's mother, who's presence permeates through the film in flashbacks as well as the ultimate motive for the lead villain.  She definitely captures the silent yet captivating strength of a mother of such deadly warriors as well as having the capacity to tame such a powerful man as Xu Menwu as he husband.

Speaking of Xu Menwu.....WOW! What an amazing villain....if you can call him that! Like the rare batch of excellent MCU villains in Killmonger and Thanos, Xu Menwu isn't exactly your typical world dominating, psychopathic villain for the sake of needing a villain.  He is a man who is grieving and his ultimate object of freeing his wife from the sacred gate in Ta Lo is beyond understandable given the guilt and loss he feels for not being there for his wife when his enemies came for vengeance one night.  His relationship with his kids is so organic, even realistic at times, only wanting the best for them but not being afraid to be the legendary leader of the Ten Rings if they come between him and their mother. Also, I love how we finally get to see the true Mandarian here instead of that farcical twist with Trevor Slattery....who actually returns for this film as the second comic relief character and it works better than you'd expect.  Honestly, that twist in Ironman 3 was one of the biggest talked about disappointments of the film, especially treating such a serious, powerful villain in the comics as a joke literally. Here, Trevor feels right as simply tagging along to add some levity to the situation at hand and my goodness is his relationship with that headless winged creature from Ta Lo too adorable for words.  Seriously, I can't believe how much he worked here and tying him with the real Mandarian to actually make that controversial twist have some long overdue payoff.  Back to Xu Menwu, I don't much about Tony Chiu-Wai Leung's previous work as a long time actor with a resume of great films, he gives such a honest, endearing performance that you are almost rooting for him to succeed in his quest to free his wife.....only if it didn't happen to be a trap to set him up to release an omnipotent beast that eats souls...YIKES!!! I also love his flashbacks with his kids and his rivalry with his father was so well developed given the backstory of how their family came to be so disband. :(  There's no more words for me to say on the villain front as it doesn't get much better than the sophisticated and detail intricacy of the man behind the immortal leader of a terrorist organization with ten powerful rings themselves.

Speaking of the ten rings......WOW....just.....unreal!!! O_O Those have got to be the most inventive, mind blogging re-imagining of a comic book weapon(s) that I have ever seen.  Sure, Tony's nanotech armor is impressive as well as Thor's godly accessories like M'jilnior and Stormbreaker but those Ten Rings could easily give those weapons a run for their money as the most versatile weapon I have ever seen in combat.  Instead of each ring being some cosmic power that brings a certain element to life, the rings are these retractable yet mysterious weapons that can be used in so many thought provoking ways in battle it's honestly hard to keep up with them when they are being used so thoroughly without the film.  Not only are they a new visual delight to behold but the way Shang-Chi fights with them toward the end as opposed to his father is so revolutionary in moving Shang-Chi forward as a superhero force to be wreckoned with in the MCU.  I mean my goodness, both men are exceptional fights but with the ten rings, their resilient fighting prowess and immense increase in power gives them a refreshing change for your typical hero and villain.  Man, those things can propel them across a lake, help them walk on air to other location, summon powerful quakes that borrow into the ground toward the enemy, become powerful projectiles to keep your opponent off balance, etc.  I'm not gonna say anymore but there's one moment in particular where Shang-Chi uses the ten rings in such a grandiose way it's almost a shame he wasn't there during the final battle against Thanos in Endgame.  Yes, it's THAT good! O_O  To tell you the truth, this film has some of the best special effects I've seen in the MCU since Infinity War and Endgame respectively.  The soul eating creatures as well as the giant monstrous beast they serve looked absolute horrifying in how amazing they looked, especially during the final battle in Ta Lo when they begin sucking the souls out of the combined forces of the Ta Lo guardians and the Ten Rings army.  There wasn't one moment where I thought, "Ok now this is starting to look like a cutscene from a video game" like most special effects today.  All were done so well and visually, it made for one of the most ambitious looking films of the MCU since "Black Panther".

Director Destin Daniel Cretton has a real specialty in bringing out the best from Asian cinema to make this movie a visual masterpiece at times as it's not just the special effects that are dazzling! The camera work like I said during the fight scenes is so smooth and fluid with little to no cutaways so you are really invested in the action.  Some shots feels straight out of an Oscar nominated epic and I would be sooooo pissed off if Shang-Chi didn't at least get nominations for Best special effect or cinematography.  Hell even the costumes and sets deserve merit for the traditional Chinese artwork mixed with the ancient fantasy of the Ta Lo.  Those moving forest sequences were unreal as well and got you hooked at the suspense of the character being killed by it in their mission to get to Ta Lo.  The mystical creatures felt very lively instead fake and just green screen tricks to amaze the audience.  Everything from Xialing's fight club to the Ten Rings compound to Ta Lo itself felt greatly realized, bringing something new in terms of visuals for the film that made the movie stand out so marvelously. Of course, being an MCU film, there are references to the overall shared universe as well as teasing for what's to come with Shang-Chi now apparent of the greater superhero community but honestly, the film stands so well on its own it's almost hard to believe.  Without the MCU references or elements, the story is still gripping with wonderful performances throughout and world building that all it's own even if it's just a part of the cinematic universe.  It makes me want to go to Ta Lo alone and explore how almost endless it is as Ying Nan even mentions are one points they have cities far greater than the ones on Earth.  WOW! Can we explore that in the sequel please??? :)  I don't know what else to say besides, this is def a must see as its a film full of surprises, heart and emotional payoffs you never see coming.  This is definitely the standard MCU films need to be marked by moving forward by taking that formula but reinventing it along the way without being too out there for the universe we are watching. 

"After being personally disappointed by this year's Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings reinvigorates excitement and wonder with its newest superhero debut epic.  Unlike the last film's failed attempt at a truly compelling story, Shang-Chi delivers on a fantastic, fantasy comic book adventure about family, honor, responsibility and the consequences of leaving said family behind.  With a terrific cast of characters both comedic based and serious action stars in the making, Shang-Chi is superbly satisfying in redefining the MCU's tradition of superhero origins with a film that's full of glorious culture and touching catharsis for our main hero who is just as charismatic and riveting as a character as those otherworldly ten rings are as weapons that almost feel like their own character given how they are so effectively portrayed in the film. " :) 

Final Film Score: A-