A One Mann’s Movies review of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021).
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is the latest Marvel blockbuster – the first true film of Marvel’s “Phase 4″… and it’s a cracker.
Simu Liu in impressive shape as our new here Shang-Chi. (Source: Marvel).
Plot Summary:
Xu Wenwu (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung) has immortality and ultimate power by being the bearer of the mystical “Ten Rings”. His thousand-year reign sees the “Ten Rings” organisation rise to a position of ultimate power. But he gives it all up for the love of Li (Fala Chen). Many years later, their son Shaun (Simu Liu) is scratching a living in San Francisco through valet parking with his anarchic friend Katy (Awkwafina). But their low-key easy lives are about to be utterly disrupted as his father comes after him on a mission of revenge.
Shaun and Katy develop a truly entertaining relationship. (Source: Marvel)
Certification:
Talent:
Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Chiu-Wai Leung, Michelle Yeoh, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen.
Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
Written by: Dave Callaham, Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham.
.
A welcome return for Wong (Benedict Wong). See “Timeline” below. (Source: Marvel)
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” Review:
Positives:
- This is Marvel at its best. A script (with Shakespearean undertones) that melds action with good character development and laugh-out-loud feel-good dialogue. The great thing is that you don’t need to be a Marvel nerd to enjoy this one. Yes, there are some fabulous Easter Eggs for Marvel fans (and a wonderful return of a character from one of the early films). But it’s almost a standalone feature in its own right.
- The action sequences are top-notch, particularly an early fight on a careering San Francisco “bendy-bus”. Some great martial-arts reminiscent of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, made more exciting by the fact that the impressive Simu Liu did all his own stunts.
- The relationship built between Shaun and Katy is wonderful, and the actors deliver on it brilliantly: no wonder when you have the exceptional Awkwafina on the other end of it. Similarly, the relationship built between Shang-Chi and his father is powerful, thanks to some wonderful acting from Tony Chiu-Wai Leung. So good in the gripping (and erotic) “Lust, Caution”, I believe this is his first English-speaking film.
- With the odd exception (see below), the special effects are top-notch.
“If this first date goes well, could I give you a ring?” Xu Wenwu (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung) delightfully falling for the gorgeous Li (Fala Chen). (Source: Marvel)
Negatives:
- I thought this was 5* all the way until the final reel, when we descended into a CGI-driven “Godzilla vs Kong” finale. I hate CGI that’s just a blur of action across the screen where you’re struggling to understand what’s going on. Less would be more here for me.
- The movie makes extensive use of ‘flashbacks’ and, for me, there was a bit too much heavy-handedness in their use. I muttered “enough already” to a few of them, since they were taking us out of the movie’s current narrative.
- There were a couple of effects that looked like the intern at the special effects company had put them together during a coffee break. An early plunge of a jeep into a forest and some rather obvious green-screen stuff in the finale. Surprised that these weren’t caught and redone.
“MARTY… the flux capacitor’s overheating!” (Source: Marvel)
Timeline?
So, it took more of a Marvel nerd than I am (my wonderful daughter-in-law Bronwyn) to point out that although this film is set (largely) in the “Present Day”, the events of “Avengers: Endgame” actually happen in 2023. So in the Marvel timeline, this is set in between Thanos’s “blip” and “the return”. This is the reason why Wong is present but not Doctor Strange, for example.
Man! Do you remember when movie franchise films used to be nicely sequential??!
Monkeys?
As a Marvel film, there are of course “monkeys” in the end credits. A mid-title one is the best, bringing some additional Marvel characters into the mix. And there’s a post-credits one which sets up for further sequels but which I found rather irritating.
Xu Wenwu ironically NOT using the ring(s) to bind them in the darkness. (Source: Marvel).
Summary Thoughts on “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
Marvel goes East! This is a really entertaining addition to the franchise, mixing Marvel action with Eastern mysticism and martial arts. It’s an impressive job by director and co-writer Destin Daniel Cretton, in only his second feature (he did “Just Mercy” in 2019).
It’s ironic that a Marvel movie so right for the Chinese market – the first to be headlined by an Asian actor and with substantial Mandarin dialogue – might not get a release in China. According to this report, this appears to be for two reasons: firstly that the actor Simu Liu made some derogatory remarks about China in the past, and secondly that in the comics Shang Chi’s father is Fu Manchu – a Western-derived character with racial overtones.
This doesn’t seem to have hurt it so far. After less than two weeks of opening, it has made $262 million on a budget estimated to be $150-200 million.
Trailer for “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”:
The trailer is here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YjFbMbfXaQ .
