Movie Review: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
What We Liked
What We Didn't Like
The latest offering from Marvel Studios is Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings. Despite the oppressiveness of the title, this film is one of the breeziest and remarkably entertaining martial-arts laden superhero films you may ever have the pleasure of seeing (and actually enjoying).
The story follows its title character, Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), as he confronts the demons of his past after he is forced to reenter the dark underbelly of the Ten Rings organization. Shang-Chi is joined in his adventures by his longtime friend, Katy (Awkwafina), who manages to play her character quite well off of, and without being overshadowed by, the considerable martial arts skills of the lead actor.
Simply put, there is a lot going on in this film and it is quite difficult to absorb it all in one viewing. But, somehow, director Destin Daniel Cretton – along with fellow co-writers, David Callaham and Andrew Lanham – manages to weave a coherent and accessible tale of Chinese mysticism coupled with the heroic tropes commonly associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Cretton and his team take the best parts of Doctor Strange (2016) and Black Panther (2018), then roll in some of the high-flying fighting action from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) to create what should be looked upon as the super-hero film to beat by future contenders.
Work done by Bill Pope on the film’s cinematography underscores the beauty and repeatedly highlights the excellent work done by Michael E. Goldman as the film’s art director as well as Rebecca Cohen’s work on set decoration. There is a true epic quality about Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings that resonates throughout the film and continually makes it feel like something remarkable.
But, the real jewel of the production is the star-making turn that Liu delivers as Shang-Chi. His work here could easily be compared to the late Chadwick Boseman’s turn as T’Challa in the aforementioned Black Panther. If Liu, along with the equally entertaining Awkwafina, are indeed the future of the MCU, then things are looking bright indeed.
As the MCU enters Phase Four, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings signals, along with Black Widow, the property appears poised to showcase and celebrate new, diverse heroes as opposed to those beloved from earlier phases of the universe and will probably be all the more intriguing and rewarding for it.
Mike Tyrkus
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