Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings – A Stellar Origin Story

Representation matters in film both in front of and behind the camera and the industry has continued to make big strides as of late but there is still plenty of work to be done. Meanwhile, as the MCU enters its next phase post-Endgame, what better time to open up a window to a new corner of the universe and introduce a new Asian superhero in an Asian-dominated story. The MCU has definitely become a well-oiled machine thus far, however, Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings takes that mold and goes beyond it, setting itself apart from past MCU origin stories with stellar direction, strong writing that balances thrills, spectacle, and a surprising amount of humor, some of the best fight choreography ever to appear in the MCU, and finally, the standout performances from Simu Liu and Tony Leung among others. Though the film may not all work with some pacing and exposition issues, its highs undoubtedly outnumber its lows, making for one of the best origin stories in the MCU thus far which is more impressive now 25 films in.

Shang-Chi of course follows its titular hero Shang-Chi (Liu), a man who thought he had escaped his past but it was certainly not done with him as he and his best friend Katy (Awkwafina) found themselves drawn back in to the dark world of the organization known as the Ten Rings and his ominous father Wenwu (Leung). Starting with an epic intro for Wenwu and the ten rings that gives audiences just enough to keep them intrigued, the film contrasts that with Shang-Chi himself, now as a man named Shaun living a seemingly-normal life as a valet with Katy, it was clear that there was something more going on (besides the obvious) and then the film hit overdrive. As much as the film was a thrilling adventure, the peeling of these layers was just as compelling to watch. The classic martial art film inspirations were there to see through its beautifully-shot sequences and impressive fight choreography. While the film could have easily stayed in that lane, it does diverge at least a little bit which will surely be a point of contention for some audiences as it does slow it down albeit slightly to deliver some exposition.

This section was still an important one as it helped round out the story in a decent way despite its arguably ridiculous nature. However. the most important part of Shang-Chi other than the man himself was Wenwu. Perhaps not the prototypical villain, he was still a complex character obsessed with power and driven by grief whose emotional depth underneath that imposing presence of his made him an easy character to connect to and even empathize with. He and his son’s stories were tragically intertwined as it sent either man in different directions before their inevitable reunion. Besides Shang-Chi and Katy, the adventure was a family affair with Shang-Chi’s sister Xialing (Meng’er Zhang) for whom he shared a complicated history with joining in. When it came to Xialing, she was a force who had to make her own way and find her own identity outside of her brother and father therefore could take care of herself.

Continuing in the MCU mold, all that effective character development and the exposition of course gave way to the standard CGI-heavy final act. The special effects overall were minimally noticeable with the film seemingly favoring a practical approach which added to the many action sequences. That being said, it still worked for the most part and was exciting to watch as all the main characters had their moments. The ultimate outcome may have been inevitable but it did not take away from the impact of that final battle and the subsequent satisfying character arcs. In the end, all of this would not have worked if not for the standout performances across the board. Liu is a star, bringing charisma and energy to Shang-Chi and was fun to watch in spite of the film glossing over some of the more emotional aspects of the character and his story. Awkwafina could be effective when used properly and this was the case here as Katy. Essentially a sidekick, her chemistry with Liu was dynamite and she still had some hilarious moments with him as each had great timing. The power of Leung’s sheer presence as Wenwu commanded the screen as the man could speak volumes, communicating layers of pain through his facial expressions. Though the character may not be the standard villain, he was just so engaging to watch.

For those wondering, the film features two post-credits scenes.

At the end of the day, Shang-Chi is another winner for the MCU.

still courtesy of Marvel Studios

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.