SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS
2021 | Dir. Destin Daniel Cretton | 132 Minutes
"You are a product of all who came before you, the light and the dark, the legacy of your family. You are your mother and, whether you like it or not, you are also your father. Stop hiding who you are."
Following a surprise attack by deadly assailants on a public bus, mild-mannered San Francisco valet Shaun reveals to his true identity to his best friend Katy. Shaun is Xu Shang-Chi, the son of an immortal warlord who wields a powerful set of ancient otherworldly artifacts and commands a clandestine criminal empire. Reunited after years of separation, Shang-Chi and his estranged sister Xialing are captured by their ruthless father as the siblings hold the key to unlocking a mythical realm where their father hopes to reunite with their late mother.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings brilliantly balances humor, kung fu action, and poignant family drama with elements of fantasy and even a surprising dash of horror thrown into the mix. Without wholesale rehashing standard superhero origin story tropes, director Destin Daniel Cretton introduces a new champion to Marvel's shared cinematic world by telling a story of defiance and self-actualization that young immigrants growing up in America, particularly Asian Americans, may find all too relatable. The narrative places equal focus on both its hero and villain, pitting a young man trying to escape his past and the legacy he is expected to carry against his profoundly heartbroken father who happens to be the leader of the world's deadliest criminal enterprise. Structurally, while the primary storyline is funny and action-packed, carried by the immense charisma and natural chemistry on display from leads Simu Liu and Awkwafina as Shang-Chi and Katy, the film takes its time to fill in the particulars of its central conflict, its true emotional core gradually revealed in numerous flashback sequences. Thankfully, these tangents into the past are exceptionally engaging thanks in no small part to a masterful performance from Tony Leung Chiu-wai in the role of the complex, startlingly sympathetic antagonist Wenwu.
Coordinated by Jackie Chan stunt team veteran Brad Allan and shot by acclaimed cinematographer Bill Pope, the fight sequences in Shang-Chi are indisputably the very best featured in a Marvel Studios production so far. The vast majority of the martial arts choreography is captured clearly and beautifully, especially during the first half of the film, the wire fu on display is expertly executed with graceful precision, and the incredible stunt work is absolutely inspired. Notable fights include the simply gorgeous opening encounter between Wenwu and the eventual love of his life Jiang Li, the exhilarating bus fight between Shang-Chi and Ten Rings assassins led by Razor Fist that properly reveals the hero's formidable skills, Shang-Chi reluctantly facing off against Xialing in an underground fight club, and the perilous escape sequence on skyscraper scaffolding leading to an intense brawl between Shang-Chi and the visually striking masked Death Dealer.
To the detriment of Shang-Chi, the superb kung fu is more or less benched for the second half of the film in favor of CGI spectacle. While the creature designs for the myriad of mythical inhabitants in the fantastical realm of Ta Lo are appealing and imaginative, the combat loses some of its visceral impact as it grows in scale only to become increasingly jumbled and augmented with visual effects. The viewer's mileage may vary regarding the sudden introduction of the Dweller-in-Darkness, a terrifying soul devouring eldritch horror, serving as a startlingly gnarly way to wrap up the picture with an epic conclusion. The issues with these sequences are mostly redeemed by the emotional content and drama inherent in the struggle between conflicted son and grief-stricken father and the tragic resolution to their conflict is reasonably satisfying.
Naturally charming and physically skilled, Simu Liu capably carries the film in the lead role performing both the stunts as well as the dramatic heavy lifting. Bringing her brand of comedy to the picture, Awkwafina is delightful as Katy, often the sole voice of reason as the narrative ventures ever deeper into the fantastical. The incredibly convincing friendship between Simu Liu's Shang-Chi and Awkwafina's Katy is one of the feature's greatest strengths. Hong Kong screen legend Tony Leung Chiu-wai imbues the character of Wenwu with a degree of emotional depth that only he can bring, giving the role an unexpected measure of pathos seldom seen in a comic book movie supervillain. As Xialing, Meng'er Zhang is believable as a hardened product of neglect and abandonment, an incredible foil to the central hero. The cast also features Fala Chen as loving wife and mother Jiang Li who can hold her own in a fight, Florian Munteanu giving featured henchman Razor Fist more personality than one might expect, Michelle Yeoh regal as ever as Ta Lo guardian Nan, the return of Ben Kingsley's hilariously fuddled Trevor Slattery amusingly addressing his culturally offensive role in Iron Man 3 while further developing his character arc, and a brief appearance from Benedict Wong reprising the role of Master of the Mystic Arts Wong to weave story threads back to the overarching Marvel narrative as well as deliver a few good laughs.
Both a rollicking kung fu flick and an exhilarating superhero movie that heavily evokes wuxia flair and East Asian fantasy, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings immediately stands out as a unique picture among the top tier of Marvel Studios' ever-expanding canon. The film features an extraordinarily talented cast predominantly of Chinese descent in excellent, nuanced, and highly engaging roles that play to each performer's respective strengths, delivering easily some of the most outstanding Asian representation in a Hollywood feature ever, more than making up for the picture's relatively minor creative flaws. Asian Americans in particular may find an additional level of resonance in its portrayal of an immigrant hero struggling to embrace all facets of his heritage.
MID-CREDITS STINGER
Wong spirits Shang-Chi and Katy away and attempts to analyze the Ten Rings with assistance from Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) and Carol Danvers (Brie Larson). The rings seem to originate from another universe and they've begun to signal an unknown entity. Unable to learn more, Shang-Chi, Katy, and Wong go to karaoke to unwind, belting out "Hotel California".
POST-CREDITS STINGER
Xialing takes over leadership of the Ten Rings, rebuilding the organization to her liking.
FRAGMENTS
- Growing up watching him in Hong Kong TVB television series and countless Hong Kong films, I never though I'd ever see Tony Leung Chiu-wai in a major Hollywood film, let alone one from Marvel Studios; I am beyond thrilled that not only did Marvel Studios give him an incredible role, but that he delivers such a memorable performance
- Absolutely love how Zach Cherry hilariously reprises his role from Spider-Man: Homecoming
- The posters for Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle and Walter Hill's The Warriors in Shang-Chi's apartment are on point
- Andy Le's Death Dealer for all of his imposing style was ultimately a letdown considering how the character just unceremoniously dies
- Comedian Ronny Chieng is also a delight in his brief appearance as Xialing's assistant
- First time we've seen the Abomination since The Incredible Hulk, curious if we'll ever see how he and Wong came to know each other
- It's also a thrill to see kung fu character actor Yuen Wah in a small role, a total shame the character bites it without doing anything significant
- Michelle Yeoh previous appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as the Ravager Captain Aleta Ogord, making her the first performer to play two distinct characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, and Ronny Chieng previously appeared together in Jon M. Chu's Crazy Rich Asians
- Awkwafina referring to Shang-Chi's finishing move on the Dweller as a Kamehameha (from Dragon Ball) is priceless
SUPPLEMENTAL STUFF
007 CONNECTIONS
- Michelle Yeoh (Wai Lin in Tomorrow Never Dies)
