25 – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
This was a really great movie that introduced a whole bunch of awesome new characters and brought back a few old ones. It was based off the comic book character of the same name, but was modernized for the MCU. It was great to have a mostly Asian cast, the only non-Asian actors being Ben Kingsley, returning as Trevor Slattery, and Florien Munteanu as Razor Fist. Shang-Chi absolutely lived up the high standards of the MCU. It had a big epic story with a lot of intense fast paced action. There was a bit of light humor, and drama that resulted in self-discovery and empowerment. Very Disney, actually.
First of all we get Simu Liu as our lead character, Shang Chi. He is handsome, obviously very fit, and clearly trained in martial arts, which is this movie’s main mode of action. I remember during the 80s when old foreign Kung-Fu movies had a resurgence in popularity. My brothers couldn’t get enough of them. Then there was another renaissance for the genre when Jackie Chan was discovered by American audiences. Chan had a style that was all his own, making prodigious use of the set and whatever physical props happen to be at hand to create a new kind of Martial Arts film action that had some inherent humor and a bit of whimsy. Liu was up to the challenge and was exciting to watch. The fight on the speeding bus is a perfect example of this.
But here, we are given a modern, big budget, high profile film that combines both styles, creating some great fantasy actions sequences. It has become the standard for the MCU to rely heavily on CGI for its visual effects, and this movie is no exception. But as I’ve said before, when the effects have this level of realism, I don’t mind. It looks great on the big screen. There were a number of fantastical creatures that were completely animated, from the cute little faceless animal, Morris, to the giant evil dragon, The Dweller in Darkness, a soul-consuming demon. And of course, there was the beautiful white Great Protector Dragon
And there were several members of the cast, besides the lead, who I really loved. First of all there was Michelle Yeoh, who I have loved ever since I first saw her in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She is always awesome, no matter what film or TV show I see her in. But I also really loved the main bad guy-Shang-Chi’s father, Tony Leung, who I would swear, I’ve seen in some other film, though, I can’t remember which, even after reviewing his filmography. He did a great job with the drama as well as the action. Now, I have to admit, the first time I watched this movie, I couldn’t stand the character of Katy, played by the actress/rapper, Awkwafina. I felt she was annoying, and I couldn’t stand her voice, which always sounded like she was on the verge of laryngitis. But I have since warmed to both the character and the actress. Meng’er Zhang played Chang-Chi’s sister, Xu Xialing, a young girl who was the victim of misogyny from her father, but who rose to create an empire of her own, eventually taking over the crime-based Ten Rings Organization from him. Never-mind that Shang-Chi ended up with the actual rings.
One thing in the movie that I always roll my eyes at is the part where Michelle Yeoh is telling Shang-Chi and his friends the history of Ta Lo, and there is an elaborate wooden diorama depicting the story. Really? Someone spent all that time in-universe, carving all that, just so the audience would have something to look at while Ying-Nan offered up a monologue of exposition. That was silly. They did the same thing in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 on Ego. But other than that, the visuals in this movie made full use of that beautiful Chinese aesthetic that is both spiritual and dramatic, that has a sense of history, of fantasy, and of mysticism that are just captivating. It is apparent in their architecture, their clothing, their movements, in their fighting, and in their attitudes. I love watching this movie. It is lush and colorful in such a gorgeous way. And what fantasy lover doesn’t get excited over a battle between two dragons?
Top 10 Favorite Parts
- The friendly skirmish where Xu Wenwu and Ying Li meet and fall in love. Beautifully filmed.
- The fight on the bus, and the introduction of Razor Fist
- The cage matches between Wong and The Abomination, and between Shang-Chi and Xu Xialing
- The fight on the bamboo scaffolding.
- The whole scene with the water-map. Great visual effects.
- The race through the bamboo forest to reach Ta Lo
- The double flashback sequence of the death of Ying Li and Xu Wenwu’s revenge on the assassins.
- The thrilling battle between Shang-Chi and his father in front of the interdimensional Gate, and the dramatic death of Xu Wenwu.
- The final fight between Shang-Chi and the Dweller in Darkness, and how Katy enables Shang-Chi’s victory with a perfectly aimed arrow.
- Shang-Chi and Katy return home and are summoned by Wong to join the bigger MCU roster of heroes.