“Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings” was released on September 3rd and is the 25th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as well as the first movie in the series to feature an Asian lead. The story focuses on the character of Shang-Chi, living in San Francisco, California and working as a valet with his best friend of ten years, Katy. Shang-Chi is forced to confront his past and go back to his home after his father sends a troupe of assassins after him and his sister.
Overall, I thought this was an amazing movie, as a standalone film, as well as in context of the greater MCU. The best way to describe the plot is as a very slow burn. It can be a bit confusing at first, but as you get more into the film, you start to realize the intricacy of the different plot elements and characters all weaving together into a masterpiece. The lore behind the ten rings is also incredibly interesting and sets up a lot of plot points for more movies in this franchise. The characters are also incredibly engaging and likeable. The main character, Shang-Chi, has a very similar vibe to Hawkeye, which I think is a great addition to the ever-widening cast of characters in the MCU. His best friend Katy provides a great sense of balance and humor to keep Shang-Chi in check yet always on his toes. When Shang-Chi is bored at his job, she is always there to do something funny or spontaneous, and when he is engulfed by rage and wanting revenge, Katy is there to be by his side. This movie would not have been nearly as awesome as it was without Katy.
One thing that Marvel is not known for is its villains. A lot of them act evil just for the sake of being evil, and they feel very shallow and dry. This was not the case in this movie. The main villain in Shang-Chi is an amazing, developed, and well-thought-out character. I even felt myself understanding their motives and actions, and you know a villain is good when they are low-key making a lot of sense. When I saw them walk out onto the battlefield of the final battle in possession of the ten rings, I got chills because I knew what was about to go down would be absolutely amazing. And I couldn’t have been more right. The final battle was full of twists and turns that I never saw coming, and the final scene was like something from a dream. The fights in this movie overall were incredible. They were all incredibly smooth and well put together, and the choreography was like a beautiful dance between combatants. In fact, a few of the fights were very clearly made to look like dancing, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
With this being the first MCU movie with an Asian lead, there were many references to Chinese culture, such as the importance of family and respect for elders. Several Chinese traditions were also put on display in this movie, such as putting lanterns on the water in respect for those who came before, traditional martial arts and weapons used by the villagers in the village of Ta Lo, and traditional foods such as rice porridge, also called congee or jook, for breakfast.
At the end of the day, this is an amazing film, and while not my favorite film in the MCU, it is definitely in the top five or so. My only critique that I had for this movie was that a bunch of the transitions between scenes felt a little sloppy, but other than that, this was an incredible movie. An easy nine out of ten, I highly recommend seeing this movie in the theater if you are able to and feel safe doing so. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
