This is a spoiler-free review, but we will disclose that there is a mid-credits and a post-credits scene.
Over the past decade or so, Marvel Studios have produced consistently good-to-great superhero films, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — the studio’s first with an Asian writer/director and lead cast — is no exception, full of heart, humor, and stunning action and visual effects. Like some of the weaker of the now 25 MCU films that have been released, it has minor pacing issues that are compensated for by strong casting and dialogue, and it is elevated by superb fight choreography, cinematography, and a sincere, heartfelt narrative about being a child of two different cultures.
Core to the story is Shang-Chi (Simu Liu)’s relationship with his father, Wenwu (Tony Leung), the titular master of the Ten Rings, and his sister Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), who resents her brother for abandoning them. They’re a family who’ve been shattered by the death of Shang-Chi’s mother, Ying Li (Fala Chen), a peaceful guardian who tamed Wenwu’s warlike soul: like other, very recent installments of the MCU, Shang-Chi reflects our sorrowful age, and is a tale about how vengefulness, and an inability to let go, can damage our relationships with everyone around us.
All of this is anchored in the excellent performances: Leung is so casually charismatic as Wenwu, that you will absolutely believe he is a 1000 years old, and he is arguably the most sympathetic MCU villain to date. Newcomer Meng’er Zhang is a droll delight as Xialing, while Awkwafina is absolutely wonderful as Shang-Chi’s best friend Katy: she is easily the funniest everyman/woman in a Marvel project since Darcy in the Thor movies. Even Wenwu’s henchman Razor Fist (Florian Munteanu) becomes an endearing character: and last but not least, Simu Liu is a perfect lead, conveying both Shang-Chi’s boyish charm and his sombre side, as well as the formidable hero many young viewers will aspire to become.
The movie has many authentically Chinese touches, from frequent dialogue in Mandarin (including the whole prologue, an especially bold choice given some of the MCU’s more lowbrow viewers), to the weight of parental expectations, the popularity of karaoke, and even not being fluent in our mother tongues. The most powerful must be how the film reflects traditional beliefs about the dead; characters are shown and mentioned treating family members they’ve lost as still present at their shrines, where we even feed them, regardless of whether you believe in a literal afterlife or not — Wenwu’s refusal to accept his wife may only live on his memories proves key to the central conflict with his son, an indictment of materialism that reinforces Shang-Chi’s heroic rejection of his father’s wealth and power.
Like Black Widow, Shang-Chi gives us a hero who is haunted by his violent upbringing, and as a result consciously avoids killing, another contrast to the flippant attitude many previous MCU films had towards the subject: it was certainly understandable with aliens or Nazis, but always a shame Iron Man never had a moment to reflect on slaughtering hired goons. That also underpins his repudiation of his father, avoiding having him simply be a terrorist on “our side,” and feeding negative perceptions of martial arts: the wisdom and serenity kung fu can offer is gradually shown in Shang-Chi’s evolving fight style, which becomes a patient and graceful contrast to his father’s ferocious attacks.
The combat in the film is truly a delight to behold, full of uninterrupted takes that let you marvel (no pun intended) at the sheer number of stunts as they unfold in real time, with every move telling a story unto itself — Wenwu’s use of the rings also always come across as forceful and kinetic, and Xialing’s use of the rope dart is simply dazzling. Naturally, the action sequences involving more primordial or elemental opponents pale in comparison, but by the end, you may catch yourself unconsciously copying Shang-Chi’s power moves in unison with him, as if he were your instructor.
The film’s main flaw is that it seems unable to decide how much of Shang-Chi’s backstory needs to be shown: initially, we gets parts in in flashback, while dialogue fills us in on the rest, which is refreshing. However, before the climax, it starts showing us more and more of his past, bogging down the pacing. The film’s second half is a stark contrast to the first, growing to become a more serious fantasy epic than a rollicking martial arts ride, so there’s little humor to offset that, and the film could’ve used the extra time after being delayed by COVID-19 to offload at least one flashback with reshoots or ADR — simply put, the build-up to the final battle is no Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
Some of the easter eggs and continuity winks to other MCU films also feel quite excessive, especially the appearance from Wong (Benedict Wong) and The Incredible Hulk‘s Abomination (Tim Roth), which will likely still come across as random even with the context the She-Hulk series will undoubtedly provide. Rest assured though, the previous “Mandarin” from Iron Man 3 is addressed, and he proves surprisingly pivotal to the plot: it’s truly amazing how these films can take old threads from random predecessors, and develop them in completely unexpected and delightful ways.
If you’ve been vaccinated and your theater is taking responsible steps, then Shang-Chi is well worth the trip to the big screen: there’s nothing like seeing an MCU movie on release, and it was great to be back in a room full of people (but not too many) audibly engaging with the same jokes, in-jokes, and worldbuilding as you. Hopefully Destin Daniel Cretton and cinematographer Bill Pope will be back at the helm for a sequel (which the credits scenes clearly set-up) in 2024; and of course, based solely on the back of his performance here, I can’t wait to see Simu Liu become the new leader of the Avengers.
