Words by Bailey Agbai
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a massive win for representation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and shifts the focus from aliens and time travel to the mystic arts.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is another solid instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, masterfully introducing the lesser-known Shang-Chi as an instant fan favourite. This is no run-of-the-mill superhero movie: it’s a fresh take on the formula and a brave venture beyond the usual trappings of Marvel movies.
For the most part, Shang-Chi doesn’t concern itself with the current goings-on of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – and this is what separates it from the average Marvel outing. It’s a film determined to tell a succinct and self-contained story, avoiding getting too tangled up in the web of background exposition that usually accompanies any Marvel movie. Despite this, Shang-Chi also excels at still managing to slot perfectly into the universe with plenty of story-driven callbacks to other Marvel movies and the appearance of several already well-known characters.
The heart of Shang-Chi lies within its exploration of the main character’s broken and complex family unit. Wenwu (played by Tony Leung) is Shang-Chi’s father and a ruthless warlord, but he’s not a typical cold-hearted villain as the evil he exhibits is the result of another emotional extreme: an undying love for his late wife, Shang-Chi’s mother. Leung brings both gravitas and charisma to that role, making Wenwu the film’s most compelling and multi-layered character.
Beyond Leung, the film is full of convincing portrayals. Simu Liu’s performance as Shang-Chi feels strangely human (an important quality considering Shang-Chi’s mystical parentage), whilst Awkwafina works well as Katy, the character who acts as a vessel for the viewer: the powerless human along for a ride through the ever-changing and chaotic MCU.
Shang-Chi’s greatest (and most important) triumph is its mere existence; Marvel’s decision to produce a film centring around an Asian character is a breath of fresh air in an industry that rarely places minority actors centre stage. It’s an important milestone for not only the superhero genre, but the movie industry, and sees Marvel follow-up on their groundbreaking work on Black Panther. Shang-Chi’s place in the MCU is set up to be an important one, and it’s comforting to know that, going forward, there’s a lot more in store for the character, mystical arts, and Asian representation within the universe.
If there’s one place Shang-Chi lacks, it’s in its pacing. The second act drags whilst the third act is beyond predictable, following classic superhero tropes. The patchy pacing, however, feels like a small price to pay for such a rewarding experience, as Shang-Chi combines Chinese and Asian-American cultures with fantasy and superhero elements so seamlessly and with a strong entertainment factor. Shang-Chi confirms that, as long as the material remains this fresh and ambitious, the Marvel train is showing no signs of slowing down.
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