Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings opens in theaters on September 3.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings strikes a tricky balance: reflecting the real-life complicated conflict between first-gen Asian American children and the wishes of their immigrant parents while also serving up the dynamic action scenes that the MCU is known for. Director Destin Daniel Cretton skillfully juggles both of these lofty goals, logging an entry in the Marvel universe that’s both emotionally resonant and delightfully exciting enough to outweigh its occasionally uneven visuals and unfulfilled lore.
Simu Liu makes his mark on the MCU as its latest superhero, Shang-Chi, who’s being targeted by his father Wenwu (an enthralling Tony Leung) and his The Ten Rings, the weapons and secret crime organization. When his father’s vision collides with Shang-Chi’s moral compass, he has to decide to finally take responsibility and stand up to his father, while also attempting to forgive himself for his part in the sins that first tore their family apart. In this, the movie tries to balance a handful of big ideas, some of which deal with issues squarely attuned to the children of immigrants: Whose path do you follow, the one designed for you or the one you make for yourself? How do you grieve unmet expectations in any aspect of your life? It’s an interesting, but obvious, way to frame the hero’s journey for a major superhero film starring actors of Asian descent.
Speaking of our leads, Liu and Awkwafina have easy and genuine chemistry that slyly sells the idea of Shang-Chi (Shaun, to his American friends) and Katy as a capable duo for many adventures to come. The classic immigrant parent question of when will they get real jobs (i.e. grow up) hangs over them throughout the film, but especially with Katy, who is vocal about everyone having a calling except for her.
Shaun and Katy’s friendship anchors the film, and it’s refreshing to have a duo with already built-up trust, making it easier to believe that she’d still stay by his side after learning about his secret life. Their relationship also allows them to maneuver a bus (a la Speed) through the hilly streets of San Francisco to safety, or to parkour through bamboo scaffolding in a scene that is as exhilarating (if not quite as humorous) as the scaffolding scene in Rush Hour 2. Both our leads are equally skilled (to a point of deus ex machina with Katy) making them a formidable pair who can handle anything the MCU has to throw at them – and, rest assured, it throws plenty at them in their introduction.
On this note, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has the best action scenes of the MCU to date, which is pretty unsurprising when you consider the nature of its protagonist’s powers. Fights are filmed with a kinetic energy that moves fluidly with the action and keeps us right in the middle of it all, showcasing and giving credibility to Shang-Chi’s natural instincts and training. The wuxia fight scenes in the mystical land of Ta Lo, especially between Wenwu and Xiang Li (played with graceful warmth by Fala Chen) lean into gorgeous qinggong choreography to highlight the realm’s magical realism. And as a means of characterization, it’s nice to finally see an emphasis on different martial art styles as a physical and mental practice in the MCU. Learning from the way his mother fought not only helps Shang-Chi face off against his father, but completes the hero in a way that allows him to access the heart of the dragon within himself.
Yet, it’s unfortunate that while the fights are well-shot, some of the other visual effects are uneven. When it comes to singular details, you can sense the impact and the energy of the literal Rings in action, or the weightlessness of leaves and water. Ta Lo’s scenery, however, looks flat and cartoonish, with harsh lighting - breaking any sort of illusion that filming took place anywhere other than a greenscreen stage. It’s a small thing, but when the third act is set entirely in this pocket dimension, it becomes distractingly bad. Luckily, we get a stand-out villain arc that sees us through some of these moments.
Tony Leung’s Wenwu is one of Marvel’s most sympathetic and complex antagonists, whose misguided actions (with well-intentioned motives) pit him against his children. Yes, he has used the Ten Rings for a millennia to accumulate power, wealth, and an army, but what does it all mean if he has no one to share it with? When Wenwu first meets (and fights) Xiang Li, who becomes his wife and mother to his children, it’s literally life-changing! Electrifying! Hot! And just… so deeply romantic. The cinematography of their fight slows down to highlight their longing glances, and we’re reminded of how well Leung plays a tragic romantic hero when Xiang Li dies.
It’s unresolved grief (which is love persevering, after all) that drives Wenwu into desperate action, and it’s up to Shang-Chi and his sister Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), who have already moved on, to stop him. How Wenwu handled and reacted to her loss is a little less romantic and predictable, crediting all his goodwill on her existence rather than working on those qualities himself. The focus on Wenwu’s emotional arc ends up sidelining our main character for longer than would be ideal but also allows Shang-Chi to become the hero we come to know him to be.
Interestingly enough, for all its cameos and references to the larger MCU, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings isn’t looking for external validation for its existence. Shang-Chi’s story stands completely on its own, and you almost forget that he – and Katy – are set to become important players in the MCU. What does remind us that this is a Marvel movie is the withheld lore about the Rings and Ta Lo’s magic that are clearly being saved for a later reveal. Sure, the movie still works without a deep dive of what the Rings do, but this habit of Marvel leaving out basic information that’s needed to understand the importance of an object is starting to get frustrating. An otherwise strong film is weakened by the MCU’s insistence on taking advantage of our trust that these things will be explained in later projects.
from IGN Reviews https://ift.tt/3j8wAiY
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