Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
Runtime: 132 minutes
After Endgame, most Marvel fans had expected the consistently evolving hype-train to inevitably slow, and many (including myself, to an extent), had prepared to say goodbye to that particular phase (pardon the pun) of our lives. No film cycle has ever lasted as long as the superhero blockbuster—even when I researched the topic in 2015, just post-Civil War, the constant onslaught of superhero films seemed that it was living far past its expected expiration date, able to maintain fresh ideas and audiences to consume them far beyond what a lot of people in the film criticism industry had deemed likely. For me, my money was on Endgame capping off the genre’s hey-day, with a slow decline in quality inevitably bursting the bubble and causing these heroes to just fade out of the cultural zeitgeist. After seeing Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, it seems as if my money is long gone.
Shang-Chi was a spectacle. It was fresh, and fun, and engaging throughout. It was exactly what you would expect from Marvel, and it was refreshing to see a new addition to the ever-growing roster of Marvel heroes on the silver screen. At almost every juncture, any fear that the film was about to enter stale territory was swerved, and small surprises followed almost every plot development. The characters were interesting, the plot tight, and the visuals (in moments) were absolutely stunning—a far cry from Marvel’s usual ‘ugly but realistic’ look we have come to expect in most Avengers films. At this point in a review, I usually recap the plot, trying to give context to what the film is about/what to expect. However, we have been down this road so many times before, I’m not sure I will even bother. Expect a usual Marvel origin film, and be surprised when you watch it and you are given something even better.
While the visuals, plot, and general Marvel-flair of the whole thing definitely were up to scratch, the film was elevated by performances from the main cast. Simu Liu balanced typical hero-quippyness with a sense of vulnerability that brought emotional weight to the piece, Awkwafina did well to side-step the ‘annoying comic relief’ slot the trailers made her look to be filling, and Meng’er Zhang put in a good turn as Shang-Chi’s estranged sister. However, the absolute stand-out of this film was Tony Leung as Wenwu: a character that has probably taken up the mantle for best Marvel antagonist so far. Wenwu is a character that I would hesitate to call a villain, as he operates more in shades of grey than black or white. I found myself enthralled every moment he was on screen, and his addition, alongside the pitch-perfect writing of his characterisation, elevated this film beyond a typical entertaining fare.
Martin Scorsese famously said about Marvel, “Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.” I would say that Shang-Chi, despite having definite ‘thrill-ride’ moments and some sick kung-fu action, definitely put the emotional, human aspect of the piece at the forefront. After watching Shang-Chi, I did not worry about the over-saturation of the superhero flick, or the inevitable decline of the Marvel juggernaut, but I was excited for what is going to come next. I may have visited the theme park many times already, but I’m not going to let my season pass run out just yet.
Leave a Reply