Marvel’s phase four is well underway and, given their incredible amount of success, they can take some storytelling risks and tell some belated origin stories in order to build the world beyond Endgame. They have focused more on their D+ televisions series, with a few movies tossed in. Enter Shang-Chi.
Shang-Chi may not be a well-known character, but his story allows a completely new vision to be introduced into the MCU. Simu Liu stars as the titular character in this origin story. Shang-Chi is just trying to live the peaceful life of an unassuming and unmotivated valet in San Fransisco. Though, he quickly becomes the target of a small military organization that apparently has the power to conquer kingdoms. His past has come back to haunt him and he must deal with his own family in order to protect what’s most important to him.
The “Legend of the Ten Rings” gets no further explanation than the title gives. Shang-Chi’s father found the rings one day and became an immortal and all-powerful conqueror that has seen empires rise and fall. Essentially the Ten Rings are really cool magical bracelets of indeterminate power that create a lot of CG energy forcefields.
Right off the bat, this movie packs the best practical action ever seen in a Marvel movie. The choreography of the hand-to-hand combat is a treat and pairs so well with the camera following the action without relying on quick cuts and pulled punches. The scenes, without an abundance of CG, feel reminiscent of the golden age of kung fu movies and not of giant blockbuster franchises that have taken over our screens for the past 13 years.
There are two incredibly fun action scenes that make Shang-Chi worth the price of admission. (Note* This is only going to theaters for 45 days, then to D+) The combat during the bus sequence works so well due to the cramped space and the perceived danger of keeping the other people inside the bus safe during the violence. The other highlight is the skyscraper action set piece where Shang-Chi and his best friend Katy (Awkwafina) look for safety when the villains attack. I would happily take a few more of these scenes scattered through the movie.
To add a sense of flair and style, Shang-Chi borrows from classic Chinese fantasy martial arts films popularized 20 years ago. For a few short scenes, we get some visually pleasing moments that want to be Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon so badly. Mere attempts at this type of genre filmmaking are a welcome surprise in a tentpole movie like this. In search for a kung fu avenue, they go for a complete fantasy movie by the end and that’s truly where it stumbles toward its end. The effects just turn into neon mashed potatoes in the sky (leaving spoilers out) and apathy takes over.
The cast is impressive and they’re able to flesh out a story that feels nice and simple, given the family-oriented element. Simu Liu is a perfectly charismatic leading man and I’m excited to see him crossover in other MCU efforts. Awkwafina is a love or hate actor. Katy is the definition of a comedic tag-along that really has no real reason to put herself in so much danger. However, she and Liu have great chemistry and the pairing is welcome. Honestly, I kind of love that this movie feels unlike other Marvel flicks because comedy is not the primary goal. Characters don’t need to punctuate every action scene with a one-liner. The visuals are compelling and often funny on their own.
Shang-Chi is easily the best part of Marvel’s phase four. It introduces a new world and character that audiences will root for. The action is Jackie Chan-lite, but even that is a blast to watch. There’s a solid 20 minutes that could be cut from the narrative, but I’d recommend this as a fun matinee or eventual free movie on D+. This is a tier 1 MCU effort and gives me hope for where the greater story can go from here. Who knows, maybe we’ll even find out what the title of this movie means one day. B-
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