Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

 

6/10

 Starring

Simu Liu

Awkwafina

Meng'er Zhang

Fala Chen

Michelle Yeoh

 

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton

 

Marvel has been experimenting lately with this new phase four, post infinity saga of their cinematic universe. We are getting to meet new lesser-known characters also get to see more character development on characters who never seem to get enough spotlight.

Shang-Chi is the 25^th movie set in the MCU and what to appreciate is the diversity that Marvel is bringing into its world of characters. This is a total Asian setting, with predominant Asian cast with no white dude showing up to assist. Cool still the movie has an Asian director.

Now, for anyone going to see this movie I will say this is not one grand master story, even though the story was great and cool enough to keep you watching. Also, do not expect all the jokes we had with funny lines and very funny situations which we love in Marvel movies. Why I say do not expect that is, we are already familiar with this style so when they do happen, it does not strike you as hard as they used to. That said, the movies start like one mediocre Asian movie. Its tale starts with greed and evil, then out of nowhere comes romance and we are then dropped into the present day, left to try and fill in the missing pieces. Then fifteen minutes in, get ready for some cool Jackie Chan fight choreography, from there the Marvel magic takes over. We know that down the line some soliloquy will come with flashbacks to help us fill in the blanks. So, the long and short of the plot is: about a thousand years ago Wenwu discovers the powerful ten rings which give immortality and great power. His greed had the best of him and he setup the Ten Rings organization who in the background have been shaping the current world as we see it.

In 1996, he ventures to find a magical forest to seek the power of Ta Lo. He was stopped on his quest by a lady from Ta Lo named Li. They fall in love and Wenwu stopped his power craze and became a father and husband. But the death of Li brought back the old Wenwu and he raised his son Shang-Chi to be as great a fighter as he could ever be.

Jump to present day and we see Shang-Chi now calling himself Shawn working as a valet with his best friend Katy. They are attacked one day by the Ten Rings and Katy for the first time saw the real Shang-Chi in his element. The Ten Rings wanted a pendant Li gave Shang-Chi and his sister Xialing.

After their survival from the attack, Shang-Chi and Katy go looking for Xialing to protect her from the Ten Rings. Turns out the brother and sister have not been in contact for years and there are unresolved issues between them.

Their father wants the pendants to find his way back to Ta Lo so he can break down a gate there which he believes is holding him back from his desire. The siblings must work together along with Katy to stop Wenwu before he dooms us all.

Shang-Chi is now very much available to be viewed on Disney+.