Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the new MCU film. If you didn’t know that, don’t worry, it’s been advertised significantly less than you’d expect. Less than Black Widow, which was a film released during an ongoing international pandemic. Shrug.
In the world of the Marvel comics, Shang Chi originated as a Kung Fu Hero written during the rise of Bruce Lee films in the US in the early 1970s. He /was/ an MI6 agent (Bond films were also still enormous) who fought against the agents of his dad, Fu Manchu.
Yes, Fu Manchu; Yellow Peril, Fu Manchu; The Devil Doctor; Fu Manchu.
Offensive demonizing stereotype; Fu Manchu. That Fu Manchu.
The character evolved over the decades, becoming less of a secret agent and more a spiritual ass-kicker in an Iron Fist kind of way. And the Fu Manchu connection was slowly obscured, dropped, and ultimately turned into a shadowy malevolence that could not be directly named. Not because Marvel died of shame, but because they lost the right to use him. The Twentieth Century, ladies and gentlemen.
So, obviously, er, Marvel cant adapt that.
Well, they could, but it would be a confusing, offensive mess.
They can’t do that ‘Yellow Peril’ shit nowadays, so now Shang Chi is a 20-something living in San Francisco with his Best Friend Awkwafina when assassins turn up and try to murder him. And one of them’s got a big knife for a hand.
Shang and Best Friend Awkwafina go on a journey to track down who sent them and explore Shang Chi’s history of being trained in semi-mystical martial arts by a monstrous super-cool criminal father.
It’s not really a superhero film. It’s more a ‘fantasy’; it gives me strong The Golden Child and Big Trouble in Little China vibes. That’s not to say it doesn’t follow the tried and tested MCU formula; if you’ve seen one, you can predict almost all of the story beats, if not their content.
So yeah, expect lots of Kung Fu fights. This is obviously great, the caveat being that there’s a lot of CGI but almost no wire fights. However, there are some amazing Wing Chun ballet-like scenes and some subtle closed-fist vs open-palm commentary (hint; just make a note of who fights with closed fists and who doesn’t). Also, Michelle Yeoh is here. What else do I have to add?
You’ve probably noted the name “The Ten Rings”. If that doesn’t ring any bells, that’s the name of the terrorist army that captured Tony Stark way back in Iron Man and reappeared in Iron Man 3. Is this storyline finally being resurrected and resolved? Is Shang Chi’s dad The Mandarin?!?
Which Mandarin?!? Is he drunk theatre luvvy Ben Kingsley?!? Or is he Evil Guy Pearce as MCU Not MODOK!?!
Uh, no, kind of, not really.
He’s a new character combining elements of The Mandarin and Fu Manchu. While the film also implies he could be an immortal Genghis Khan. He’s explained away as the inspiration for the Iron Man baddy, even using it as an opportunity to make fun of the Mandarin name because it’s silly, you see.
The Ten Rings are not the double fistful of alien Ming the Merciless magic laser weapons the comic villain had. Instead, they are cool special effect bracelets that rather than having ten individual powers shoot out and work together, like a diverse bag of ass-kicking magic tricks. They’re neat.
Oh, and Not Mandarin is distinguished actor Tony Leung. He’s great to watch as a narcissistic self-appointed saviour, and his fight scenes are wonderful. I’m particularly thinking of the ballet-like sequence in the opening story. Probably, in my eyes, the sexiest scene in an MCU film so far. Well, at least until we get the return of CGI Alfred Molina this Christmas, Umf!
The point is, remember when Marvel films had a problem with their weak villains? Not here. Simu Liu as Shang is very likeable, and he’s a lot of fun as a good youngster with no goals for the future. The running joke about his love of Karaoke is great. While Awkwafina remains my favourite Danny Devito, who is not Danny Devito. She is wonderful and hilarious, and her scenes with Simu Liu (Shang) are some of the best.
Shang’s sister is an absolute badass, but other than knowing where her plot is going to lead, I’m afraid from my Point-of-view she seemed a little redundant. Though again, badass. This film is built on its fight scenes, so I’m not complaining in any way.
If it wasn’t clear, over half the characters in this film are brand new. Like, zero to only partial comic equivalents. It’s great to see Marvel finally strike up a good balance between 80 per cent brand new and 20 per cent comics canon, without it feeling like a superfluous use of character names. It’s good!
There are some great cameos too.
Wong fans rejoice because we have Wong.
A very unexpected minor villain reappears, answering some long-debated questions. Also, there’s the return of the best MCU character of all time that isn’t Howard the Duck. Thumbs Up.
He also has a sidekick in the form of a fun CGI stupid baby animal. So Two Thumbs Up.
So yeah, It’s good.
I get the feeling (although I can’t confirm this yet) that it was made for the Chinese market, which would explain why Shang Chi feels a little homogenous in its special effects and plot. As if it were designed by a committee to please the committee if you get my meaning. But it’s still a lot of fun.
Good story, great fights, fun characters, and a majority non-white cast.
Big recommend if only to see Marvel do something a little different.
