The bus fight with the Ten Rings soldier and RazerFist feels very Marvel, though it’s very similar to the bus fight in Deadpool 2. I’ve seen the bamboo scaffolding fight a hundred times in Jackie Chan movies, but here, it is elevated by the camera magically hovering alongside and inside the scaffolding. Even with modern movie magic, all the fight choreography feels right.
Now let’s talk story. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings plays around extensively with flashbacks. The narrative starts by telling the typical tale of the forced return of the son of a crime lord. Father wants son to return to take over his crime syndicate, and the son has no taste for killing. Sound familiar? It is, but as the story plays out, we glimpse specific details, such as how much Wenwu truly loved his wife and the event that led to Shang-Chi turning his back on the family and Xialing turning into the badass fighter she becomes. As the family’s past reveals itself, dimension is added to every character, and we find sympathy with everyone, even Wenwu.
Much of the criticisms of the film have been leveled at the final battle between the Ten Rings crime organization and the villagers of Ta-lo. To me, it was a good set-piece, but I can agree with some of the critics. It overly relies on CGI and might as well have been an animated feature like Raya and the Last Dragon. It’s also a shockingly short sequence. It goes by fast and is done before you know it.
“…Liu is the best choice to play Shang-Chi.
But, to me, the real fun of the final fight is the confrontation between Shang-Chi and Wenwu. This is what makes Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings a Marvel movie! It all centers on the weapons that are the Ten Rings and how they work. Honestly, I think that the Ten Rings are the best weapons in the MCU. Yes, better than Stormbreaker.
Simu Liu is the best choice to play Shang-Chi. First, I’m so happy to see an Asian-American… uh, Asian-Canadian, take on a lead role. Thank you for giving local Asian talent a chance. Second, Shang-Chi’s character arc from car valet to superhero is a joy to watch, and Liu plays it with the right amount of charm and seriousness.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an origin story, and director Destin Daniel Cretton, working from script he wrote alongside Dave Callaham and, Andrew Lanham did a masterful job telling a story that’s not only Asian-American but a Marvel movie at the same time.
"…the Ten Rings are the best weapons in the MCU. Yes, better than Stormbreaker."
