Decades ago, with no governments left to topple, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung, utterly gripping throughout), an army and underground criminal organization leader perennially determined to reinforce his clout with 10 mystical rings that grant him immense power and immortality, seeks the mythical village of Ta Lo, which is said to be concealed somewhere within a verdant mass of trees in the vast, isolated wilderness of China. There, he encounters magical guardian Ying Li (Fala Chen), and a viscerally elegant martial arts battle ensues. The two spar as electric camerawork and rich autumnal hues capture the palpable fight choreography, but there are clearly discernable sensual underpinnings with each bodily stroke leading to an intimate facial exchange. Ying Li successfully deters Xu Wenwu’s invasion, and their sleight connection quickly breeds into romance, softening his hardened heart.
Within the parameters of this exhilarating prologue and before we are even introduced to the titular superhero (the dynamic Simu Liu in a breakout role), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings quickly establishes its own distinctive sense of conviction and perspective in the broader tapestry of the Marvel cinematic canon, which seems crucial as this franchise plows past the ultimate climax of a galactic purple man snapping half of the universe out of existence. At its best, the film embodies a dramatic grandeur that is underseen in superhero cinema, the holy essence of an action-packed opera that crackles and flows: We’re just lucky enough to be on the ride, a well-oiled machine that moves with the grace and vigor of its characters’ ferocious punches and kicks. Director Destin Daniel Cretton of Short Term 12 and Just Mercy fame understands how to shape a story around the specificities of character, and those markers stem from grand empathy and reverence for Asian culture, which is, frankly, groundbreaking for the often Western-normative MCU.
Shaun is leading a perfectly average yet fulfilling life in San Francisco, including a shabby apartment and working-class gig as a valet with his best friend Katy (Awkwafina), the first-generation American daughter of Chinese immigrants. Don’t let the jovial dinners with friends or endearing late-night karaoke sessions fool you, though. Shaun is actually Shang-Chi, the son of the masterful opener’s couple who escaped his treacherous past after his mother’s untimely death and father’s succumbing once more to abject greed and malice; when he is lured by Xu Wenwu into a mysterious plot to invade Ta Lo and revive Ying Li, he and the fiercely loyal Katy embark on a globe-trotting and adrenaline-fueled journey of self-reckoning and -discovery.
The nominal martial artist, who was rigorously trained from a young age by his father, is portrayed with straight-laced charisma, dynamite physicality and sturdy pathos by Liu; this is his first major film role, but that isn’t apparent in the slightest as he exudes astronomical movie star energy like a seasoned pro. Liu also has an engrossing rapport and dynamic with Crazy Rich Asians superstar Awkwafina, who matches not only his performative prowess but also exhibits her signature brand of riotous energy that firmly established the comedian-turned-actress as a household name a few years ago. Together, these talented thespians ground the expanding story and make you fall madly in love with these well-rounded characters, who are sure to be mainstays of the burgeoning fourth phase of the MCU.
With a frequently natural storytelling flow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings transcends the broad strokes of origin tales by delivering a vibrant, pulsating wuxia epic with familial undertones; Leung’s emotionally complex Xu Wenwu is also one of the more compelling Marvel villains as the character evokes a deeper tragedy of forgone redemption. Cretton employs the particular styles and textures of this mythology with flair, especially in the white-knuckle action sequences that range from tightly choreographed hand-to-hand combat on a city bus to a neon-soaked aerial skirmish pierced by rain and kinetic camera moves. These scenes are like lyrical symphonies that marry movie theatrics with pristine artistry. Who knew that an action sequence could be exponentially more engaging if it had a cohesive sense of style and electrifying filmmaking?
However, though this often-entertaining next chapter in the MCU carries the best qualities of innovative comic book movies, it also indulges in some of this popular genre’s most middling. The first two-thirds generate an intimately riveting fable about the intricacies of legacy- when the trauma of the past meets personal circumstances of today- but its bloated final act diminishes some of the film’s emotional and thematic resonance. The spectacle and oversaturated visual effects take precedence over the characters here; bombastic brawls of mystical dragons unsuccessfully attempt to embody the central ideas instead of organic human conversations, and Katy’s complicated identity as an Asian American immigrant is never satisfyingly resolved, instead assigning her the role of markswoman (Please watch The Farewell). It also doesn’t help that the flashback structure is a mixed bag overall that produces some effective dramatic accents that nevertheless leave us playing catch-up late in the film, grappling with a cluttered thesis in the process.
Steeping and maintaining character in and amidst blockbuster scenery is imperative in these types of films, and Shang-Chi cannot quite attain the best of its subgenre counterparts, despite the charms of an esteemed ensemble that also includes Michelle Yeoh, whose rugged screen presence hasn’t lessened an ounce since her Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon days, and Meng’er Zhang in a thrilling debut performance as Shang-Chi’s conflicted sister. Nonetheless, the ingenuity on display here is indisputable when Cretton and company are allowed to be so singular, and the film overall presents a milestone in representation in the MCU. It’s just a shame that Shang-Chi devolves somewhat into the bland CGI fest that it had so auspiciously defied.
Grade: B
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is now available in theaters.
Photo Credit / Disney
