Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Review

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is exactly how you introduce a new character into an already well known universe.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is back and it is better than ever with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings! The fight scenes, the grand scale of it all, the cinematography, the cast chemistry, and the ties to the past of the MCU all come together for one epic movie. Take note massive studios, because this is how you properly introduce a brand new character into an already well known and established universe.

Shang-Chi is the newest hero to join the MCU and this film is the perfect introduction to him. Fans will learn about his past, his upbringing, his influences, his skills, and his powers. This is his origin story, but at the same time, it acknowledges the greater universe, and the movies that have come before it. The movie itself does a great job of fitting snuggly in the MCU, while still allowing Shang-Chi, and supporting characters, their time to shine. 

What Works With Shang-Chi 

This movie does what Marvel does best. It gives fans some incredibly amazing action scenes, mind blowing fight sequences, and a whole lot of heart and emotion as well. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is not just about a new hero who is amazing at martial arts, it is about family and friendship. It is about embracing what you are good at and not just floating through life. 

The second half of the movie has a lot of CGI and special effects, which could have easily fallen short. However, they were actually really impressive and well done. Seeing it play out on the big screen was a feast for the eyes — especially when it comes to the mythical creatures that are in the film. Speaking of creatures, there are some dark things at play here, and they give off major horror vibes. As a fan of horror films, these were also done extremely well. Story wise, and looks wise. 

The special effects and the look of the power of the rings while in use are also done exceptionally well. They look flawless. The bright yellow and the dull blue compliment each other on screen, while making it obvious to the viewer that one is on the light side, and one the dark side — something that is mentioned in the movie and no, it is not a Star Wars reference. 

There are several massive, large scale fights, that are shown through incredible cinematography. The way the camera spins around the cast, under the cast, over the cast — it is all done for a reason and the finished product is amazing. Each fight scene is bigger than the last, however each one stands out for its own reason. All of them are epic and a flat out joy to watch.

This cast is absolutely amazing. They all give their everything in these roles, and it shows. Especially by the way that they interact with one another. There is love, hate, and friendship all portrayed perfectly. Awkwafina and Simu Liu have fantastic comedic chemistry, and are so much fun to watch together. It is clear to viewers that they are having the best time ever.

Tony Leung is a standout as Wenwu, Shang-Chi’s father and who some people might think of as “The Mandarin”. He is brutal, as well as a dark, but also has a lot of heart, which is causing him to act the way he does. One of the most complicated characters in the movie, honestly. 

As for Ying Li, who is portrayed by Fala Chen, she is his soft and gentle counterpart. Even when she is not on screen, her presence is felt through the actions of others. Meng’er Zhang, who plays Xialing, is also a great part of the cast. She is strong, and helps to give off some serious girl power vibes. She has some of the best lines in the film.

There are just the right amount of tie ins to the MCU to make it belong in this universe, but not too many so that it loses itself. This is, at its core, an origin story for Shang-Chi. And it really delivers on that front. Speaking of MCU tie ins, there are TWO end credit scenes, so be sure to stick around for them. They both seem to be important set ups for what is to come. 

What Doesn’t Work With Shang-Chi

All that being said there are a couple of things that just do not work in this movie. While I happily appreciated that Chinese Mandarin is spoken throughout the movie, with subtitles for those who do not speak it, there will be some people who do like this. I watched this film with my daughters, the youngest is 8 and it was a little hard for her to read as quickly as they appeared on screen. So I read them for her. This will not be the majority of people, but I felt like it should be mentioned. 

It should also be said that it does get a bit slow in the middle. This is all due to character and plot development. Again, not an issue for adults and older children, but young ones might get antsy as they wait for more of that incredible action and humor to grace the screen.

Overall Thoughts

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an action packed origin story, that also has a lot of heart. It is about family, love, and friendship — but also about facing your fears. In order to be yourself, you need to learn to embrace all of you — the light and the dark. This movie does a great job of delivering that message, while also introducing fans to the newest Marvel superhero. 

This is the perfect introduction of Simu Liu as Shang-Chi. Viewers get to see exactly what he is capable of, and will be begging for his return to the big screen. The movie itself tells an intriguing story in between several epic action scenes that are visually stunning. There is a bit of a horror vibe, several surprising cameos, and a set up for the future of the MCU. What more could you ask for?

About Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. The film also stars Awkwafina as Shang-Chi’s friend Katy, with Michelle Yeoh as Ying Nan, and Tony Leung as Xu Wenwu, Shang-Chi’s father; as well as Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Yuen Wah, Ronny Chieng, Zach Cherry, and Dallas Liu.

Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and produced by Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz, with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Charles Newirth serving as executive producers. Dave Callaham & Destin Daniel Cretton & Andrew Lanham wrote the screenplay and the screen story is by Dave Callaham & Destin Daniel Cretton.

Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings hits theaters September 3rd – and you want to see it on the biggest screen possible!