An Exhilarating Start to Marvel’s Phase Four – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
A fresh start as Shang-Chi continues that winning Marvel Studios formula whilst introducing an exciting and impressive cast of new characters.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a subtle departure from previous Marvel properties, and an eagerly awaited one at that. Highly anticipated as a new start both for Marvel and the superhero genre as a whole, over the first weekend of Autumn we were finally able to see whether Shang-Chi lived up to all expectations. The answer? Yes, of course it did. It was excellent.
Marvel continues its habit of plucking relatively unknown actors and actresses out of very talented thin air and introducing them to the world stage. Simu Liu is wonderfully cast as Shang-Chi, and brings heart, soul and impressive strength to the role. Meng’er Zhang is another newcomer, going in hard in her first on-screen role as Shang-Chi’s sister Xialing.
A masterful Tony Leung needs no introduction. It is very rare to find such a soulful, multi-faceted villain in Marvel films and Tony Leung provides welcome depth to his role.
That slightly awkward Marvel humour is still on show here, except this time it’s actually funny. Awkwafina has brilliant timing, and none of her bits detract from her abilities or her position as a solid person to lean on in a tough situation.
Director Dustin Daniel Cretton somehow manages to wring out fresh takes from everybody’s favourite clichés, from the training montage to father/son relationships, to finding out who you really are and exactly what you are capable of. Stunt choreography (supervised by Bradley Allan) is sinuous and fluid, whilst ensuring you feel the mental intensity required of every move. A hairy San Francisco bus ride demonstrates the impact you can have in a small space without the need for huge CGI or special effects.
Overall, this film is hugely impressive. There is a clear love for the mythology and Asian history surrounding the environment, whilst the fight choreography is intense and very entertaining. Refreshing the superhero genre with new characters, a new cast and a greater respect for the emotional connections between family, friends, and lovers, Shang-Chi succeeds in re-igniting excitement for the next phase of comic book film history.