Shang-Chi has the crowd pleasing action and humor, but needs more heart and a consistent story to deliver a powerful MCU film! It is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and he last directed and co-wrote the legal drama, Just Mercy (2019). The story is from Cretton and David Callaham who also wrote the screenplay for Wonder Woman 1984 (2020). The screenplay is by Cretton, Callaham, and Andrew Lanham and he was one of the co-writers for Just Mercy. It begins with a flashback showing a warlord (Tony Lueng) taking his army and he fights alone against an army protecting its castle. Leung is a master actor in Chinese cinema and starred as Ip Man in The Grandmaster (2013), which you should see if you want to see some impressive martial arts action and drama. We later find that his name is Xu Wenwu. He uses the power of his Ten Rings to defeat them with his troops engaging the rest. So he would be Lord of the Ten Rings? Is Shang-Chi Frodo? The original rings from comics' Mandarin were rings for his fingers, these are similar to the iron rings used in martial arts that fit on the arms.
He searches for a village, Ta Lo, that is protected by a woman Ying Li (Fala Chen) who bests him. Chen appeared in the thriller mini-series, The Undoing (2020). The location appeared in Thor #301 (1980). Then, Ying falls for him even though she knows his ambition and power. She changes him from being a conqueror. This goes on to the present day when they have a child. We start off with the perspective of the villain, but we know it concerns Shang-Chi. The character of Shang-Chi, known as the Master of Kung Fu, was created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin in Special Marvel Edition #15 (1973). He started as a son of Fu Manchu, but this had touchy racial overtones, and was changed in the comics to Zheng Zu, but this is again changed by this film. Another story problem, he runs a mercenary operation, but S.H.I.E.L.D. has no record of him, historical or otherwise, and doesn’t investigate in Asia. Their happiness is disturbed by an attack by Iron Gang members, rivals to the Ten Rings, and Ying sends her children to safety. She is killed before Wenwu returns so she can defeat Wenwu who has taken on an entire army with his rings and is overwhelmed by a gang who doesn't have rings?
He has his son (Jayden Zhang) train with a Kabuki masked Death Dealer (Andy Le) leaving his daughter, Sialing, (Elodie Fong) just to watch. Le also appeared in the martial arts comedy The Paper Tigers (2020). The character originated in the comics with Master of Kung Fu #115 (1982). Is the Death Dealer also immortal, a mysterious line of assassins, or also have magical powers? Never answered. The Death Dealer is brutal in training the warlord’s son. The name of this villain is actually the title of a character in a Frank Frazetta painting and also used in the Underworld film series. Wenwu sends his now teenage son, 14 years old (Arnold Sun), to kill his rivals who murdered his wife. He tells his sister that he will return in three days, but he leaves after the mission to escape his father. Now, in San Francisco, the man (Simu Liu) wakes up, some of the female audience were excited seeing this and he is known as Shaun getting ready for work. It is apparent that this is Shang-Chi as an adult. Liu had starred as Jung in the comedy series Kim’s Convenience. He does as much as he can with the character including fight scenes, but I think Liu needs more feature films in his CV to bring out more of his screen presence.
“Shaun” sees a postcard with a dragon drawing. He has a job with his friend, Katy (Awkwafina). She was also in the action movie, Jumanji: The Next Level (2019). Katy is of course the comic relief pointing out some absurdities and trying to be as much of a hero as she can, but most of her jokes are standard Marvel asides. Katy takes off in the sports car dropped off by a customer and they go racing. Later, they meet with some friends and then go singing karaoke. They go over to see Katy’s family to get some breakfast, there is her mother, Mrs. Chen (Jodi Long), Ruihua (Dallas Liu), her brother, and also her grandmother, Waipo (Tsai Chin). There are a number of roles for Chin, but I think I remember her the most in The Joy Luck Club (1993). Shaun and Katy take the connected bus (it is two vehicles connected together) to work as car valets at a hotel. Their connected bus ride is interrupted by Ten Ring assassins who are looking for his jade pendant that was given by his mother. They are led by Razor Fist (Florian Munteanu) whose comic character was introduced in Master of Kung Fu #29 (1975). Munteanu played Viktor Drago in Creed II (2018).
He can extend an energy blade from the metal housing on his forearm. The bus battle has good fighting with CG backgrounds. Recording the battle and making Shang-Chi social media famous as Bus Boy is Klev (Zach Cherry) who was in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Katy takes the wheel of the bus going all Sandra Bullock and Razor Fist severs the two halves of the bus. They are able to defeat the Ten Rings, save the civilians, and also the jade necklace. Shang-Chi decides to head to Macau, the address on the postcard, to find his sister. Katy of course joins him. At a seedier side of Macau, west of Hong Kong, they get to an underground fight club, The Golden Daggers Club. They see fighters are smashed against the walls of cells. The promoter is Jon Jon played by Ronny Chieng, three actors from Crazy Rich Asians (2018)! Chieng was also in Godzilla vs. Kong this year. Jon Jon takes them to the main ring which features the Abomination from Incredible Hulk (2008) who has a redesign with aquatic flaps on his head. His opponent is Wong (Benedict Wong) who is also in the fourth episode of What If…? The next fight is Shang-Chi and his opponent whom he fights so Jon Jon will take him to see Xu Xialing.
He eventually does get to see Xu Xialing (Meng’er Zhang) who is still angry at her brother for leaving her behind. Zhang is a theatrical actress and this is her first film. In the comics, Shang-Chi did have a sister, Zheng Shi-Hua, who was raised with him, but then sent away. She became Sister Hammer and first appeared in Shang-Chi #1 (2020). The Ten Rings and Death Dealer take the jade necklace and bring them to Xu Wenwu. He plans to return to Ta Lo to avenge Ying Li’s death. At the village is also Ying Nan played by Michelle Yeoh. The actress, one of the finest martial arts perfomers, is also in this year’s Gunpowder Milkshake. There are mystical creatures around the Ta Lo area, one creature that first appeared in Thor #229 (1974). One strange beastie, a dìjiāng, is a companion to the mystery MCU character. They are rumored before the characters reach Ta Lo, but this really opens up the MCU to magic, which was a pseudo-science in Thor and just dimensional in Doctor Strange. Now it is full blown Lord of the Rings. The ending is a full CG fest. The film has the usual mid and post credit scenes that may place Shang-Chi in with the rest of the MCU. Shang-Chi has a mostly Asian cast with main character heroes and villain, but holds mostly to the Marvel Studios formula which most fans will like!
Three Rings out of Five (this would be one arm of Rings)!
#ShangChi, #DestinDanielCretton, #SamuiLiu, #Awkwafina, #TonyLeung, #FalaChen, #MengerZhang, #MichelleYeoh, #FlorianMunteanu, #AndyLe
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