The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been a busy place in 2021, with 3 series on Disney Plus (WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki), but to date, there has only been one theatrical film release (Black Widow). The fall is going to be BUSY with MCU content, as we will see theatrical releases (The Eternals and Spider-Man: No Way Home) along with more Disney Plus series, but before we get to any of that, we get to see another new hero origin story in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Black Widow occupied an odd place in the MCU, as it was effectively a flashback movie, to a time before the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. While it did lay a path to some future content with Natasha’s younger sister effectively stepping into a Black Widow role for the future, it didn’t really move the MCU storyline forward in any significant way
Enter Shang-Chi, the second MCU film to take place after Endgame (following Spider-Man: Far From Home).
Where does it Fit in the MCU?
Shang-Chi takes place some unspecified time after the universe suddenly welcomed back everyone who was erased by Thanos in Infinity War. Those events are mentioned in the film but do not play a prominent role in the storyline. The main point of Shang-Chi is to introduce us to a brand new character for the MCU, who has a long comic book history but had not yet been included in any previous films.
Beyond simply bringing in a new hero, it also introduces an entirely new corner of the universe with a rich history and wealth of characters. It is also the first MCU film to focus on Asian characters and culture
What’s it About?
The story follows a somewhat traditional hero introduction, where we meet “Shaun,” a young Chinese man living in San Franciso working as a parking valet with his friend Katy. They are a funny, personable pair, still enjoying a bit of an extended youth in their early to mid-twenties. Events quickly transpire to reveal that “Shawn” is actually Shang-Chi, the estranged son of perhaps the world’s most powerful crime lord. His father (Xu Wenwu) is the wielder of the magical Ten Rings, which have allowed him to build his shadow empire over more than a thousand-year lifespan.
Shang-Chi is forced to accept his true identity as the heir to his father’s fearful power, but also to his mother’s place in a peaceful and mystical realm called Ta Lo. Shang-Chi, Katy, and his sister (Xialing) will eventually travel to Ta Lo to help defend it from their father and his ninja army and eventually an even more powerful evil force.
Much of the story is about Shang-Chi coming to grips with who is truly is, what he has done with his life, and how to confront his father and step out of his shadow. The film deals with loss and how it can shape people’s future actions (as Shang-Chi’s mother was killed when he was a boy). At the same time, it has the humor that runs through so much of the MCU.
Serious Action
From a pure action standpoint, this has to be right up there with the best MCU movies. It also brings in elements of Asian martial arts cinema with some truly spectacular fight choreography. Think of some of the best Asian martial arts films you have seen (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, etc.) and you get an idea of the way the battles play out in a way that is as much dance as it is a fight. They are fantastic. An early fight on scaffolding outside a high-rise building is reminiscent of a few martial arts films I have seen but also takes the stunts and action to another level. Much of the early action is more personal (martial arts style), but then shifts to more expected CGI spectacle style battles in the final scenes. But, they work extremely well together. It’s really an exceptional action movie, all on its own.
The Actors
The MCU has done an impressive job of incorporating both lesser-known actors with established movie stars over the course of its 20+ films to date. It takes a similar approach here, with Simu Liu (not unknown, but not a huge star either) as Shang-Chi, Awkwafina as Katy, and then huge Asian cinema stars Tony Leung (Xu Wenwu) and Michelle Yeoh as Ying Nan. These two are heavyweight actors who are simply fantastic. Leung in particular brings more gravitas and complexity to his role as the villain. He is probably the most well-rounded and interesting villain in any MCU movie I can think of. Simu Liu is also excellent as our new superhero. He brings a great mixture of humor and physical skills to the role that should make him a mainstay in the MCU going forward.
Watch it or Not?
Not even a question. Watch it! I’m not sure exactly where I would rank it among all the MCU movies, but it is definitely closer to the top than the bottom. While it is definitely an MCU movie, it also has a style that is all its own. It is also well worth seeing on a big screen. Some of the action scenes are dazzling on an IMAX screen.
