After 25 films and television properties spaced out over a decade, it’s safe to say the Marvel Cinematic Universe has earned its spot in pop culture. Never before has a franchise in any medium, reached so many people on such a broad spectrum. Part of that success is due to its ability for rich storytelling while maintaining a universe where everything is connected. Of course, walking that particular tight rope means some elements have to be homogenized even if by proxy. But then there are films like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. A film that walks the thin line between art and mass-production so close, it’s next to impossible to love or hate.
On the surface, Shang-Chi has a firm grip on the MCU formula. A reluctant hero gets pulled into a fantastical world, fine-tunes newfound powers, and uses them to defy his daddy issues. All the while beating up a legion of faceless adversaries and saving the day. In that sense, Shang-Chi stays in its predictably, low-stakes driven lane. But it’s only when the film explores grief, regret, and not meeting expectations, is where it breaks the MCU mold.
It’s with Shang-Chi‘s very synopsis where we find the Achilles heel. It’s two films fighting for supremacy.
Shang-Chi (played by Simu Liu) and his friend Katy (Awkwafina) park cars at an upscale hotel by day and sing drunk karaoke by night to the embarrassment of friends and family. But when Shang-Chi’s mysterious past comes back to haunt him, he must embrace his family legacy while finding his own sense of identity. Coming to terms with his past also means Shang-Chi has to confront his own father; one of the most feared terrorists in the world known as The Mandarin.
Where the hero’s setup is somewhat generic, the story of The Mandarin (played wonderfully by Hong Kong legend, Tony Leung) is nuanced and layered making him one of the most fleshed-out villains of the MCU. Despite being a trope of itself, the dysfunctional family element is far more interesting than the constant karate action. The Mandarin isn’t a mustache-twirling baddie, but a grief-stricken widower trying to bring his family back together. Even if it means losing his now-adult children to collateral damage. Outside of Loki, Marvel has always struggled with interesting villains. Most of the time they are there for the sake of a lesson to be learned by the hero. With Shang-Chi, it’s easy to even partially side with the villain for once.
As for the hero himself, Shang-Chi is equally as flawed and his imperfections are understandable, if not relatable.
Taking a look around, it’s obvious the current generation is defined by the mistakes of our parents. Be it politics, finances, or social obligations, living up to our parents’ expectations is an indescribable weight. Just as we question our views of systematic spirituality or finding our place in the world, Shang-Chi faces the same struggles. He wants to honor his father’s legacy but he doesn’t want to let it corrupt him into someone he isn’t. It’s an interesting conflict to see played out in Marvel fashion, especially when the two male leads, Liu and Leung, devour any scene they’re in.
Sadly, the supporting cast in Shang-Chi isn’t as balanced.
Meng’ er Zhang plays Shang-Chi’s sister and she plays what she’s given with poise and class. Her character is just as flawed as her father but doesn’t get enough screen time to be properly explored. Michelle Yeoh is graceful and adds some warmth to the fantasy elements of the film but she is merely introduced right before the third act. Then there’s Awkwafina. How you feel about her nails-on-chalkboard schtick in other projects will decide whether or not you enjoy her here. Grating and obnoxious in the first half, Awkwafina does grow on you by the end but it’s a bit too late. Her character of Katy is extremely similar to Kat Dennings’ character in the Thor films.
Director, Destin Daniel Cretton lets his influences guide each scene. The action sequences are very Jackie Chan-esque with Liu fighting multiple people at once using nearby props such as his own jacket as a weapon. But then there are romantic flashbacks with ballet-esque wire fighting akin to Crouching Tiger. While the first half of the film is very American and traditional MCU in terms of action and pacing, the third act gets a little weirder and ambitious with its visuals taking on more of a Wuxia vibe.
The conflict between having your own voice and falling in line with legacy is oddly meta throughout Shang-Chi.
While the action is some of the best sequences seen in the MCU, it does little to nothing to strengthen the drama elements. However, in order for Shang-Chi to fit into the MCU, it needs those action sequences as well as elements that will tie it into the grand scheme of things. This is heartbreaking because both elements are so good at what they do. Even more maddening is how it fits into the connected universe. Unlike the most recent Spider-Man films, most of the connective tissue is planning ahead instead of in the now. There are no appearances from top-tier Avengers like Black Panther or Thor. It’s just smaller stakes and juxtaposition.
Despite being far from the greatness of Black Panther, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a lot of fun. The action is amazing, the drama is interesting, and the fantastical third act was a nice change of pace. Unfortunately, not all of these elements play well together. But just about every solo MCU origin story outside of Iron Man, share many of these quirks. In many ways, the existence of this film is an achievement on its own! An Asian director along with a prominently Asian cast as a theatrical film? This is diversity Disney needs to celebrate and I’m excited to see where Shang-Chi pops up next in this franchise.
Now the origin is out of the way, hopefully, the next installment is a little more Wuxia and a little less MCU.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is currently in theaters now.