Humans normally tire of things they grow accustomed to – case in point: a pandemic – and Marvel movies fall into that category.
Indeed, the MCU can be fatiguing when the films feel like they came out of an assembly line rather than a director’s creative vision. “Thor: The Dark World” and “Iron Man 2” come to mind.
It’s the other group of Marvel titles, however, that keeps drawing audiences: those with interesting characters that form the heart of any good film.
Thankfully “Shang-Chi” falls into the latter camp, encapsulating both heart and style, and not just because it is the first Marvel film to cast Asian actors in most of its lead roles. Mild spoilers follow.
Canadian actor Simu Liu plays Shaun, a valet in San Francisco who is trying to get through life as best he can with his best friend Katy.
His father is an immortal conqueror named Wenwu, played by Tony Leung. Leader of a clandestine organisation known only as The Ten Rings, Wenwu – misled by a dark force hoping to be set free – seeks to bring his wife back from the dead.
With little choice in the matter, Shaun, whose real name is Shang-Chi, has to unite with his estranged sister Xialing (Meng’er Zhang) and confront their father to save the world.
A pretty simple plot, but sometimes simplicity can work to a film’s benefit. The movie’s strength lies less in its twists and turns than in its characters and overarching themes – namely grief, as this drives Wenwu to be unable to let go of his wife.
Marvel villains tend to be in one of two camps: they are either charismatically memorable like Thanos or Loki, or completely forgettable like… who’s the villain of “Thor: The Dark World” again?
With Wenwu, Leung proves he is the best actor for the role. His grief and guilt are brilliantly expressed through his expressions and mannerisms, so much so that despite his villainy, one cannot help but understand and sympathise with him.
After all, for all the power his 10 rings endow him with, he is helpless against the inevitability of death.
The dynamic between Shang-Chi and his sister is also another strong point. Liu and Zhang play off each other well, effectively portraying siblings who have bad blood between them.
Likewise, Shang-Chi and Katy are fun to watch. Awkwafina’s Katy is hilarious, but not overbearingly so; and their friendship is platonic, which is downright shocking for a movie – who knew guys and girls could be besties without being romantically entwined?!
Saving the best for last, Shang-Chi’s and Xialing’s maternal aunt is played by none other than Michelle Yeoh. Enough said.
Given the cast and material, it should be no surprise that “Shang-Chi” takes several cues from kung-fu flicks of yesteryear.
Director Destin Daniel Cretton has an eye and imagination for fight scenes, as some of these fast-paced moments take place in thrilling set pieces. The scaffolding sequence in Macau, in particular, is not for the faint-hearted.
And given that this is a Marvel movie, there is little that has not already been said about the CGI, which is largely reserved for the latter half. Bringing Chinese mythological creatures to life is a nice touch, especially since not many viewers have seen a “longma” or “huli jing” on the big screen before.
For all its pluses, one issue in “Shang-Chi” is that Shang-Chi himself is sometimes overshadowed by the other more intriguing characters. Liu does nothing wrong in his portrayal of the protagonist, but when powerhouses like Leung are in the same frame, it’s hard to stand out.
The movie also attempts to rectify some uncomfortable stereotypes in the comics. While this is commendable, there is still room for improvement.
That said, if all future films are as good as “Shang-Chi”, Marvel can rest assured audiences will keep coming back for more.
‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ is playing in cinemas nationwide.