Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the twenty-fifth film in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). It was premiered in Los Angeles on August 16, 2021, and on September 3, 2021, in the United States. Shang-Chi was made under Marvel Studios production, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures was its distributor. With the positive review of the film, it was well-received by the audience, making it the ninth-highest-grossing movie of 2021. The 94th Academy Awards nominated Shang-Chi movie for Best Visual Effects. According to a review, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings isn’t entirely free of Marvel’s familiar formula that expands MCU’s beyond dimensions”.
In this article, we will review the movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a story of a hero who is forced to become a hero. It is about the hero’s father running a martial art training organization, but the hero Shang-Chi is more interested in having an ordinary life. So let’s begin!
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Starcast
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings features a Canadian actor and stuntman Simu Liu as the lead protagonist Xu Shang-Chi. Tony Leung plays his father, Xu Wenwu, with his mother, Ying Li, played by Fala Chen. Shang-Chi has a sister named Xu Xialing, played by Meng’er Zhang. Awkwafina (as Katy) is Shang-Chi’s best friend in San Francisco.
Other characters in the lead include Florian Munteanu as Razor Fist, Benedict Wong as Wong, and Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery.
The plot
Shang-Chi’s father, Wenwu, discovers immortality and godly powers granting the mythical Ten Rings and establishes the Ten Rings organization. With this, he starts conquering the kingdoms. In 1966, while foraging for village Oof mythical beasts, Ta Lo, Wenwu meets Ying Li and marries her. They have two children – a boy Shang-Chi and a girl, Xialing. He then closes up his organization and leaves with Ying Li.
Seven years later, Li is murdered by the Iron Gang, compelling Wenwu to restart his organization. He brutally trains his seven-year-old son, Shang-Chi, and not Xialing. Hence, she self-trains herself in secret. Wenwu then sends his fourteen-year son to assassinate the Iron Gang’s leader. This traumatizes Shang-Chi so much that he escapes to San Francisco and becomes Shaun.
Shang-Chi, as Shaun, leads a comfortable life as a parking valet in San Francisco. He has a friend Katy who is clueless about his past. One day, the Ten Rings attack them and steal his mom’s pendant. He visits his sister’s fight club, where they are all captured by Wenwu. He tells them that Li is alive and has been held captive in Ta Lo, whose map is in that pendant.
And from here, their expedition to the village of another dimension, Ta Lo begins. They meet Li’s sister Ying Nan who recites to them the story of soul eaters, the Dweller-in-Darkness, and the great protector who is a Chinese dragon. After furious action sequences between Wenwu, Dweller-in-Darkness, and Shang-Chi, Dweller-in-Darkness is slain. The seal of the Dark Gate is now safe. Wenwu dies in the battle handing the ten rings to Chi. Shang-Chi and Katy return to San Francisco and meet Wong, who summons them to Kamar-Taj.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Review
Unlike the other MCU heroes, Shan-Chi’s story is a layman’s story who is on a journey of discovering his own true self. The movie infuses martial art effortlessly into the scenes. The hero has no advanced gadgets and beyond biology superpowers. Shan-Chi justifies the story of a typical man and his dilemma to follow his ancestry or not. The cast was better with their acting, but the seamless action sequels were the plus point for the movie. Also, Destin’s direction takes the story from a happy one to an intense one in no time. Special effects backed with apt music will take you to the serene landscapes of a dreamy and mythical country.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings are the best solo Marvel films. It is about the love of a family despite inherent issues and sweet yet strong bonds of friendship that will be there with you up to the grave.
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