Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings | Film Review

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I have been a huge fan of Marvel, and the MCU, for quite a while. However, after Avengers: Endgame came out, I haven't seen any of the following movies as quickly as I've wanted to. However, thanks to Disney+, I can finally catch up!

Years after Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) left his past behind, he is forced to return to China, where he is drawn back into the Ten Rings organisation.

I really liked this movie.

I took an instant liking to the character of Shang-Chi. I loved the way he was portrayed by Simu Liu, and I loved the way the film told his story.

I loved the fight scenes. It's nice to see a different fighting style than the MCU is used to. The choreography of these scenes is so beautiful that the fights are almost like dances.

It feels like a lot happens in a really short space of time, particularly at the beginning of the film when we don't really know the characters. I felt like I needed more time to get to know them.

The story is a really interesting one in its own right, but it also connects to the wider MCU really seamlessly.

Part of the reason that the link is so seamless is because the film is so well-written. The script brings so much out of the characters, and allows the actors to be as good as they are.

Speaking of the characters, I loved the relationship between Shang-Chi and Katy (Awkwafina), and I loved the way that Xialing (Meng'er Zhang) was added to their story. 

The film has Marvel's signature humour, but doesn't allow it to overtake the dramatic story.

I much preferred the more grounded story, and the hand-to-hand fight scenes that came with that. While I understood the CGI battle that ended the film, I felt like it wasn't the final fight I wanted to see.

Having said that, the battle scene was stunning. In fact, the entirety of the film was so visually beautiful.

I also never really felt like the entire universe was at stake. Maybe because the plot of the film, and its villain, are so personal to the main character, I never thought about the consequences outside of him and his world. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this film, and I can't wait for collaborations between Shang-Chi and other MCU characters!

6.5/10


  


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