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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings poster

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Shang-Chi must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization.
5.0 / 5
INCLUVIE SCORE
4.9 / 5
MOVIE SCORE
Representation
Asian

Incluvie Movie Reviews


Cathy Yee
September 6, 2021
5 / 5
INCLUVIE SCORE
5 / 5
MOVIE SCORE

Shang-Chi: Mental Health and Healing, Marvel Universe, and Awkwafina Humor

with an anticipated $80 million for opening Labor Day weekend! Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings that is. Why the filmmakers decided to make the title a mouthful is either marketing genius or incredibly obnoxious, perhaps both. Maybe if someone commits to saying the full title aloud a few times, they feel so invested from the elocution exercise that they then need to purchase a ticket to justify it. Psychology? I don’t know. In any case, Shang-Chi brings about SO MANY topics and themes to get into, even without the Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-ins. I’m not an expert Marvel fan, only a baby Marvel fan, so I’ll link in the MCU fun facts and sources accordingly. It was refreshing to see a feature film focused on a platonic friendship without romance. The camaraderie and silliness between Shang-Chi and Katy was relatable for anyone. As always, I love Awkwafina, and she was so crucial in the film. Her comedic relief was necessary to break up the more heavy segments, including the part on the plane where a flight attendant interrupted Shang-Chi’s heartbreaking childhood story to ask which meal they wanted to choose, and Awkwafina as Katy bantered with such dry humor. I’m just going to say Awkwafina as Katy sometimes, because her persona seems larger than life. The scene was so stupid, yet hilarious. I probably laughed a little bit too much. That and the part where she trolls Shang-Chi (pronounced Shaun-Chi) about Americanizing his name to Shaun as an alias for hiding. Shang-Chi and Awkwafina as Katy trolled each other and had each other’s backs as true friends should. The camaraderie is not to say that a future Marvel film won’t pair them up romantically, but at least in this film, it was really nice to see such a stellar example of a male-female buddyship. Various themes of intergenerational mental health issues and pain were prevalent throughout the film. The themes reflected the dynamic of hurt and redemption. Here are a few that stood out.
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Daleyna
September 5, 2021
5 / 5
INCLUVIE SCORE
4.5 / 5
MOVIE SCORE

'Shang-Chi' Delivers Epic Superhero Action and Positive Asian Representation

Marvel’s first Asian superhero film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, hit theatres this labor day weekend and has been a box office success so far. Deserving of high praise, this film balances epic superhero action, a heartfelt family-centric plot, and prioritizes positive Asian representation. Spoilers ahead!  The cast for this film are all extremely talented. Simu Liu’s superhero debut is nothing short of marvelous (pun-intended). Liu has been advocating so much for this film across social media, and it’s been worth it. He is a strong lead in the film, delivering fast and complicated martial arts moves and making it look easy. He’s also solidified his place in many viewers hearts (including this one) as a brand new hero heartthrob after not only his shirtless scene in the fight ring, but also his delivery of little lines throughout the film in which he cares for those around him, particularly Katy (Awkwafina.)  Liu and Awkwafina have amazing chemistry that make them a fun pair to watch. Whether or not they will become a romantic couple remains to be seen, but their friendship is one of the most believable and realistic ones portrayed in the MCU so far. Awkwafina has perfect comedic timing throughout the film. While it’s wonderful to see a female partner stick along for the entire movie (Katy has lots of screentime), it is somewhat disappointing given the controversy surrounding Awkwafina’s “blaccent.”  However, there are other amazing actresses in this film, too. Meng’er Zhang as Xialing is a standout. It’s almost unbelievable that this is her first acting credit! She steals every scene she’s in, holding her own against Shang-Chi both as a fighter and as a presence onscreen. And Michelle Yeoh appears as Ying Nan, Shang-Chi’s aunt. Unfortunately, Yeoh is given little to do, but she shines in her few scenes when she’s giving Shang-Chi advice.  Last, but certainly not least, Tony Leung as Wenwu is one of the best villains in the MCU. His portrayal of Wenwu is so compelling, and his body language and line delivery make the character so sympathetic yet so intimidating to watch. It’s a shame he is killed off in this film — Wenwu as a villain (or future antihero) had so much potential. Yet his death does allow Xialing to take his throne, sowing the seeds for a new villain (or antihero) who can be equally compelling in a different way. 
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Movie Information


Shang-Chi must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization.

Rating:PG-13
Genre:Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Directed By:Destin Daniel Cretton
Written By:Destin Daniel Cretton, Dave Callaham, Andrew Lanham
In Theaters:9/3/2021
Box Office:$432,243,292
Runtime:132 minutes
Studio:Marvel Studios

Cast


Director

Destin Daniel Cretton

Director

noImg
cast

Simu Liu

Shaun / Shang-Chi

cast

Tony Leung Chiu-wai

Xu Wenwu

cast

Awkwafina

Katy

cast

Ben Kingsley

Trevor Slattery

cast

Meng'er Zhang

Xialing

cast

Fala Chen

Li

cast

Michelle Yeoh

Ying Nan

cast

Yuen Wah

Master Guang Bo

cast

Florian Munteanu

Razor Fist

cast

Andy Le

Death Dealer

cast

Paul He

Chancellor Hui