Shang-Chi and Daniel Destin Creton The Legend of the Ten Rings. The return of the Marvel cinematic universe to Indian cinemas. The rush to start a bus journey in San Francisco with explosive devices for the best gear.
As Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Kati (Awkwafina ) is attacked by a group of assassins led by a man with a machete in hand. The scene itself is on par with the speed and rumble of the Bronx. Impromptu fights akin to Jackie Chan (film fight coordinator Andy Cheng has worked with Chan in several films), humour and, well, high stakes uncertainty on the control bus.
Like Steve Rodgers’ epic extended chase from the first act of “Captain America: The First Avenger,”
This extended action sequence has plenty of phenomena. The question is to show audiences what the new superhero in town.
It is capable of and defines the franchise’s visual grammar to some extent. In the case of Steve Rodgers, we were immediately amazed. At the physical strength of the Olympics and the man’s pure desire to fight. And from then on, perhaps to the very end, this was a true double pillar of his character.
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Fortunately for Shang-Chi, Simu Liu (from the popular Canadian series Kim’s Convenience. A choice of asymmetric thoughts about the role) passed the test with more than a touch of talent. The setting may be Chan (and like Chan, Liu is very likeable). Still, Liu also zooms a few steps along the stage and illuminates. The screen with the kind of ballet brutality you associate with Donnie Yen.
After a lengthy prologue, it recreates Marvel’s familiar punch story:
Shang-Chi Wenwu’s (Tony Leung) father is the eternal leader of a powerful criminal organization called the Ten Rings after the magic ring of the same name.
Wenwu wears it in his hands, granting him immortality and making him almost invincible in battle. In search of the mystical dimension of Ta Loss Kingdom / Pocket, Wenwu meets and falls in love with Jiang Li (Fala Chen), the only person who. Thanks to his insane skills and his magic, defeats him in one battle. The magic it drew, the area itself.
Their ultimately tragic love story forms Shang-Chi’s emotions. And moral centre and establishes Wenwu Tony Leng as one of Marvel’s most exciting and diverse villains. Leung’s sad eyes (think of Wong-Kar Wai’s “In Mood For Love”) appear.
As well as light with the look of Wuxia-Meet-Kung-Fu-style martial arts. Which Shang-Chi freely uses here. ., in the (relatively) underrated collaboration with Wong-Kar Wai, The Grandmaster (2013), Leung plays the role we usually associate with Donnie Yen: Wing Chun master Ip Man.
Marvel characters have to deal with the sins of their fathers. Disappearances at the level of genocide and prolonged adolescence without many rules. It’s a blockbuster cocktail that rarely diverges significantly. And Shang-Chi is no different: Simu Liu walks through the stages of Marvel heroism.
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With infectious friendliness and dramatic steak (although the stellar comedy here is, oddly, reasonably competent). Awkwafina when Katie plays comedic beats. But also pulls her in with her energetic, extroverted style she’s already known for (her jokes at the Hotel California here are classic Marvel crap).
In the third act, Hong Kong film legend Michelle Yeo has a brilliant cameo-like Yoda, as does Jiang Nan, Shang-Chi’s aunt, and Xu Xialin, one of Ta Loss’s elders.
Everything is predictable primarily and a lot of fun:
Whether Asian martial arts is your thing or not. However, let me say this: The Ten Rings itself is an exciting addition (and some would argue it’s too late) to Marvel’s fighting style.
Wenwu and Shang-Chi control them with their minds and fists, and although Shang-Chi relies more on VFX than most martial arts movies, the show is well worth it.
I wanted more old school action, and there are a few Asian martial arts stars could catch Marvel’s eye during the franchise in this regard: Donnie Ian, Ico Weiss, Tony Jaa, Joe Taslim and so on.
Shang-Chi can’t help but be compares to Black Panther. Not only because of the similarity of themes. But also because of the appearance of the two films. Asian-American fans will surely appreciate it.
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That their lives are not depicted with the tweet. It sentimentality that big movies often do. And it’s clear that the Cretan director has deep connections with all the different areas of Asian commercial cinema that this film draws from – Kung Fu, Uxia, even something like Kaiju in the final act.