SUPES and Brad Review Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe to new heights, introducing the first solo film for an Asian American Superhero, continuing the story of the infamous “Ten Rings” who were first mentioned in 2008’s Iron Man and giving us our first look at the real Mandarin.

This film is a triumph on multiple levels, but the action and fight choreography is some of the best we’ve seen in a long time. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has obviously had some incredible action sequences over the last 20+ films, but we have never seen hand-to-hand combat done at this level. The speed, ferocity and choreography of the fight sequences will leave you in awe and the change in pace with the use of slo mo shots really enhances the overall experience.

With a star-studded cast of Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, Meng’er Zhang and Fala Chen, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings delivers a visually stunning, action-packed and heartfelt experience for both hardcore MCU fans and traditional movie-goers. We chatted with director Destin Daniel Cretton about this special project and the team that brought this story to life and this is what he had to say: “I feel extremely proud to be a part of this team. I’ve never worked on a team that was so diverse and so full of creatives who were really passionate about telling a story full of minority characters. I feel extremely proud of the movie we all worked on together and can’t wait for people to experience it.”

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings brings to life Marvel’s newest hero in the most epic way possible. Shang-Chi will easily be one of your favorite Marvel characters by the end of the film. Not only is he extremely skilled, but Simu Liu brought so much charisma, comedy and heart to the role. His co-star, Awkwafina shined as “Katy”, as we see her character grow both personally and professionally as she blossoms into a hero herself. It's also worth noting—the chemistry between the two actors was phenomenal and garnered so many laughs from the audience. One performance that really stood out to us was Meng’er Zhang’s “Xialing” (Shang-Chi’s sister). She had some of the best moments in this movie and captured the audience every time she was on screen. Tony Leung was also fantastic as the villainous “Wenwu” and perfectly portrayed a loving, yet menacing father who just so happens to have been leading one of the most lethal criminal organizations in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a very long time (The Ten Rings).

The most powerful moments in this film are when Shang-Chi and his father share the screen. You feel the history and tension between the two, without them having to say a single word. It all builds to an epic finale that’s heartfelt, action-packed and visually captivating. The resolution between Shang-Chi and Wenwu was as satisfying as we hoped it’d be. Once the dust settles, there’s still more to this film and it’ll leave you even more excited for Shang-Chi’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an incredible addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is certainly in the conversation for best solo MCU film. Make sure to check out Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, only in theaters September 3rd.