Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings!
Marvel has officially introduced us to the Ten Rings! For does who do not know, the Ten Rings’ first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was with the first film, and thanks to this group we were given Iron Man. If you go back to the comics, the Ten Rings were ruled by one man, the Mandarin, a powerful foe that rules Asia, during his reign he manages to kidnap Tony
Stark. As for the birth of the Iron Age, Tony’s first and main villain. Do not get confused by the man we meet in the first film, nor for the man, we also meet in the third installment of the Iron Man trilogy. Now, this film is not entirely about him, but about his son Shang-Chi. After all, this is an origin story, unlike any other, we have seen in the past and the first one after the snap. Most origins we barely get to see any other heroes, or anything related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Shang-Chi has become part of it without even knowing it. Shang-Chi has opened a whole new world of Marvel that we have never seen, we have been told, but not yet experienced its full length and with.
Our hero Sami Liu as Shang-Chi, Awkwafina as Katy, Meng’er Zhang as Xialing, and our beloved Benedict Wong as Wong. One of the most famous villains in the Marvel universe is Tony Leung Chiu-wai as the Mandarin.
Shang-Chi has a very interesting past, after all, he is the son of one of the greatest villains in the Marvel Universe. What I truly enjoyed about this film, it has a very different way of telling this origin story. Shang-Chi was born and rise in the world of the Ten Rings, and somewhere along the line, he escapes because he knows deep down that he is not meant to be part of that world. We get to see a glimpse of the past, as we are moving forward with the present which is ironically hunted by the past, as his father sends bad people after him and also his sister. This film is a perfect way to demonstrate the hero’s
journey, as he goes on a journey to find his lost sister and steps into this secret world. Yet very familiar in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so familiar that we get to witness Wong fighting the Abomination. As the path continues, it takes him back to his old life, home with his family. Unfortunately, his father happens to be one of the most interesting villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The good side of Shang-Chi didn’t come from his father after all but from his mother, who protected the gate to a completely different universe. Let’s not forget that the idea of the multiverse in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is not a new concept. In Doctor Strange, we were given glims of it, and thanks to our Variant Prince of Asgard, we have the full understanding of it. That is where our hero’s journey takes him, where he will learn more about his past that will flourish his future and turn him into the hero or avengers that one day we will need!
One magnificent film, from the beginning to the end. Typical Marvel film, mixed with its no so secretly combination of powerful characters, action, and tons of humor, and even more action. The chemistry between the actors was well polished, as well as every stunt and visual effect. I truly enjoyed the story, it is very unique and unpredictable in so many ways that I did not imagine. We
finally got the true Mandarin, and as an Iron Man fan, on one hand, he was the foe I expected yet on other hand I still kinda wished Tony had gone toe to toe with. After all, that is Tony’s true nemesis! There are things in this film, which I do not want to spoil that had me on the edge of the sit. I was truly excited while watching some of the moments in this film, for example, the fight between the Abomination and Wong was insane! I can not wait for more of Shang-Chi, after the way this film ended, leaving us with more questions, and of course, the extra ending was unexpected.
Overall Shang-Chi is different, the story was built and crafted differently than we had previously seen. The thing that I truly love about Marvel films is not always the same type of roller coaster-like some people claim to be, each film is in its own way different but yet it has the same Marvel ingredients. Shang-Chi is delivered on the spot, opening the door to the Multiverse even more, and the possibilities are so endless. I highly advise watching this film on the big screen, some films are just meant to be displayed on a big screen, plus how else are you going to fit the Abomination! A fantastic origin film, and honestly I can not wait to see what else Shang-Chi has in store for us.
