Shang-Chi: And The Legend Of The Ten Rings is here, and yours truly finally got around to seeing it! While nothing is perfect in this world, Shang-Chi is pretty damn close to it. The action sequences were beautiful, the fighting was off the charts, the character growth was stellar, and the plot was one of my favorites that the MCU has brought fourth to date. Simu Liu did a masterful job as Shang-Chi, and Awkwafina was just as amazing as she always in. I have to admit, I am pleasantly surprised by how great this film is as a whole, from start to finish. With a lot of the solo movies in the MCU, the third acts usually are less than stellar, a tab bit underwhelming, but not here, not at all.
The plot with Wen Wu wanting this unite his family to, as he believed, free his wife from Ta Lao, ended up bringing one of the best fight scenes that the MCU has ever done, right up there with the Battle of New York and the Avengers: Endgame battle. The dialogue throughout this film never felt dry, and was never boring. Not that is ever is in the MCU, but sometimes in these sort of solo movies there are some pretty boring or rather dull moments. This movie flew by, largely in part of the film being a non-stop entertainment fest from the bus scene, to Wong fighting Abomination, and to Wen Wun, Shang-Chi and Xialing reuniting in Wen Wu’s so called palace. Fun from start to finish, and it was just a joy ride all around!
Image Via: The New York Times
Shang-Chi’s journey and evolution into becoming a superhero was handled perfectly. Thanks to strong writing, and a performance of a lifetime from Liu, it felt like one of the best origin films that the MCU has done since 2008 with Iron Man. A story about a man trying to move on from his past, only to be abruptly brought back into it and helping to save the world. While Shang-Chi has no superpowers in the comics, he learned some in part of his aunt’s help, played by Michelle Yeoh. And he also received the Ten Rings from his father after he passed away by saving his son’s life in a final act of heroism. It’s also safe to say that Shang-Chi is arguably the most powerful MCU character by the end of the film, even more so than Thor and possibly even Wanda Maximoff herself.
With Xialing taking on her father’s mantle as the leader of the Ten Rings in the post credits scene, it will be interesting to see what path she goes down. Will she do good and rewrite her father’s wrongs, or will she become a crime lord which seems highly plausible thanks to her villainous-like entrance in the end. One would assume that she might come after her brother to gain the power of the Ten Rings, which I think she will, but she’ll probably come back to reality at some point in the sequel after she realizes that she doesn’t want to become her father.
Image Via: The Wrap
The final battle between the people of Ta Lao, Shang-Chi, Xialing, Katy, and the Ten Rings and Wen Wu was astounding. Dragons and Soul Suckers too nonetheless, made it quite the interesting fight scene, and it ended up being better than expected. Besides it being the possibility of a bloated mess with too much going on, it was handled perfectly and done really REALLY well. Wen Wu’s fixation on believing that his wife was still alive, and trying to save her from the clutches of the mountain in Ta Lao, was a nice way to humanize the thousand-year-old tyrant. Especially with him redeeming himself by sacrificing his life to save his son’s. It was even a heartbreaking moment, and one that will have a long-lasting impact on the newfound Marvel superhero.
Image Via: Marvel Studios
The mid credits scene was one of the most interesting parts of the film; Wong opening a portal to bring Shang-Chi and Katy to the Sanctum Sanctorum, to discuss the Ten Rings with Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner, yes Bruce and not him as the “smart” Hulk, setup something major. Wong said that when Shang-Chi used the Rings, it sent out a beacon, and while it remains to be seen as to who or what that could be, yours truly has a few theories. First being, it’s definitely not from earth. Probably inter-dimensional, or maybe even even from outer space. It’s possible that it could have direct ties to Wakanda with where with Vibranium came from in space, or it’s entirely possible that the Rings could’ve come from an entirely new dimension itself.
Image Via: Marvel Studios
With the multiverse now being a major factor in the MCU moving forward, whose to say that other dimensions won’t be making their way to the party soon? This leads me to one in particular; the Negative Zone. This happens to be the home of one of Marvel’s most sadistic villains: Annihilus, also nicknamed “the Living Death That Walks.” Annihilus is an inter-dimensional insectoid conqueror and tyrant who hails from the Negative Zone, which is a pocket dimension located on Earth, birthed from the planet Arthros. He attempted to take over the entire realm wielding the Cosmic Control Rod, which powers are similar to that of the Ten Rings in the movie.
It remains to be seen how and when Shang-Chi will appear again, and just who the Ten Rings were calling out to, but one thing’s for sure…. Shang-Chi: And The Legend Of The Ten Rings is a great movie, and you need to see it if you haven’t yet! You can see now, only in theaters.