Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

Release Date: Sep. 3, 2021

MPAA rating: PG-13

Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Fala Chen, Michelle Yeoh, Florian Munteaum, Ben Kingsley

Our Rating: A

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is the latest Marvel movie to hit the theaters. The movie follows the titular character Shang-Chi, also known as Shaun, as he confronts his past and is forced into a world of international terrorists, mysterious rings and magical creatures.
This film provides a great viewing experience, introducing a wide array of new characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

One of the outstanding and shining aspects of the movie was the fight choreography. The fight scenes in Shang-chi differentiate it from the rest of Marvel’s movies as the director credits receiving inspiration from Jackie Chan and the genre of Chinese fiction, Wuxia, which concerns the adventures of martial artists. The time and effort in constructing these fight scenes can clearly be seen through the final products which are visually stunning and some of the best moments in the movie and among the franchise. The fight scenes in the movie are so well done that you may find yourself rewatching them.

“My favorite aspect of the film was the fighting and the visuals that set it apart from previous Marvel films,” senior Chase Weiner said.

The movie’s use of computer-generated imagery is also some of the best among all of Marvel’s movies. Although incomparable to blockbuster Marvel movies such as “Avengers: Endgame” or “Avengers: Infinity War,” which consisted of scenes that extensively relied on CGI, the movie perfectly incorporates it into its scenes. CGI can make or break a movie if it is used too much, or is not fluidly incorporated into the movie. However, Shang-Chi makes none of these mistakes. Throughout the film, it is utilized to its fullest potential such as with the titular ten rings are extremely entertaining to watch in its featured scenes and the moving bamboo forest that is truly brought to life.

“I really loved how it represented Chinese culture and how it was able to merge American and Chinese culture within the movie,” senior Alana Gonzalez said.

Shang-Chi is undoubtedly influenced by Chinese Culture which is seen consistently throughout the movie. From being partially set in Macau, to the scenes spoken in Mandarin and translated through English subtitles, the movie is distinct from other Marvel movies in its representation of Chinese culture. The movie makes it enjoyable to explore a foregin culture as it pairs authenticity with the absurd, yet defines a clear line between the two. The best example of this would be the setting of Kun Lun, an important symbol in Chinese Mythology that makes its way into Shang-Chi as a pivotal element of the plot. The seamless integration of Chinese culture completes the film as it effectively adapts the story of the first Asian superhero to not only hit the big screen, but the comics as well.

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is hands down one of the best movies of the year and arguably one of Marvel’s best movies to date. The movie is a must watch as the successful introduction of Simu Liu’s character leaves the audience excited to see more of Shang-Chi’s interactions with the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.