Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

With its 25th instalment, the Marvel Cinematic Universe turns to China with a congested epic top-heavy with CGI, combat and bombast.

Rings of fire: Simu Liu

After twenty-four blockbusters, Marvel Studios finally turns its attention to the East. After all, Marvel’s Shang-Chi first appeared, on paper, back in 1973. Not that the cinema hasn’t produced numerous epics featuring kung fu, magic and dragons, just never this mainstream – with a nod to the almighty Chinese market. However, at the time of going to press, the film still hasn’t secured a Chinese release due, some suspect, to the fact that Shang-Chi was originally conceived as the son of Fu Manchu, an awful Eastern stereotype. But that was a long time ago and in the interim Shang-Chi has been reinvented as a far worthier role model.

Here, Shang-Chi is the son of Xu Wenwu (an imposing Tony Leung), while the titular ten rings, five bracelets worn on each of Wenwu’s forearms, gives Wenwu the gift of eternal life and untold powers. He has now ruled the world for a thousand years, but still he wants more. More than anything, though, he wants to be reunited with his late wife Ying Li (Fala Chen), whom, he believes, is sequestered somewhere in a portal within a portal. There is an inordinate amount of backstory to be sifted through, even before we get to our real hero, Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), who works as a parking valet at an upscale San Francisco hotel. He calls himself Shaun and hangs out with his best mate Katy (Awkwafina), who invariably leads him astray. That is, until she sees a new side to him when they are ambushed on a bus by a gang led by a one-armed Romanian giant with a magic machete. Then things get really complicated.

Awkwafina is a real plus, adding constant humour to the proceedings, although there’s a lot of good stuff to be found in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. No doubt fans of wushu (or kung fu) will enjoy the wall-to-wall combat, but it’s hard to engage in characters who can rout their opponents with a dash of martial sorcery. It’s bit of a cheat, and will confound John Wick, but then that is what the Marvel films are all about. Here, there be dragons, too, and all sorts of fanciful creatures, including a furry footstool with wings who has befriended a court jester with an appalling Liverpudlian accent (Ben Kingsley). There is obviously somebody high up at Marvel who is a huge fan of Sexy Beast, in which Kingsley and Ray Winstone (Black Widow) gave considerably better performances. Still, Simu Liu is a suitably engaging presence, although he’s given little thespian opportunity, while Michelle Yeoh, as his aunt, provides her characteristic gravitas. The rest is a cornucopia of CGI, bone-shattering stunts and booming sound effects, which may entertain some but will be tiring for those in search of something a little more grounded. And be warned: the later scenes seem exceptionally scary for children, whether they believe in demons or not.

JAMES CAMERON-WILSON

Cast: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Meng'er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Yuen Wah, Fernando Chien, Zach Cherry, Dallas Liu, Michelle Yeoh, Ben Kingsley, Tony Leung, Jayden Zhang, Elodie Fong, Arnold Sun, Tsai Chin, Jodi Long, Mark Ruffalo, Brie Larson.

Dir Destin Daniel Cretton, Pro Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz, Screenplay Dave Callaham, Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham, Ph William Pope, Pro Des Sue Chan, Ed Nat Sanders, Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir and Harry Yoon, Music Joel P. West, Costumes Kym Barrett, Sound Jeremy Bowker.

Marvel Studios-Walt Disney Studios.
132 mins. USA/Australia. 2021. Rel: 3 September 2021. Cert. 12A.