This movie is the reason I got Marvel fatigue. It’s not the quality but more so the formula. For years, the studio pumped out cookie cutter films. How many times can heroes fight carbon copies of themselves? Tired of color-coded CG fights where the villain is killed off. Shang Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings is no different. There is no consistent tone. The first half of the movie is a comedy, the second half is an action flick.
Shaun (Simu Liu) is a likeable character, but I couldn’t take him seriously. Very difficult to distinguish him from the role he played on Kim’s Convenience. Would have been better if they presented him as a killer who decided to live a peaceful life. The filmmakers did the opposite because a lot of Shaun’s evolution took place off screen. So, when we meet him, he’s already the rehabilitated trained assassin. Visually pays homage to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Tiger.
The fantasy element is the most compelling part of the film. From the set design to the extremely detailed costumes. It felt like a live-action adaptation of a Shonen anime. Haven’t seen fight choreography this good since The Raid: Redemption. Definitely one of the weaker showings in the MCU. Suffers from the trope of an extinction level event seen in every property. Shang Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings earned a 6 out 10.
