Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

 

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

It was pretty good, better than I expected. This is not a Kung Fu movie per se, although there is a lot of Kung Fu fighting. The fighting is in slowmo Kung Fu like Crouching Dragon, Hidden Tiger and not like Bruce Lee’s bone crushing blows. The story was not entirely set in a mystical Chinese landscape,  San Francisco streets were prevalent. With Marvel movies there is humorous banter provided by Awafina with her delightful Queens accent. The plot is pretty straight forward with a son/father conflict with a bit of Oedipus Rex sprinkled in. The evil guys are mythical Chinese creatures like the ones in the Chinese New Year’s street parade.

The protagonist , Shang-Chi, is played by Simu Lu a Canadian actor. He is affable akin to Jackie Chan. He does a fine job and I am sure we will see him the sequel (another Marvel tradition). Awafina has a supporting role as Shang-Chi’s friend, but not girlfriend. This uncomplication makes the film lighter and you can concentrate on the fighting. The perennial Michelle Yeoh plays Sheng-Chi’s aunt. She was a leading character in Crouching Dragon, Hidden Tiger and her presence gives the film credibility. Ben Kingsley reprises his role as Trevor Slattery as the Mandarin from Iron Man 3, another Marvel linkage. He gives a humorous performance. Special effects are a major part of the film.