SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS (2021) Review
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
I’m one of those who are hesitant to go to the cinemas to watch a movie. Mostly because of safety issues but also because we have a lot of content we can consume at our homes. But Marvel, for me, is always an exception. You know these films are intended to be seen on the biggest and crystal clear screen, the most advanced surround system possible. And I’m kind of in a funk, losing focus on the movies and series I watch. And thank God I did watch Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings at the cinema.
This is the type of film that makes you want to go to the cinemas. Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, while still has the Disney or Marvel formula, is an exciting origin story. Director Daniel Destin Cretton knows how to mount a story that even though at some point it gets predictable, they’re still effective and thrilling for the audience.
This is a different Marvel movie in terms of scope. While Doctor Strange and even Wanda introduced us to magic, this feels like the traditional magic we were taught when we were young.
Simu Liu is amazing. He may be ordinary looking for an Asian but he carries Shang-Chi with him through and through. Maybe it’s also because of his co-stars Awkwarfina and Meng’er Zhang who both were interesting to watch from start until the end. But the most notable character in the movie is probably Tony Leung as the villain, who owns the Ten Rings. It is true when they say that a protagonist can be good if it has a worthy villain or antagonist. And Tony Leung is just sensational. His character is well-written that all his character’s choices to make him the bad guy are valid and at the same time still gain sympathy from the audience.
If only watching in the cinemas is as convenient as before, I probably would have watched Shang-Chi over and over again. It’s the kind of entertainment I miss seeing on the big screen. Taking my mind off of things for more than two hours, serving me action sequences that excite me, a story that’s familiar but still told effectively.
It’s the kind of film that makes you look forward for more. For what the story of the character can offer in the future. Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings is everything a Marvel fan can ask for, maybe even more. It’s a joyous time at the cinema from the moment you sit until the end credits.
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings opens in PH cinemas November 24 from Marvel Studios. Rated PG by the MTRCB.