REVIEW - Marvel’s debut Asian superhero film adds a flavour of individuality to their lineup
- Karen Grace Prince
- Nov 4, 2021
- 3 min read
It’s time to come out of hibernation, dear cinephiles, as Malaysian cinema doors have finally opened!
And just in time for the release of yet another film in Marvel’s Phase 4 roster, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film stars Simu Liu as the titular character of Shang-Chi, Awkwafina as Katy, Meng’er Zhang as Xialing, Fala Chen as Ying Li, and of course, not forgetting the man, the myth and the legend, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Xu Wenwu.
The film follows the titular protagonist, Shang-Chi, who navigates his life in suburban San Francisco as a parking valet alongside his best friend Katy.
But Shang-Chi harbours a dark secret.
His father is the immortal leader of the thousand-year-old terrorist organisation, Ten Rings, and his mother is a master martial artist from an alternate dimension.
Tragedy strikes the lives of a once-happy-family when his mother dies, leading his father down the path of vengeance and training his son to become a killer.
After running away to America, shadows of Shang-Chi’s past threaten to reappear when his father’s henchmen come calling, and now he must decide whether his loyalties lie towards his family or his morals.
Accompanied by two friends, three tubs of popcorn, and nearly ten months worth of pent-up anticipation, I simply had to catch my first viewing of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on the silver screen.
A Homage to our Cultural Roots
The film walked a perfect tightrope balance between heart and humour, with enough family drama and suspense while still having generous doses of comedic relief.
Although Hollywood has a questionable history of churning out films with racist Asian stereotypes, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings doesn’t play into orientalist tropes, but instead, subverts them in an almost satirical approach.
The film also opens with a prologue entirely narrated in Mandarin with provided subtitles, a feat never achieved in a Marvel film let alone a big studio production.
According to Variety, Cretton wanted to break stereotypes by trying to humanise all the characters as much as possible and make viewers see themselves in them.
The Good, the Bad and and the Ugly
Shang-Chi’s coming-of-age story is kindred to some of our own, having to choose between the path his father created versus the path he wants to carve.
However, the film relies heavily on exposition and backstory to carry the plot forward.
Chronicling his father’s emotionally turbulent journey, Shang-Chi is left with a rather watered-down superhero story with minimal substance and a lukewarm adaptation of the source material.
Nonetheless, Malaysian household name, Michelle Yeoh, and Hong Kong’s acting veteran, Tony Leung, were standouts of the film.
The third act, however, followed an anticlimactic path with the emergence of new villains and overly-saturated CGI scenes.
My companions also reflected similar views.
Ewan Ng, a 21-year-old non-Marvel fan, applauded the beautiful soundtrack and fight sequences, but disliked the constant switch between timelines.
He added, “The surprise final boss at the end felt a lot like Game of Thrones and seemed unnecessary to the story”.
Yazmien Samsudin, a 21-year-old self-proclaimed Marvel fan, claimed the story was satisfactory but could have had better CGI animation.
VERDICT
Want my advice? Don’t go expecting a Marvel superhero story.
Go in expecting a love letter to the immigrant experience, filled with just enough lore and drama to satiate your cravings.
Shang-Chi is more than just a Marvel superhero.
He represents a future of authentic storytelling in Hollywood, one that can continue with the support of the masses.
Show some love for our Asian brethren and catch Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in theatres, now showing today!
Watch the trailer here:
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