Film Review: "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" (2021).

"A Marvel legend will rise" in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. This superhero film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, written by Cretton and Dave Callaham, based on the Marvel Comic character of the same name created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin, and produced by Marvel Studios. It is the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Shang-Chi must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization.

According to Margaret Loesch, former president and CEO of Marvel Productions, Stan Lee discussed a potential film or television series based on the Marvel Comics character with actor Brandon Lee during the 1980s. In 2001, Stephen Norrington was hired to direct a Shang-Chi film entitled The Hands of Shang-Chi. By 2003, the film was in development at DreamWorks Pictures with Yuen Woo-Ping replacing Norrington as director and Bruce C. McKenna hired to pen the script. By 2004, the film did not materialize and the rights to the character reverted to Marvel. In September 2005, Marvel chairman and CEO Avi Arad announced Shang-Chi as one of ten properties being developed as films by the newly formed studio Marvel Studios. The Ten Rings were featured in the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film, Iron Man (2008), without the Mandarin. The Mandarin would eventually appear in Iron Man 3 (2013) portrayed by Ben Kingsley. However, Feige felt this Mandarin did not necessarily mean that a more faithful version of the character did not exist in the MCU. By December 2018, Marvel had fast-tracked development of a Shang-Chi film with the intent of making it their first film with an Asian lead. Marvel hired Callaham to pen the script. In March 2019, Marvel Studios hired Cretton to direct the film. In mid July, Simu Liu was officially cast in the title role and the film's full title, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, was announced at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con. By February 2020, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Tim Roth, Ben Kingsley and Ronny Chieng rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late October. Filming was temporarily put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In late July, filming resumed. Filming took place in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The film was originally scheduled for a February 12, 2021 release date before it was shifted to May 7, then to July 9 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2021, the film was then shifted once again to the September 2021.

The cast's, especially Liu's, performances are not only capable of fighting but is also a vessel for the film's study of the importance of legacy and identity in Asian culture.

A tentpole franchise film that broke the mold of what came before, reveling in a diversity and culture that had barely been touched on in past superhero films and that had certainly not been embraced as widely and emphatically before. However, it is just about the same as every other Marvel title.

Simon says Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings receives:

Also, see my reviews for Just Mercy and Black Widow.