SHANG CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS

US, 2021, 132 minutes, Colour.

Simu Liu, Tony Chiu-Wai Leung, Awkwafina, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Yeoh, Meng'er Zhang, Florian Munteanu, Jayden ZhangJane, Elodie Fong.

Directed by Destin Daniel Crettin.

Here is a different world of the Marvel Universe, a kind of world we have not seen before (although, come to think of it, with the appearance of Benedict Wong, there are some links with Dr Strange). But, this is a magic world, a world of myths, of warriors, of dragons, of combat… But, to our surprise, it is also the world of 21^st-century San Francisco!

Those familiar with the Marvel comics will have no difficulty in entering into this world, of being introduced to the thousand year plus reign of Xu Wenwu, the unscrupulous power-hungry, no holds barred, Xu Wenwu (featuring Chinese actor of the Infernal Affairs series and Wong Kar Wai dramas, Tony Chiu Wai Leung). He is a commanding presence, leading his troops in a series of adventures throughout the centuries, but ultimately falling in love with a young woman who has powers and physical prowess equal to his. They marry and have two children, training them both in the martial arts, but the mother being taken prisoner and Xu Wenwu, grieving, but making too harsh demands on his children who escape his domination.

Which means that we do end up in San Francisco where the son, Shang-Chi (going by the name of Shaun) has found a career as a car valet at a hotel, working with the rather feisty Katie (Awkwafina doing her cheeky and feisty performance once again, moving comparatively easy from speed driving a runaway bus through the San Francisco streets (cars have done it so often) to becoming a warrior along with Shang-Chi to confront his father). There are also some sequences in the casino bright-lit areas of Macau and a fight club.

Canadian actor, Simy Liu, seems rather unprepossessing in his San Francisco life and appearance, but, as Shang Chi, in the fight club, as well as other occasions has enormous, and frequent, opportunities to show his martial arts skills, against all kinds of comers – especially a giant Romanian bodyguard who has only one hand!

But, most of the action takes place in the build up to the confrontation with Xu Wenwu, Shang Chi finding his sister again, experiencing her resentment in his escape and promise to return which he had not. And this kind of adventure could not be without Michelle Yeoh.

The rest of the action is as expected, Shang Chi, his sister and Katie tracing their way through a mysterious forest, discovering the land where his mother came from, bonding with the inhabitants, training, ready for the final confrontation – which will, in fact, also have confrontations between two giant dragons.

For audiences not familiar with this kind of martial arts storytelling and mythologies, suddenly there is a character who will delight them – a British actor who had been conned into thinking he was playing a terrorist when, in fact, he was being used by Xu Wenwu, had served his time in prison but had been interned, finding compassion in the faceless roly-poly creature with whom he could communicate! But the delight is that he is played by Ben Kingsley, enjoying the role immensely, partly hamming it up, partly shrewd comedy, especially in his communications with his strange friend.

The final credits are very long, as always for the Marvel Universe, and there is some aftermath activity during the credits – but, for those who are patient, there is, as usual, a post-credits sequence which indicates that this is not the last we shall see of Shang Chi.

1. A different film from the Marvel Universe? The influence of Asia? Martial arts? Asian legends?
2. The exotic locations, the distant kingdom, millennia past? The contrast with contemporary San Francisco, the familiar city? Hotels, valets, martial arts? The transition to Macau, the casinos? The return to the kingdom, the forest, the locations for the battles? The musical score?
3. The legend of Xu Wenwu? The warrior, his destiny, ruthless? Finding the love of his life, the marriage? The capture? His reactions? Wanting her still alive? The two children? His treatment of them? The catalogue of conquest throughout the centuries? Writing of the 20^th century? His children leaving him? His wanting vengeance?
4. Shaun, the valet, the friendship with Katie? As concealing his true identity, Shang Chi, son? Wanting his different life? The arrival of his father’s emissary his, going into martial arts battles, the Romanian with one hand? Katy, her puzzle, adapting, her wits, free spirit, and driving the bus through San Francisco?
5. The transition to Macau, the meetings, the confrontation, the fights?
6. The sudden appearance of Trevor Slattery, incongruous in the context, his past story, actor, led astray, money, prison, as being trapped, his support with the roly-poly creature? His contribution to the quest for Shaun and Katie?
7. Shang Chi meeting his sister, in Macau, the fights, her attitude towards him, unforgiving, his leaving and abandoning her? Their beginning to understand each other? Joining in the quest?
8. The journey to confront their father, in the dark forest, Trevor and his help? A mysterious world? Warriors? Magic realism? Dragons?
9. The Marvel Universe of warriors, fights, special powers? Highly dramatised in action and fight sequences?
10. The father, the final confrontation, the story of his wife, hoping she was alive, to rescue her? Her being dead? His death?
11. Shang Chi and his achievement? With his sister, with Katie? And the promise of sequels?