Film Review

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Shang-Chi, the master of Kung Fu, is forced to confront his past after being drawn into the Ten Rings organisation.

Shang-Chi began life in 1973 as Marvel’s own ‘Master of Kung Fu’, aiming to capitalise on the popularity of Bruce Lee and martial arts movies at the time. The character was problematic by today’s standards, particularly as Marvel acquired the rights to racist caricature Fu Manchu and decided to make Shang-Chi his son, and then the kung fu craze was over and his solo adventures ended in 1983. Shang-Chi’s appeared in print sporadically since then, but now Marvel Studios have revived the character for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which hopes to do for Asian representation what Black Panther (2018) did for the black community.

A flashback sets up the backstory that warlord Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) came to dominate the Ancient World thanks to his possession of the titular ‘Ten Rings’; forearm-sized bracelets that grant the wearer immortality and incredible power in combat. Centuries later, Wenwu has become the leader of a criminal…