SPOILERS for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
We all have a past. We all have moments in that past that define who we are. And we all have people who have shaped those aspects of ourselves. Sometimes those people aren’t the best, but no matter what they’ve shaped us, they’ve caused us to become who we now are, and by denying those people, whether good or bad, we do our whole self a disservice. We are all parts of ourselves: good, bad, and all parts in between.
The central conflict within Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is one of our title character (Simu Liu) embracing his family history. His father, Wenwu, (Tony Leung) is a thousand-year-old conqueror with a lack of compassion and remorse for almost anyone, his mother, Ying Li, (Fala Chen) comes from a hidden village but cast her world aside because of her connection with Wenwu. Shang-Chi rejects both sides of his family, hiding from the horrors he learned from his father, and memorializing an idealistic version of his mother.
And as the movie comes to a close Shang-Chi struggles to come together in both of these parts of his past. His different ways of dealing with the impact both his parents left on him gives him a weakness that keeps him from unlocking his truest potential. It is only when he learns to combine the harsh authoritarian discipline from his father and the natural and tender loving embrace of the world from his mother, that he is able to become the truest version of himself.
In achieving the best version of himself, Shang-Chi is able to not only find victory in the final conflict of this movie, but also find closure in both of his parental relationships, the mother he lost, and the father who lost him. By the final moments in the movie he’s come to accept that he is a product of his past, and he has to stop running from that but learn to channel it for the better.
So, this lesson is something I think many of us, especially those with traumatic pasts, struggle with. We are so horrified by the actions that have been imposed upon us, often justifiably so, that we reject all aspects of that past and avoid it in everything we do. But if we stuff it away, hide the pain, and don’t work through it and embrace the way it has shaped us, then it will continue to lord itself over us and prevent us from actually healing and moving past our past.
I’m not saying that trauma should be accepted, and actions of often misguided and even vile figures of the past should be forgiven immediately without accountability. What I am saying is that by trying to run from that trauma rather than facing it down, working through it, and finding a sense of peace with the past and how it has helped us to become the people we are today. We are all parts of ourselves, the parts that nurtured us, and the parts that scarred us. If we can learn to live with all these parts, we will become stronger versions of ourselves and better equipped to live in the world going forward.
Just a quick refresher of my MCU ranking criteria.
Cast and Performances
Story and Plot
Best Fight/Action Scene
Rewatchability
Cleverest Easter Egg
Each film will be judged solely by me and then placed against all the other films. And rated on a scale of 10 with a total possible score of 50.
So, here is the quick breakdown of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings:
Cast and Performances: What a talented cast. The instant star power that Simu Liu brings to the titular Shang-Chi is evident from the very first moments. Awkwafina is charming as always and the chemistry between the two is dynamite. Tony Leung’s portrayal of Wenwu is nuanced and incredibly deep, giving us a villainous character we can understand. And supporting cast members Michelle Yeoh and Meng’er Zhang provide strong powerful female characters who are absolute delights. With a returning Ben Kingsley providing well added comic relief throughout much of the second half. (9/10)
Story and Plot: The story moves quickly, but is told in a very compelling way, with several flashback moments throughout to give us interesting looks at events that affected these characters from multiple perspectives. The ending feels a little clunky, but overall it is a story that feels very different than anything else the Marvel Cinematic Universe has presented so far and tells a strong story. (7/10)
Best Fight/Action Scene: There is so much good action in this movie, but the fight on the bus has to be the highlight. This is the first time we really get to see Shang-Chi in action, the introduction of constant antagonistic presence Razor Fist (Florian Munteanu) is menacing, and the additions of comedy, and clever cinematography keep the scene flowing from start to finish. (10/10)
Rewatchability: There is so much beautiful worldbuilding present in this movie, and it alone is worth the rewatch. That combined with the scenes of powerful action, tense character drama, and clever humor make this movie one which will certainly warrant another watch or two. (7/10)
Best Easter Egg: I almost gave this to Wong (Benedict Wong) fighting Abomination (Tim Roth), but Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery showing back up, acknowledging the missteps within his portrayal of the Mandarin and working to earn a more thorough arch and redeem both himself and the true nature of the Mandarin is a pretty well designed easter egg. (9/10)
Total Score: 42/50
Current Ranking:
The Avengers
Avengers: Endgame
Black Panther
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Black Widow
Spider-man: Homecoming
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Avengers: Infinity War
Guardians of the Galaxy
Captain America: The First Avenger
Iron Man
Captain Marvel
Thor: Ragnarok
Spider-man: Far From Home
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Captain America: Civil War
Ant-Man
Thor
Iron Man 3
The Incredible Hulk
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Doctor Strange
Thor: The Dark World
Iron Man 2
We’ve now had 25 MCU movies and there are still many more to come. As a perpetual Marvel fan I couldn’t be more excited and I hope you are enjoying learning about all of these movies with me as we watch, explore, and learn from the stories that these superheroes are telling. I have no doubt there will be many more exciting chances to learn in the future.
But until then, thanks for taking the time to get Ploominated!
Ploominate 