Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’.
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The hero’s journey is one that we all know by heart. Simply because in popular media, it follows a super specific formula. One where a person that is either down on their luck or eager to be more, opts to take control of their wild situation or endeavors to be a beacon of hope so that they can change the world for the better and be needed in a manner that few of us will ever understand, and that formula holds true often in storytelling, because audiences outright love it. For there is a part of us that connects to that desire to become more and be a champion for others and it really is quite inspiring to see that kind of journey play out on the page or on the silver or small screen.

But while that does indeed, please us to no end, there is a fundamental flaw with that formula. In that, it is a bit generalized and really doesn’t cover a proper hero’s journey. Because not all heroes are simply inspired to be more in this world. In fact, some are lost souls that come to realize that heroism can be achieved through redemption and sacrifice and in some cases… atonement, and those are honestly the heroes that need to be spotlighted more often. For their journey speaks to the fact that we can overcome our past and our darker instincts and be better people and be a true hero and well, it just so happens that Marvel is looking to change things up in the superhero genre by offering up a story that features an intimate and flawed hero's journey in, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a man named Shaun who is quite frankly, living a pretty chill life. For he has a solid gig parking cars with his best friend Katy and when they’re not taking a slick car out for a quick test drive, they’re simply enjoying life to the best of their abilities. But a chance encounter with a group of strange individuals on a bus… reveals that Shaun is not who he seems. For he is the son of the mysterious Xu Wenwu. A man that has lived ten lifetimes and is the leader of the secret organization known as the Ten Rings and he has sent his team to bring Shaun, whose real name is Xu Shang-Chi, and his sister Xu Xialing, home. All for reasons that unsettle the siblings to the point… where they both realize they must stand against their father and his uncomfortable plans to save their family and the world from a horrific fate and in order to do that, Shang-Chi must face the sorted past that he's been running from for ages to become the hero the world needs right now.

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Which is quite frankly, a brilliant plot line that genuinely offers up an honest and raw origin story for a hero. Because Shang-Chi is an everyday man like the rest of us and he’s made great mistakes in the name of sorrow and anger and that makes him perhaps the most human and relatable MCU Superhero that Marvel has offered up to date and going this route, makes his journey infinitely more inspiring. For it truly does make it clear that the past is the past and that we must embrace it and own it before we can move on from it. Which gives this movie unprecedented depth for a superhero film since this is the kind of stuff we simply don’t see superheroes deal with on the silver screen and Marvel deserves a round of applause for applying the depth it introduced in its MCU/Disney+ offerings to the silver screen as last. 
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But what’s amazing, is that the story has more to offer than a flawed and inspiring hero’s journey. For this is also a movie that tackles the power of loss and grief and how holding onto the power of those two elements can transform us into someone that is unrecognizable to our loved ones and it also speaks to the power of family and how hard it can be to move on from difficult moments with our parents and that really does make for some impressive storytelling, the kind that works well within the framework of a downright impressive action film. One that pays homage to the great martial artists of yore since there are elements of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee and Sonny Chiba present within the breathtaking fight scenes and of course, the action in the finale of this film is nothing short of stunning, for reasons that we won’t spoil here. 

However, while all of those elements make for one powerful and sweeping tale, one that puts tears in your eyes with its beauty and humanity, we would be remiss to not point out its historical significance as well. For this is a superhero film that features an Asian superhero and a predominantly Asian cast and that’s worth celebrating. Because diversity and representation are extremely important, especially in films that touch as many lives as Marvel movies do. So, to see the MCU offer up such a diverse cast is a monumental moment in cinematic history and really, in the end, that milestone and everything we’ve discussed today… make this motion picture an absolute must-see. Simply because it is cinema at its finest, since it is filled with powerful journeys and visuals that drop your jaw. So, if you have a little time this weekend… swing by your local multiplex and immerse yourself in a story that will move you and inspire you in ways you never knew were possible.

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