Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings follows Simu Liu’s Shaun as he makes a series of discoveries related to his long-absent father and is subsequently forced to spring into action alongside his best friend (Awkwafina’s Katy). Filmmaker Cretton, working from a script written with Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham, delivers a padded-out yet mostly entertaining comic-book adaptation that benefits from its appealing emphasis on Asian elements and raft of top-notch performances – with, in terms of the latter, Liu’s engaging, charismatic turn as the affable protagonist matched by a strong supporting cast that features, among others, Tony Leung, Ben Kingsley, and Michelle Yeoh. There’s little doubt, however, that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ overall impact and effectiveness is hampered by a proliferation of less-than-stellar attributes, including Cretton’s continuing use of needlessly (and distractingly) jittery camerawork during high-octane moments, and it’s clear, too, that the larger-than-life climax, which is predictably bursting with noisy action and overwhelming special effects, ensures that the picture concludes on just about as underwhelming a note as one could’ve possibly envisioned. Still, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings generally fares better than most similarly-themed fare and, in addition, heralds the arrival of a distinctly promising new movie star.

**1/2 out of ****