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Marvel’s ‘Shang-Chi’ breaks new ground Marvels Shang-Chi' breaks new ground

MUCH has been made of Simu a valet parking attendant along hidden realm of Ta-Lo. lt*s not Liu's starring role in Shang-Chi with his girlfriend Katy (the on any map (kind of like Black and the Legend of the Ten Rings/ e ver-effervesce nt ). Panther's' Wakanda}. Marvel's first film centering But Shang-Chi soon has reason Wenwu believes that his wife on an Asian superhero - and to reconnect with his Chinese may still be alive, imprisoned in rightly so. roots. a cave in Ta-Lo, from which he As 'Black Panther' and Thugs set upon him and Katy, intends to free her. Chadwick Boseman did for the unleashing abilities Katy didn't Uh-oh. That's bad news for Ta- Black superhero. Liu is breaking know her boyfriend had, as Lo. There is something in that ground, cinematically and in the Shang-Chi engages in some of eave, and it ain't Mom. broader culture. the coolest hand-to-hand-combat Director The Canadian actor (best you'll see this summer. makes a smooth transition from known for the sitcom 'Kim's 'Hand-to-hand' may be a such intimate fare as 'Short Term Convenience') tweeted as much, misnomer, considering that if and ' to the high- on Aug 14: "We are the underdog one of Shang-Chi's assailants energy summer blockbuster. the underestimated. We are is Marvel's Razor Fist (Florian One way in which "Shang-Chi" the ceiling-breakers. We are Munteanu), who has a machete breaks no new ground is in the celebration of culture and where his forearm should be. its observance of the by-now- joy that will persevere after an The goons, it turns out, were formulaic bombast of the CGI- embattled year." sent by Shang-Chi's father heavy third act that Marvel Those are heavy mantles to Wenwu (Tony Leung) back in viewers have come to expect bear, for a film or a performer. A China, a power-mad, centuries- (and perhaps even crave). Andthe expectation that the title old villain and the possessor of That can get a bit exhausting of groundbreaker engenders can the titular rings, which have even in a film as pretty as 'Shang- weigh down a movie, sometimes endowed him with immortality, Chi.' And we could do without fatally. Fortunately for 'Shang- his own mad fighting skills and the character of Morris, a critter Chi,' the movie does something a terrorist army. Alert Marvel based on the mythical DiJiang — else equally important. fans may remember the Ten described by Kary as a chicken­ It remembers to have fun. It's Rings organization referenced in pig —that, despite the absence a kick to watch —often literally earlier movies, going as far back of a head, understands English —and the kind of popcorn movie In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. — Jasin Boland/ as the Iron Man trilogy. and is capable of giving driving summer is made for. A surprise appearance by directions, in squawks and That's something that Marvel 'Enter the Dragon' and the year characterized less by Lee's old- such eye-popping special effects a character from 'Iron Man 3' bleats. Its this film's answer to movies haven't always managed before the one-hit wonder -Kung school punches and kicks than as a moving bambooforest maze provides much of the film's comic the Ewok, and just as annoying. to do to the same degree, Fu Fighting' hit the pop-music by the enhanced, physics-defying and acrobatic fight scenes - the relief, as well as situating 'Shang- "Shang-Chi and the Legend of especially not in recent years, as charts. Wuxia techniques that can only first of which is staged on a Chi firmly in the Marvel canon, the Ten Rings" is both an origin the final phase of what's known It was the dawn of the be performed with wires and speeding bus, careening pell-mell and not as a stand-alone Rim. story and the story of a man as the Infinity Saga' — the epic chopsocky craze, and Shang-Chi,, trampolines. It's not the first film over the hills of San Francisco Wenwu doesn't want Shang- confronting his roots and his story cycle that swelled to 23 the movie, takes its DNA, very in the new phase of the Marvel with no brakes. Chi dead, but is calling him home, destiny. films — wound down with the loosely, from that era. Cinematic Universe; that would Thafs where, after a brief along with our hero's sister It is a story that will continue, dark one-two punch of 'Avengers: Make no mistake: "Shang- be the recent 'Black Widow/ a scene-setting prologue set in {Meng'er Zhang) and Katy, so as you'll learn if you stay for Infinity Waf and 'Avengers: Chi" looks and sounds like no movie that, narratively speaking, China, we first meet the adult that the family, all of whom are both of the two post-credit Endgame： other Marvel movie, and not just feels more of a piece with the version of our charismatic estranged from each other — for stingers. It may even turn out 'S«負ng-Chi' is, after all, a comic because of its mostly Chinese now-closed 'Infinity Saga.' But protagonist. reasons that will only gradually to be connected to Marvel's The book movie, based on a character setting and cast, the martial-arts Shang-Chi' isr in many other Liu's Shang-Chi — or Sean, be explained, but have a lot to do Eternals,' as some fans have known as the Master of Kung action and the large amount ways, a first. as he calls himself, using the with Dad's murderous impulses speculated that the heroes of Fur' and first introduced in 1973： of Chinese dialogue. It is. at This is a great-looking film, Americanized version of his 一can return to the village that movie (due out on Nov 5) the year of Bruce Lee's death, heart, a kung fu movie, albeit filled with a climactic showdown name - is a fully assimilated where Wenwu met Shang-Chi's could be the source of the Ten the posthumous release of a 21st-century version of one. between dragons—yes. plural — Chinese immigrant, working as late mother. That's the mystical. Rings.—The Washington Post