Shang-Chi Is The Winner!
For my money, Marvel’s Shang-Chi is the best comic book movie that I have seen so far this year.
Don’t get me wrong, one can make a strong case for DC’s The Suicide Squad, Marvel’s Black Widow or Zack Snyder’s sprawling Justice League—which I really enjoyed.
But when the smoke clears, I am going with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. It is very funny and gives viewers the perfect dose of Awkwafina—whose humor is a bit over-the-top at times. The titular character, played by Simu Liu, does an excellent job, especially with his emotional acting. But Shang-Chi’s father, Mandarin—played by Tony Leung Chiu-wai, steals the show. He is simply magnificent.
The film also includes some great Easter Eggs and fan service—namely the appearances by Wong from Doctor Strange, Trevor Slattery from Iron Man 3 and the Abomination from The Incredible Hulk.
There’s a little something—humor (Awkwafina), fan service (Benedict Wong) , emotional acting (Liu and Leung) and a choc-full-of Easter eggs (Abomination), for everyone—that’s why Shang-Chi kicks ass!
It is my winner for now. Venom 2, The Eternals and Spider-Man: No Way Home close out 2021, so I’ll most definitely revisit this list in a couple of months.
