Film

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Name: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Released: 2021
Cast: Simu Liu, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Awkwafina, Ben Kingsley, Zhang Meng'er

Action

A martial arts action film with genuine heart, blending stunning fight choreography with family drama. Shang-Chi navigates his identity while confronting his father's criminal empire. It's Marvel made vivid and personal, grounded in character even as the spectacle swells. For anyone who wants their superhero films to move, not just explode.

TMDb rating

3.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love wuxia-flavoured martial arts set-pieces that carry real emotional weight, and you don't mind a superhero story that spends its early stretch on family history.

Skip it if you're worn out by CGI finales, since the last stretch is a loud digital brawl and at 132 minutes it runs long.

What it asks of you: It takes its time over a 132-minute runtime, with talky setup before the fights arrive in earnest, so settle in rather than expecting constant motion.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Crazy Rich Asians2018

Exuberant, romantic, and gorgeously shot, with tremendous ensemble chemistry and a protagonist who feels genuinely rooted in culture rather than performed for it. Shares that same joy in visual storytelling.

But Lighter in tone and scale—it's a romcom, not an action film. Some find the fashion-forward plotting weightless.

The Raid 22014

Indonesian masterpiece of martial arts cinema. Fight choreography so inventive and brutal it feels like watching a conversation in motion. If you want to see what Shang-Chi's action is paying homage to, this is the textbook.

But Violent and unflinching in ways Marvel usually isn't. Subtitled. Narrative is secondary to the fights.

Eternals2021

Marvel's other 2021 swing at maturity: ensemble mythology, family reckoning, visual ambition. Similar scope and similar willingness to let character moments breathe alongside spectacle.

But Received harshly for slow pacing and tonal confusion. Feels ungainly where Shang-Chi feels propulsive.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Police Story1985

Shang-Chi's fight choreography is a direct descendant of Chan's Hong Kong action grammar, updated for MCU scale. Both films believe fights should be joyful to watch, not just brutal.

Jackie Chan's masterpiece of practical stunt work and kinetic action. Every fight uses the environment, every gag is earned, every frame shows genuine innovation. This is where modern action cinema learned to breathe.

But Pre-digital effects mean some shots look dated. Hong Kong action syntax is different—pacing and editing won't feel like what you're used to.

Black Panther2018

Marvel's previous best-in-class for making a hero film about inheritance, duty, and who gets to decide what a legacy means. The same emotional intelligence applied to action.

But Slightly more ponderous. The third act shifts register in ways some found distracting.

Dune2021

Epic-scale action film that trusts its audience and its craft. Sumptuous cinematography, intelligent pacing, fights that feel consequential rather than templated.

But Glacially slow in places. A three-hour commitment with no quips. Needs the big screen; streaming diminishes it.

Everything Everywhere All at Once2022

Modern action cinema that cares ferociously about the humans at its center. Family trauma, multiverse stakes, but the real story is about connection. Made by people who love cinema.

But Chaotic and emotionally demanding. The visual language is deliberately fractured and dizzying—some find it exhausting rather than exhilarating.

Everything Everywhere All at Once poster

Jungle Cruise2021

Adventure-action with real charm and chemistry between leads. Knows it's fun without being cynical about it. Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt seem like they're genuinely enjoying themselves.

But Aims squarely at crowd-pleasing comfort food. No edge, no stakes that linger. Forgettable almost before it ends.

Doctor Strange2016

Marvel film that commits fully to visual spectacle without losing the character at its core. Strange's arrogance and journey toward humility mirrors Shang-Chi's arc of self-discovery.

But The early act drags. Tilde Swinton's accent and casting choices aged poorly. Magic system stays vague enough to frustrate some.

Bullet Train2022

Brad Pitt vehicle that understands action as character work. Stylized fight choreography, ensemble cast playing off each other. Fast-paced fun that earns its laughs.

But Relies heavily on quips and meta-humor. Tonal shifts feel more scattershot than intentional. Some find it trying too hard to be cool.

Okja2017

Both pit a protagonist against a powerful, seductive father figure and a corporate empire. Both use action sequences to explore loyalty and belonging rather than mere dominance. Both refuse to make villainy simple.

Bong Joon-ho's genre-defying creature adventure: part family film, part heist, part horror, entirely committed to emotional stakes. Stunning visual world-building. Giancarlo Esposito at peak menace.

But Tonal whiplash will alienate some. Pivots from playful to genuinely dark. Streaming-release film that benefits enormously from cinema but is harder to find that way.

In the Mood for Love2000

Tony Leung plays the film's romantic center here, yearning and restrained—the inverse of the commanding force he becomes in Shang-Chi. Same actor, opposite emotional register. Both films understand that the most compelling moments happen in stillness.

Wong Kar-wai's minimalist romance about the space between two people. Shot with such precision and color theory that it feels like painting in motion. Tony Leung is extraordinary. You'll watch scenes with no dialogue and feel devastated.

But Glacial pacing. No plot in the conventional sense. Heavy on mood, light on resolution. Demands patience and probably a second viewing.