Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings retcon Marvel history to strengthen the MCU.
Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings opens like a fairytale. An ancient warlord discovered 10 magic rings that gave him power and immortality. He used them to conquer the world. He accumulated power for a thousand years until he fell in love and abandoned the quest. His love ended, and he went back to war, causing the loss of his family. In the present day, he decides that it is time to bring his entire family together.
This mythic opening sums up the many elements Shang Chi tries to combine, most of them successfully. It’s an action film with a great pace and a family drama that has comedy and good acting. It’s a slow-paced but interesting fantasy film. The expectations of a Marvel ending clash with the rest, just like Black Widow. Shang-Chi, the first MCU film to be set post-Endgame (a Sony production), is refreshing in its focus on big-picture universe-building details. The movie instead focuses on a very personal story, which also hints at exciting things for the future of Marvel movies.
