JASON EVANS' 100-WORD REVIEWS: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

 Short of the standard we expect from Marvel movies

Film Critic Jason Evans makes it his business to tell you everything you need to know about movies in less time than it takes to boil water for coffee. His reviews are exactly 100 words (not 99, not 101). This is his 100 word review of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

The Premise – For centuries, the secretive Ten Rings organization has been conducting assassinations all over the globe under the direction of their mystical leader Wenwu (Tony Leung). Wenwu trains his son, Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), to be the best assassin of them all, but Shang-Chi runs away to America, where he lives a quiet life alongside his best friend, Katy (Awkwafina). However, Shang-Chi’s world is turned upside down when Wenwu's assassins show up seeking an ancient artifact given to him by his mother.

The 100 Words – Though it has a lot of problems, Shang-Chi is a largely enjoyable time at the movies. The first half of the film features some wonderful fight sequences and Awkwafina is always funny and magnetic. But the film really sags in the back half and the CGI-laden finale is just a mess. Shang-Chi has no character arc and Simu Liu plays him relatively emotionless. The fact that he is surrounded by wonderful actors (Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh) makes his flat performance even more noticeable. Still, the movie managed to hold my attention and Marvel completists won’t hate themselves for seeing it.   

Reach out to Jason Evans on Twitter @JasonDukeEvans