Best friends Shaun and Katy love their lifestyle! They valet cars, they get party hard, rinse and repeat. A bus journey to work flips their lives upside down as Shaun is accosted by a group of thugs trying to steal his necklace; a family heirloom which harbours powers they couldn't begin to comprehend. Having revealed his kick-ass fighting skills Shaun is forced to reveal his true identity and past to pal Katy, with the pair journeying to Macau in a bid to find Shaun's sister before she falls victim to the same crime. Once there they discover all is not as it seems, with Shang-Chi and sibling Xialing forced to face a stubborn enemy from their past.
I wasn't clued up on the history of this comic before seeing the movie, so I went into the screening having only experienced the trailer (which I didn't think was particularly riveting). One thing you have to understand before reading this, is that I'm a little biased due to my love of Asian cinema and culture. Music, art, folklore, manga, anime, movies, TV shows... the list goes on. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers are definitely my jam. Going into this movie I wanted a kung-fu epic with a great story which was visually stunning, and it certainly did not disappoint.
For me this movie brings comedy, action, and true emotion - sometimes Marvel movies don't really hit you in the feels, despite 99% of superheroes having lost someone important to them early doors. For me this movie started off strong, showing you the lead character and giving a little bit of backstory, but not enough to reveal the way in which the plot will spin straight off the bat - I like a little twist every now and then. A good mix of character personalities, an excellent series of action sequences to force us into the story and some typical laugh out loud Awkwafina moments.
The soundtrack was great, with only one song that I didn't like or feel fit into the scene it was accompanying. The martial arts and special effects that went with it were super slick and I couldn't fault it at all. Love love loveeeeeeed the scenes between Shang-Chi's parents who were such a beautiful pair to watch together. I was enamoured with the strength of their bond, the whole thing was so magical! I've always loved the way in which special effects surrounding fight sequences have been structured in Asian cinema - I know a lot of it is as much dancing as it is martial arts. Some of the cast were already heavily trained, with others picking up more as the movie went along. Wing chun seems to be the most popular martial art there is at the moment, I'm hearing it pop up everywhere nowadays and I understand a few of the cast members are known to have trained in this style. I was shocked to discover that Simu Liu had done all of his own stunts, repeat after me, Ah-Ma-Zingggggggg. He really shone throughout the film and with this knowledge it really makes me admire the work he put into this role, a true master of his craft. Awakwafina and Simu Liu were a dreamboat of a team fo sho, I thought the whole cast thrived off one another, helping this movie to flourish.
The story was mostly there, with some great flickers into the past of pivotal characters and an appreciated amount of depth added to a character we've only heard referenced previously. I thoroughly enjoyed the vivid colours used in the cinematography and the flow of the story from one scene to the next. I would have loved further insight into the secretive locations that we learn of, with further character development for those areas specifically and of the history behind the exciting stuff... I don't want to give anything away so I'm just gonna say legendary because that doesn't reveal anything and still makes you want to find out more! We also see the return of a character from one of the less popular movies, so keep your eyes peeled for a fun but also worthy addition to the newest Marvel release.
I look forward to seeing what's in store in future for the troublesome twosome Shang-Chi and Katy. This movie was an entertaining watch and I highly recommend it, which is why i gave it a 9/10.
Review by CB
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