Shang Chi: Master of the No-Spoiler Review

[Barry]

It is more difficult than most movies to give a non-spoiler review to Shang- Chi, the latest  Marvel movie. First, it is very enjoyable I would give it 4 ½ stars out of five for a Marvel movie. Although Shang Chi was the Master of Kung Fu” and this movie has elements of an action adventure movie, it is also closer to Dr. Strange with great mysticism and magic.
 
There are two plots here going at the same time. Not unlike Godfather II, we see the origin and growth of a character from childhood is  interwoven into a bigger story. The story is about Shang Chi and his evil father who he must confront, with his sister beside him,  by the end of the movie. Shang Chi sister, also a martial arts expert has an almost equal role in the movie. That is such a simple explanation for such a complex movie but I don’t want to give anything away and I know don’t how to explain it without giving anything away except to say that great mystic characters have a large role in the ending.
 
The action adventure and fight scenes are some of the best I have seen in a movie. At times it looks like it’s a ballet and at times it is absolutely frightening and unnerving. I would encourage you to see this at a movie theater with the biggest screen possible as I did when I saw in Dolby vision.
 
Another plus for the movie is that we don’t have the main Asian character as a fish out of water among Caucasians. This is a movie that has an almost all Asian cast and in all Asian presence. Michelle Yeoh and Ben Kingsley, reprising his role from Iron Man III, are also in the movie and they and the other actors do a wonderful job.
 
You don’t quite have to leave your brains at the door here but just sit back and relax and enjoy it.


 
And now let me give you a lesson on Shag Chi and what is not in the movie!
 
Because of the Asian stereotypes in this feature that was created in the mid-1970s the movie does not really follow the comic book much at all. The comic book was released at the height of the kung fu movie and TV show movement. If you recall David Carrie Dean played a Caucasian because they wouldn’t have an Asian on television at that time. Well in this movie the lead character is 100% Asian but in the comic book he was only 50%.
 
And his father was Fu Manchu. While Marvel had presented Fu Manchu type characters in the Mandarin and Yellow Claw, they licensed the character Fu Manchu for the series paying the estate $100-$200 a comic. This turned out up to be a big mistake for Marvel because they did not know that reprints would be a huge source of income back in 1975 and they couldn’t reprint the books until very recently because of the licensing agreement. But because Fu Manchu was wrapped into many Asian stereotypes and Marvel probably did not want to pay royalty fees, Fu Manchu was not used in this movie. But we who knew what was originally there just kind of assumed when we watch the movie.
 
Shang Chi was one of the best written and expertly illustrated comics of the mid-1970s. And when Marvel lost the Fu Manchu trademark the character just disappeared from the series. Again while there were certain elements of the original in the movie it was very slight. The comic book stories were very different and didn’t have the characters that were major in this movie.
 
I enjoyed the movie immensely and it was very different from any of the other Marvel movies. All and stay until the very end there is a scene after the credits are completely rolled. 
 
 

[David Vaughn]

Barry,

Thanks for the review. My daughter went and saw this and completely agreed with your take. Absolutely loved the film and it's one of her favorite Marvel titles now. This may get me to go and see it today if I can convince my wife

[David Vaughn]

Just got back from the theater and Barry I have to disagree with one thing about your review. You gave the film 4.5/5 and frankly, you're too harsh of critic. This is a 5/5 in my book and is one of the best Marvel movies to date. The story is fantastic, character development is top notch, and the action scenes are amazing spectacles. Can't wait to see this again in UHD in a few months. 

[Barry]

Did you agree with the ballet look of the fighting? Fantastic!

[David Vaughn]

Did you agree with the ballet look of the fighting? Fantastic!

Absolutely. I can't wait to see it again and soak even more of it in. 

[bmoney]

Soooo looking forward to this being released 

[Barry]

Absolutely. I can't wait to see it again and soak even more of it in.

Spoiler alert!
David did you notice at the end of the movie when Bruce Banner appears, he was no longer. The Hulk as he was in Avengers Endgame?

[David Vaughn]

Spoiler alert!
David did you notice at the end of the movie when Bruce Banner appears, he was no longer. The Hulk as he was in Avengers Endgame?

Yes I did...and his arm was in a sling. Curious to see what that means. 

[bmoney]

My son has asked about a hundred times when this is gonna be available at home. Lll. I refuse to go to the theater

[Barry]

Yes I did...and his arm was in a sling. Curious to see what that means.

That was the hand that was injured when he put on and used the glove that had the infinity stones in it. It was injured in avengers endgame

[tripplej]

I finally went to the theater with the kids and saw the movie in Dolby Cinema at AMC.

Wow, what a movie.

Barry, you are right, this is a great movie.

Loved the action and the story as well and I agree with David, I would give it 5/5.

The 2 post credit scenes were worth seeing..

I will have to get this for home viewing once it is available.

[Barry]

I finally went to the theater with the kids and saw the movie in Dolby Cinema at AMC.

Wow, what a movie.

Barry, you are right, this is a great movie.

Loved the action and the story as well and I agree with David, I would give it 5/5.

The 2 post credit scenes were worth seeing..

I will have to get this for home viewing once it is available.

I love the ballet fight at the beginning. It was part fighting and part seduction. I never saw anything like that

[tripplej]

yes, that was a great scene. Kind of reminded me of a very old movie from back in the day -- The Mask of Zorro. Of course, not same but similar.

Great movie overall, will have to see this one again..

[Barry]

yes, that was a great scene. Kind of reminded me of a very old movie from back in the day -- The Mask of Zorro. Of course, not same but similar.

Great movie overall, will have to see this one again..

Loved Zorro. Loved many of the Zorros

[David Vaughn]

Loved Zorro. Loved many of the Zorros

Me too...but I think I loved Catherine Zeta Jones in Zorro more than Zorro himself. She is definitely the cat's meow.