As far as superhero movies retreading the same ground over and over like a pizza slicer struggling to cut through a dull crust, particularly in the current climate of overdone and overrated Marvel movies, Shang-Chi stands on its own as a very fun and endearing film. It takes you on a rollercoaster from humble jokes between friends to fighting brutes on a bus to eventually the epic battle you expected. Compared to some Marvel movies which are now feeling to make care about who I'm supposed to be cheering for in the first place, Shang-Chi is a much more likeable and worthy movie.
In carrying out this formula, I think the movie does it perfectly. And I came to like the characters enough to be invested and enchanted by the events. The Chinese flavour of the movie helps to give it more rhythm and depth, at least on the surface level.
Still, at the end of the day, this is another overbudgeted blockbuster action movie which makes less sense the further along you watch. Given how tight the first half of the movie is, I did find myself taken out of it by the insertion of Trevor Slattery and the obligatory "cute little critter that knows everything" moment. And while the inevitable final battle was very well done and exhilarating, it still exchanged logic and gravity for another slog through a chaotic battlefield of good versus evil. I also wished that Shang-Chi's father would start to make sense by the end of the movie, because he seemed enigmatic and layered at the beginning but came across as a stereotypical tyrant dad by the end.
So overall, I'd say this movie is definitely worth a watch (and worth the hype) in the sea of superhero movies. It leads the pack in that bunch, but doesn't stray from it - for better and worse.
In carrying out this formula, I think the movie does it perfectly. And I came to like the characters enough to be invested and enchanted by the events. The Chinese flavour of the movie helps to give it more rhythm and depth, at least on the surface level.
Still, at the end of the day, this is another overbudgeted blockbuster action movie which makes less sense the further along you watch. Given how tight the first half of the movie is, I did find myself taken out of it by the insertion of Trevor Slattery and the obligatory "cute little critter that knows everything" moment. And while the inevitable final battle was very well done and exhilarating, it still exchanged logic and gravity for another slog through a chaotic battlefield of good versus evil. I also wished that Shang-Chi's father would start to make sense by the end of the movie, because he seemed enigmatic and layered at the beginning but came across as a stereotypical tyrant dad by the end.
So overall, I'd say this movie is definitely worth a watch (and worth the hype) in the sea of superhero movies. It leads the pack in that bunch, but doesn't stray from it - for better and worse.