Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Simu Liu is terrific as Shang-Chi, the newest hero to join the Marvel universe. The movie title  is a bit lengthy, so here it goes:  "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,"  the newest part of the Marvel universe, entering phase four.

This one is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton who has spent time with Brie Larson "Short Term 12" and "Just Mercy" who is also part of the Marvel universe as "Captain Marvel," directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. This was just a pure fun ride on the action train that delivered in virtually every single department.

Liu currently headlines as even friend Mandy (Awkwafina) comments on his name, since his name is just Sean, so no stretch of the imagination when it comes back to his upbringing. 

What is kind of cool is the appearance of actor Trever Flaterry (Ben Kingsley), an out-of-work actor reprising his role as The Mandarin.  Remember him because of was also in Shane Black's "Iron Man 3." 

Also making a return is Benedict Wong as Wong.  Remember him from "Doctor Strange" (2016) a couple of years back?   Now with "Shang Chi," Marvel is able to do what they want and branch out to segue into other tales without having to go back and do "origin stories," but that will all change with "The Eternals" coming out in early November.

Now, going back to Shang Chi," Leung’s patriarch has other plans for his offspring in that he wants them to join him for a fate that does not really exist.    His Xu Wenwu keeps thinking he's hearing voices from the other side from his deceased wife who's been gone for many a year.

  So readers know, I have followed Tony Leung Chi Wai for many a year, even going back to 1992’s John Woo directed opus “Hard-Boiled” that paired him with Chow Yun Fat, one of my all-time favorite actors whose repartee combined equal part Paul Newman, William Holden and Robert De Niro.

A lot of American audience don’t realize this, but Chi Wai is a huge star overseas. Not only is he s matinee idol, but like wunderkinds like Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Jet Li, he can bring in the audiences no matter what the cost.

So readers know, I've seen this a couple of times in the theater, something I hold very dear.  Sure, one can watch it on a streaming service at home, but it is so much better as well as immersive seeing it on the big screen.

  This one, however contains some sci-fi mumbo jumbo, but you're having such a good time that all logic is tossed out the window.

  Like I said before, I don't know how they do it, but the team over at Marvel studios know what they are doing every single step  along the way.

So readers know the studio obviously has confidence in this one, since they already teased that another entry is coming soon. It might be a bit presumptuous, but they have a formula for printing money.

So readers know, “Shang Chi and the Ten Rings will be streaming on Disney Plus later this November.

GRADE: A-

(Review by Ricky Miller)