“Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” directed by Destin Daniel Cretton released to theatres on Sept. 3, 2021. As a part of the MCU, it features characters from previous movies. The movie revolves around Shang Chi coming to terms with his family and their legacy while facing many dangers with his best friend Katy and his sister, Xialing.

Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) were excited to see a new superhero introduced. Yet, while the story is intriguing and has a unique delivery, the basic storyline is slightly repetitive of others in the MCU. Shang Chi was raised as a warrior and a murderer by his father. Throughout the movie, he regains his connection to his mother and realizes that he is his mother’s son. A similar storyline is in “Guardians of the Galaxy vol.2” and several other films in the MCU. The movie isn’t entirely a repetition of previous plots and shows many new ideas such as culture, legends, heritage, friendship and found family. 

Simu Liu played the role of Shang Chi charismatically, complemented by Awkwafina as Katy. The movie showcases a good blend of humor, emotional scenes and action sequences. Although the dialogues are usually well written and delivered, they occasionally miss the point and lead to a slightly dry scene.

Overall the movie was well made. Aside from the use of a repetitive MCU storyline, the movie was gripping, humorous and enjoyable. “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” was an important step by Disney to increase the diversity of superheroes portrayed. While it is a part of the MCU, it does not require knowledge of the previous films and would be a good watch for anyone who enjoys action movies.