Rings of Power

 

1/15/25

 

Dear Movie Lovers,

           

                                                Rings of Power

            Many people like to have jewelry or accessories; Shang Chi’s father was one of those people, except his 10 rings weren’t for show, but power. Shang Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings was released in 2021 and directed by Destin Daniel Creton, who has also directed Just Mercy, which won the award for the Most Outstanding Motion Picture.  If you have been watching movies for some time now, you’ve probably heard the name Marvel. Marvel is a company that makes movies, and some of their most notable creations are Thor, Captain America, and Avengers Endgame, which got over 7 awards in 2019. Marvel has been experimenting with Asian characters for some time now, often as side characters such as Wong in Doctor Strange. Shang Chi and the Legends of Ten Rings was the first time that marvel had an Asian lead. Shang Chi brings the perfect mix of Asian culture and action, making it one of the most memorable movies of 2021. 

The best word to describe Shang Chi’s past is “complex”. His father (Wenwu) is in possession of the Ten Rings. At the beginning of the film, the narrator shows us just how powerful these rings are. The film portrays Wenwu (played by Tony Leung) destroying entire armies while using the rings. Shang Chi feared his father for having those rings. On the other hand, his mother was the guardian of the mystical land, Ta Lo, and she was killed by Wenwu’s enemies; the Iron Gang. Wenwu met Ying Li (Shang Chi’s mother) when they were fighting. The two fell in love at first sight, so the fight wasn’t that serious, which I think made the movie more f. After Wenwu taught his son, “every possible way to kill a man”, he sent him on a mission to get revenge on the Iron Gang who killed his wife and Shang Chi’s mother. After the mission is done, he is traumatized so he goes to America and uses the alibi Shaun as his name.

While in America, Shaun befriends Katy( played by Awkwafina) who doesn’t know about his past. The two work together as parking valets, and they often go for rides in expensive cars they don’t even own. Katy is rather childish as she is the one who wants to go for a ride, on the other hand, Shaun is more sophisticated and tries to tell Katy what the consequences are if the car gets hurt. Years pass, and Shaun completely forgets about the Ten Rings until one day when a general of the Ten Rings, Razor Fist ( played by Florian Munteanu) attacks Shaun on the bus. One of the men asked “ Where is the pendant”, referring to the pendant his mother gave him and said “If you are ever lost the pennant will guide you home”. Though putting up a valiant effort, the men get the pendant after an intense fight which I thought was one of the most sick movie fights Marvel has ever filmed.  After this, he realizes that his sister, Xu Xia Ling( Played by Meng’r Zhang) also has a pendant, he looks around his room, trying to find a way to contact her as he thinks the assassins will go after her next.

While training in the Ten Rings army, Shaun was at the mercy of his father and it was like his dad was controlling him. He goes to America fearing power,  but most importantly, he was able to have control over his own life. The film tells us that only we decide who we truly are, and no one should have to live in fear because they can’t control their own life. Another theme in the film is family first. Although at the beginning of the movie, Shang Chi shows a hatred towards his father, at the end of the film, when his father is about to die to the soul suckers, he sacrifices his rings to give them to his son, which later on helps Ta Lo defeat the soul suckers. When you get to that scene, you have understood both characters' background and beliefs, so it makes it even more touching as Wenwu thought his wife was still alive, and Shaun didn’t want to lose another parent. 

What I have just said was an overview the entire film. This movie is truly one of the most underrated films in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). Shang Chi is a great addition to the roster and in the credit scene it shows Katy and Shaun studying the origin of the rings. This means that the other superheroes have heard about the rings and Shaun. As of 2025 January,  Marvel has confirmed there will be a sequel which is named Shang Chi and the Wreckage of Time which, from the trailer, seems to be even better than the first one. I’m not going to explain the trailer, go see it yourself! 

 

Yours Truly,

Brandon