---
title: "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"
year: 2021
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings"
fi1m_score: 66
critics_score: 69
critics_reviews: 25
published: "2026-09-19T12:22:38.712573+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-19T12:22:38.993896+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton · 2h 12m · MPA PG-13 · Action, Adventure, Fantasy

**Fi1m score: 66** · Critics 69 from 25 reviews

*In a sentence:* A superb fight on a bus, a superb father, and a second half that hands both over to the computers

> Destin Daniel Cretton gives Marvel its best hand-to-hand fighting and, in Tony Leung, a villain worth grieving for. Then the second half swaps fists for glowing creatures and the film forgets what it was good at.

## Synopsis

A thousand years ago Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) finds ten rings that give him long life and an army, and builds a criminal empire on them. He meets Li (Fala Chen) in a bamboo forest, fights her, loses and marries her. In present-day San Francisco their son lives as Shaun (Simu Liu), parking cars at a hotel with his friend Katy (Awkwafina) and singing karaoke at night. On a morning bus a man with a blade for a hand, Razor Fist (Florian Munteanu), comes for the jade pendant Shaun’s mother gave him, and Shaun turns out to be able to fight. He tells Katy his name is Shang-Chi, that his father runs the Ten Rings, and that his sister Xialing (Zhang Meng’er), in Macau, will be next.

## Review

Marvel has hired a director of small, careful dramas, Destin Daniel Cretton of [*Short Term 12*](https://film.one/film/short-term-12) (2013) and *Just Mercy* (2019), and asked him to introduce a hero who was a racist caricature in the comics. For an hour *Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings* works better than anyone had a right to expect. It is funny, it is quick, and when the fighting starts it is done with bodies rather than software. Then, a little past the halfway mark, the software arrives, and the film we had been enjoying is replaced by one we have seen a dozen times.

The bus is the best of it. Shaun (Simu Liu) and his friend Katy (Awkwafina) are on their way to work when a man with a blade for a hand, Florian Munteanu’s Razor Fist, and a few others come for the pendant round Shaun’s neck. The fight runs the length of a moving bus, front to back, with the brakes gone and the camera following the bodies rather than chopping them up. Bill Pope, who shot [*The Matrix*](https://film.one/film/the-matrix) (1999), keeps the frame wide enough that we can see who hits whom and where the poles are, and the editors, Nat Sanders, Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir and Harry Yoon, hold each shot long enough for the choreography to register. We sat up. We were surprised how much pleasure there was in simply seeing a punch land and knowing where it came from.

Macau is nearly as good. Sue Chan builds an underground fight club out of scaffolding on the side of a tower, cages and neon stacked twenty storeys up, and the film sends Shang-Chi and his sister Xialing (Zhang Meng’er) out along the poles. Kym Barrett puts Xialing in a red dress and lets her fight in it, and Zhang plays her with a resentment the script has earned: the girl nobody bothered to train, who trained herself. Awkwafina keeps the jokes coming and most of them land, though the film cannot leave a serious moment alone for thirty seconds before somebody undercuts it.

Tony Leung is the reason to see it. He plays Xu Wenwu, the hero’s father, keeper of ten rings that have given him a thousand years and a private army, and he plays him as a widower before he plays him as a warlord. Marvel villains usually announce their plans; Wenwu explains his, quietly, over dinner, and Leung lets us see a man who has decided the world owes him his wife back. Cretton shoots his scenes with Fala Chen as Li with almost no cutting, two faces looking at each other, and they moved us more than a film with this much merchandise had any business doing. The rings, for the record, are worn on the forearms and look like bangles. Nobody comments.

The trouble is the hero. Simu Liu is likeable, fit and game, and the script by Cretton, Andrew Lanham and David Callaham gives him nothing to want beyond not being his father. So the film keeps cutting to Jayden Tianyi Zhang as the boy being trained, because the child has more to do than the man. Beside Leung, Liu looks like a pleasant actor in a film that has not decided who its lead is.

Then the second half. The film moves to a hidden green place, Michelle Yeoh arrives as Ying Nan to deliver the history, and the fists give way to glowing creatures made in a computer. Ben Kingsley turns up, playing Trevor Slattery again from [*Iron Man 3*](https://film.one/film/iron-man-3) (2013), and is the funniest thing in the last hour, which tells you something about the last hour. The finale is the Marvel finale: a sky full of things, one big thing, hundreds of extras in Barrett’s scale armour running one way while the camera swoops the other. Joel P. West’s score, tender under the prologue, swells to fill every gap. By the last twenty minutes we were watching pixels hit pixels and had stopped minding who won.

Set beside the Hong Kong films it borrows from, this is a polite imitation; Yuen Wah, who plays Master Guang Bo here, has spent fifty years in better fights than anything in the final hour. Set beside Marvel’s own origin films it sits near the top, with a villain who has a face and an hour of action that respects the body. Watch it for the bus, the scaffolding and Leung, and take the finale as the price of admission. It runs 132 minutes and carries a 12A.

*Fi1m score 66, published 19 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like it: nineteen of the twenty-five reviews are positive. The praise gathers in two places. The first is the martial-arts choreography, which several reviews call the best action Marvel has yet put on screen. The second is Tony Leung as Wenwu, the hero’s father, whom nearly every review singles out. Simu Liu and Awkwafina get warm notices for their chemistry and humour, and many credit the film with grounding a familiar origin story in Chinese and Asian American culture and a real family drama.

The reservations cluster on the second half, which many say gives way to effects-driven spectacle, exposition and an overbaked climax. A smaller group finds the hero underwritten next to his father: Slant Magazine calls Liu’s performance affectless, and Vulture reckons it is about half a good film. The Times goes furthest, saying it collapses after a rollicking first half. The spread is wide, from two stars to four and a half.

### Reviews we read (25)

- **IndieWire**, Kate Erbland (B+): A fresh MCU origin story boasting the franchise’s best action yet, with Destin Daniel Cretton’s first MCU outing packing a massive punch and new stars Simu Liu and Awkwafina adding heart and humor. The film distinguishes itself with precision martial-arts sequences while grounding its story in Chinese and Asian American culture. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-mcu-1234658211/)
- **Empire**, Laura Sirikul (80/100, inferred): The first MCU film led by an Asian protagonist succeeds as entertaining family drama with standout martial-arts action. Cretton excels at blending cultural nods and humour with innovative fight choreography. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings/)
- **Little White Lies**, Weiting Liu (4/4/5): The MCU’s first Asian superhero movie combines thrilling spectacle with cultural specificity to correct the comics’ racist past. It anchors its audiovisual bombardments and genre hodgepodges in incisive commentary on legacy, grief and identity. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings)
- **Radio Times** (4/5): It is a wonderfully entertaining, often emotional ride with a great deal of warmth bolstered by its excellent central cast. The family saga at its heart, anchored by Tony Leung, helps it stand out among Marvel peers. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/shang-chi-marvel-review-comment/)
- **The Telegraph**, Tim Robey (4/5): The film is a rare Marvel outing that gets almost everything right, with excellent fight choreography, strong character work and an engaging lead performance. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/shang-chi-legend-ten-rings-review-love-first-fight-new-marvel/)
- **Time Out**, Olly Richards (4/5): Marvel’s first movie with an Asian-American lead is a grabby debut for a cool new MCU character that loses energy in the second half. It delivers thrillingly choreographed fight sequences and believable lead chemistry in its stronger opening section. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-2021)
- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (75/100, inferred): This down-to-earth trailblazer stands out among Marvel entries thanks to its relatable leads and strong emotional core. Hits outweigh the misses in this Asian-led superhero debut. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/shangchi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-marvel-b953370.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (70/100, inferred): The movie succeeds as an origin story with strong family drama and action, thanks in large part to Tony Leung's magnetic star turn as the Mandarin. It notes that while not flawless, it rises above typical Marvel fare in key ways. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-08-23/shang-chi-legend-ten-rings-review-marvel-simu-liu-tony-leung)
- **Screen Daily** (70/100, inferred): An uneven but entertaining mixture of fresh and familiar that works best when its MCU ties are least apparent. It starts strongly with excellent action sequences and delightful comedic banter but succumbs to effects-driven spectacle later. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review/5162473.article)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (70/100, inferred): The film is an entertaining romp with spirited martial-arts action and strong supporting performances, though it remains generically familiar as an MCU entry and somewhat formulaic. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/aug/23/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-marvel-simu-liu-awkwafina)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Angie Han (70/100, inferred): A flawed but fresh spin on the superhero formula that attempts to remix old tropes with new perspectives through martial-arts action and Asian American culture but doesn't always meld its elements smoothly. The core father-son relationship and Tony Leung's performance ground the film despite its overstuffed plot and Marvel-mandated humor. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-1235000054/)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (70/100, inferred): Marvel delivers an entertaining, visually flashy vehicle that effectively expands representation with strong early action and clever handling of its hero's backstory. It singles out the shift to bombastic CGI spectacle in the finale as a letdown. [Read](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-simu-liu-1235046718/)
- **Vulture** (60/100, inferred): Approximately half a good movie that treats Tony Leung’s Wenwu as more compelling than its hero, with Leung’s conflicted presence pulling focus as a mesmerizing tragic anti-hero. The film is at its fleetest in the first act but struggles as an origin story that feels racked with inadequacy about its main character. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2021/09/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-movie-review.html)
- **The i Paper**, Geoffrey Macnab (50/100, inferred): A lot of fun with fast-moving, witty action and engaging leads, but the relentless jokiness hinders emotional depth. The film struggles to balance its cheery tone with attempts at pathos. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-an-exhaustingly-cheery-marvel-adventure-1179982)
- **The New York Times**, Maya Phillips (40/100, inferred): The film is unsteady and fails to fully develop its hero or use its supporting characters effectively, with action sequences that are often poorly executed. It singles out Tony Leung's charismatic performance as the father for praise amid the flaws. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/movies/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review.html)
- **Slant Magazine** (1.5/4): Save for Tony Leung, the film is a bust, with Simu Liu’s affectless performance failing to convey Shang-Chi’s misgivings and the script rotely defining him through impostor syndrome. Leung brings resilience and vulnerability as the power-mad father, but the film’s laughable moral calculus and inability to hold a candle to its supporting performance undermine it. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-marvel/)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★☆☆☆): The first half is a rollicking, witty action flick anchored by strong performances, but it collapses into tedious exposition and synthetic spectacle in the second half. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-an-ineffective-slab-of-branded-meta-myth-ls26tq7ns)
- **Den of Geek**, Bernard Boo (4.5/5): The critic praises it as a thrilling top-tier MCU installment and cultural milestone for Asian representation, with strong performances and elegant themes of family and identity. They single out the blistering, beautifully staged action sequences and visual storytelling in the fight scenes. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it a fun, engaging MCU addition with a strong ensemble cast, clever action, and cultural weight as a new franchise direction post-Endgame. He singles out the father-son story, Simu Liu's relatable lead performance, and the gravitas from Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh. [Read](https://deadline.com/video/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-simu-liu-awkwafina-marvel-disney/)
- **Consequence** (B+): The critic calls it one of the MCU's strongest introductory films, highlighting the compelling family drama, standout performances especially from Tony Leung, and visual spectacle while noting some issues with supporting villains. [Read](https://consequence.net/2021/08/shang-chi-review-marvel-movie/)
- **NME**, Nick Levine (4/5): It overcomes a tricky origin story with ease as a fresh and infectious martial arts blockbuster that boosts representation. The critic singles out the eye-popping wuxia-inspired fight scenes and strong supporting turns, while noting the climax is slightly overbaked. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-3026960)
- **The Wrap**, Todd Gilchrist (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's fusion of Hong Kong martial-arts cinema with MCU origins, strong character work, and dazzling fight choreography. He singles out Tony Leung's best-in-genre performance as the conflicted villain Wenwu for its depth and subtlety. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/shang-chi-film-review-simu-liu-tony-leung-mcu/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (B-): The critic praises the film's kung-fu action sequences as among the best in the MCU but criticizes the story for failing to make the protagonist a compelling individual beyond his general affability. [Read](https://collider.com/shang-chi-review-mcu-movie/)
- **Polygon**, Joshua Rivera (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the first half a strong action film and family drama but the second half falters with fantasy elements and a clichéd third act; praises the personal story, Tony Leung's performance, and the retcon of MCU history. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/22633102/shang-chi-review/)
- **/Film**, Hoai-Tran Bui (6.5/10): The critic finds it a mostly decent Marvel movie with strong action but one that falls short of its ambitions. They single out the kinetic fight scenes and Tony Leung's performance as the standout elements. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/583701/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-review-tony-leungs-villain-eclipses-the-mcus-first-asian-superhero/)

## Details

- **Director:** Destin Daniel Cretton
- **Director:** Destin Daniel Cretton
- **Screenplay:** Destin Daniel Cretton, David Callaham, Andrew Lanham
- **Cinematography:** Bill Pope
- **Editor:** Nat Sanders, Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir, Harry Yoon
- **Music:** Joel P. West
- **Production design:** Sue Chan
- **Costume design:** Kym Barrett
- **Producer:** Jonathan Schwartz, Kevin Feige
- **Cast:** Simu Liu as Shaun / Shang-Chi; Tony Leung as Xu Wenwu; Awkwafina as Katy; Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery; Zhang Meng'er as Xialing; Fala Chen as Li; Michelle Yeoh as Ying Nan; Yuen Wah as Master Guang Bo
- **Runtime:** 2h 12m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13
- **Release (the US):** 3 September 2021
- **Genres:** Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- **Budget:** $150 million
- **Box office:** $432 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YjFbMbfXaQ

## Where to watch in the US

- Disney+: streaming, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd
- Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, uhd
- Apple TV: buy $19.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-19.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Police Story* (1985): Jackie Chan on a real bus, with real glass; the film this one is quoting.
- *In the Mood for Love* (2000), Fi1m 91: Tony Leung doing with a glance what Wenwu does with ten rings. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/in-the-mood-for-love.md)
- *Kung Fu Hustle* (2004): Yuen Wah as a landlord who can fight; funnier and stranger than any franchise.
- *The Raid* (2011), Fi1m 83: One tower block, no computers, and fights you can follow from first punch to last. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-raid.md)
- *Everything Everywhere All at Once* (2022): Michelle Yeoh given a whole film instead of a history lesson.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings