While it may seem like it’s just another superhero movie, and it definitely follows patterns we’ve seen before, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” presents a fresh story of a new hero in such a way that leaves you grinning from ear to ear and wanting more. One of the best ways it does this is by letting its main character, Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) be the main character. They haven’t inserted another hero that we already know from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in fact, there are only a few familiar faces and most are simple cameos.

Shang-Chi also has never been seen before in the MCU, he wasn’t introduced in some big ol’ team up in a movie before, so everything about him is completely new. But it doesn’t take long for us to love him.

Liu is really perfect for the nice guy who goes by Shaun at the start, and he carries that trait through even after we find out that there is more to this hunky valet parking attendant than meets the eye.

The film starts with a little backstory with a montage with Fala Chen’s narration over it. She tells us that a man named Xu Wenwu (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung) gained possession of the mythic ten rings thousands of years ago which gave him superhuman powers and immortality that he used to conquer kingdoms. In the ‘90s he and his crime organization, the Ten Rings, go looking for a mythic place called Ta Lo which is guarded by Ying Li (Chen). The two fight in one of the most beautiful fight scenes in the MCU, and eventually fall in love. Li runs off with Wenwu and he puts aside his shady organization and focuses on being a dad to his two kids, Shang-Chi and Xialing. But something has happened and Li has died scattering the family and returning Wenwu to his old ways.

We then flash forward to the present (or at least Marvel’s present which is still a few years ahead thanks to “Avengers: Endgame”) and we see an adult Shang-Chi (Liu) parking cars for a living alongside his best friend since high school, Katy (Awkwafina), in San Francisco. Just two people in a normal world, until Katy and Shang-Chi are accosted on a bus by men from the Ten Rings who are searching for a pendant given to Shang-Chi by his mother. After Katy sees that he’s really a martial arts master, he tells Katy everything (well, almost) about his past and that his sister (Meng’er Zhang) is probably in danger too, so they both fly to China to warn her and find out what exactly is going on.

The story is compelling and more character-driven than action-driven, but don’t worry, there are still a ton of action scenes that are beautifully choreographed. Instead of simple, bad guy vs. good guy, we have a little family dysfunction and stories about running away from your past and trying to be your own person rather than what your parents want. We also have an amazing platonic friendship between Katy and Shang-Chi that doesn’t really try to be romantic, which I really hope they keep that trajectory going forward.

Everyone in the cast is perfect in their roles too. Liu steps firmly into his first major leading role with such confidence and joy that it’s hard not to like him just for being him. Awkwafina continues to show that she’s more than just a comedian, Leung makes his Hollywood debut with nuance as the villain/co-lead and Meng’er Zhang is confident as an equal to Shang-Chi’s abilities.

This doesn’t even begin to cover the significance of the movie itself as Shang-Chi is the first Asian superhero introduced in the MCU. The overall film is heavily influenced by Chinese cinema specifically that not only will it be great for how the movie will play in their box office, but great for American audiences to be introduced to a gorgeous style of filmmaking and storytelling in general. Add in the lush production design throughout and you’ve got a hell of an intro to the universe for Shang-Chi the character and for stars Simu Liu and Awkwafina.

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”

132 minutes

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence, action and language.

3.5 stars