Lost In Translation
Marvel Studio’s Midas touch is basically undeniable at this point. Typically, when people refer to the parable of Midas, they conveniently overlook the tragic downside of his alchemical ability. Whenever the titular king touches a person, they lose their vitality and become a lifeless golden husk. After watching Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings this past weekend, I have to say that, yeah, Marvel undeniably possesses that aspect of the power too.
Admittedly, I have more skin in the game than most when it comes to Shang Chi, as I'm fanatically obsessed with the source material. Positioned in the center of the Venn diagram combining my lifelong affinity for kung fu films and comic books sits Shang Chi's 70's comic run. Suffice to say, I've been waiting for a faithful adaptation of this comic since Jet Li was still a viable casting option, and unfortunately, it looks like I'm going to have to keep waiting.
The new Shang Chi movie isn't bad; It's just not Shang Chi. Choosing to follow Black Panther's formula for celebrating a marginalized culture, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings decides to eschew the espionage-laden grit that made the character so compelling in the comic. Instead, the MCU decided to make him a Disney character.
I’m just grateful this abomination didn’t get a musical number in the second act.
"But wait, doesn't Marvel own Disney? Aren't all Marvel characters Disney characters?" The sad reality is that yes, now they all are. The Shang Chi of the comics doesn't ride a dragon. He doesn't have a quippy gal pal with more pluck than a bikini wax. Shang Chi was just the master of kung fu, and that used to be good enough.
Had a Shang Chi flick been made in the '90s, the character's pulpy core might have been preserved. In a perfect world, Shang Chi could've felt more akin to 1999's Blade with a brutal, bone crunching tone and rating to match. However, post-Avengers, all Marvel characters have to be family-friendly defenders of the universe- whether the story demands it or not.
Having the third act devolve into an obligatory CGI spectacle isn't only tedious; it's entirely unwarranted given the character's history and abilities. Why couldn't we just have a climactic battle between Wenwu and his son in the vein of The Raid? Obviously, the answer is because it wouldn't sell nearly as much merchandise.
Sure, The Raid had critical acclaim, but where are all of its sweet toy profits ?
Don’t get me wrong, for what it was, I did enjoy the flick. Simu Liu, Awkwafina, and 80's Hong Kong cinema legend Michelle Yeoh all shine in the film. I just wish the authentic Shang Chi- the character I grew up reading- somehow made it into the movie. I know this seems like an odd gripe, but Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings doesn't fill me with hope for the other pulpy Marvel characters. Is Disney going to needlesly squeeze a plush toy mascot into their upcoming version of Blade? Will the Punisher battle a CGI monster in the third act because that's the formula?
In the pursuit of churning out yet another billion-dollar hit, Marvel cannibalized one of their most unique properties and turned Shang Chi into a hollow golden idol. Audiences across the planet seem to be delightfully transfixed by the gilded cash cow, whereas I can't help but see the horrifically entombed visage of one of my favorite characters.
