Shang-Chi was a magnificent addition to the MCU. It’s one of the first Marvel movies I have seen post-pandemic, and it didn’t disappoint. It was a fun movie, set in a different type of setting than other Marvel Movies. It was bringing some more depth to the universe as a whole.
The Main character Shang-chi was easy to root for, which I was glad they had him already know how to fight instead of having to train. No Montage of training in this film. The other main character Katy, his sidekick, was a great addition. She was funny and an excellent comic relief sidekick while also providing her struggles that humanized her.
If you are MCU Alum, this movie has exceptional easter eggs and throwbacks to old films. There were a lot of great cameos of other characters; keep your eyes peeled. The Mandarin was redeemed as a great intimidating villain with a tragic backstory. He was menacing throughout the film.
The movie had some time skipping, which wasn’t very believable. I also got a tad bored in some repetitive relationship-building moments, that to me was repetitive and didn’t add much.
Besides these minor gripes, Shang-chi is a welcome addition to the MCU with a different type of movie. Even with a few differences, it has the MCU humor, charm, and characters, showing it is a Marvel movie. It also reignited my interest in Chinese and Japanese Kung Fu movies and learning even more about the culture.