Shang-Chi is a great movie from beginning to end, safe for the kids to watch, and in my opinion, one of the best movies of the MCU. Why is it so great? Well, you’ll have to keep reading to find that out, or – if you’re lazy, you can just listen to my podcast below.
Now, this is just a warning, but if you don’t want any spoilers for this movie, you need to exit stage left-right or use the emergency door – whatever, but do it now, because I’m about to get straight into why Shang-CHi is great, from a professional storyteller’s point of view.
DIRECTING
Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of Shang-Chi, was born in Hawaii. Not that it matters, but that’s where I come from as well, so it’s really nice to see a local’s name in the limelight. It’s not that we don’t have our fair share of locals that shine; it’s a nice list, but that’s for another article.
From the start, Destin set Shang-Chi’s story on hyperdrive. Within a few very short scenes, possibly under one minute, you pretty much knew who Shang-Chi and his best friend Katy were, and they were likable from the go, even though they were heavily flawed. That is very efficient storytelling that you don’t get these days. Also, don’t you just hate movies where the protagonist is an unlikable douche with no redeemable qualities, such as in the movie Snake-Eyes? Even better, we didn’t have to wait very long to see Shang-Chi in action! Also, I need to mention there are literally zero, long boring world-building scenes that put the story on pause. Shang-Chi’s world builds organically, as the story progresses.
Now, there are two stories that move in parallel throughout the entire movie: Shang-Chi’s life as a child, and his present life; and they weave back and forth seamlessly, giving the audience just enough to sip on, to keep them thirsty for the next scene. To be quite honest, I would prefer that flashback scenes to stop in the 3rd act, but that’s just me. But at least these flashback scenes were not like Lord of the Rings, whose flashback scenes felt like an entire stand-alone movie.
It looked as though Destin wanted to give the audience a light taste of Chinese customs, or maybe easter eggs for Chinese to chew on. From the integration of Chinese folklore to the simple traditions of ancestor worship, to the quick scenes of Shang-Chi removing his footwear before entering Katy’s apartment (not many American’s know that we do that), Chinese customs were everywhere. A bit less subtle was the common practice of Chinese parents pressuring their children to overachieve and to get married, but that’s real.
Surprisingly, given our current atmosphere, and that this is a Disney film, Shang-Chi was not used as a political platform to further an agenda. I was truly afraid that Shang-Chi would be littered with #stopasianhate talking points and there was none of that. This movie was character-driven, which is how every movie, novel, comic, or tv show. should be.
But this is what drove it home for me. This no-name director fixed Iron Man 3. Finally, we got to see the Mandarin in all his glory, and not an actor. I’ll get more into that when I talk about the script. But holy-cow-wow.
You may have also noticed that martial arts, in this movie, was used as a form of communication and character growth, not just as a weapon. That’s something you don’t see very often. Bravo Director Destin, bravo.
In the end, what really counts, though, is that this great director made the story of Shang-Chi so entertaining, it got my theater clapping, smiling, and laughing, from beginning to end. Gold stars across the board!
I hope to see more of his work in the future.
GRADE: A
THE SCRIPT
The ugliest secret to the movie industry is that most films are literally written on-set. Back in the ’80s or ’90s, there would maybe be a minor rewrite or punch-up on-set, every now and then. But to write a movie on-set was unheard of. Fast-forward to the present, you’ll find that many storylines and characters are crafted not in pre-production, but during production, during filming. That makes me cringe. When you factor into the equation that movies are shot out of order – well, let’s just say this is a recipe for a perfect disaster. This is how crappy movies such as “The Rise of Skywalker” or “The Last Jedi” are made. And well, it kinda explains why so many movies suck. They are all first drafts.
But – for Shang-Chi, it looked as though this movie was written rather carefully.
There are a few great easter eggs in Shang-Chi that ties this movie directly back towards Tony Stark. Check out that flag! Now we find out that the ten rings are responsible for creating Iron Man.
Mostly everyone can agree, what was done to the Mandarin in Iron Man 3, was blasphemy of the highest order. In case you don’t know, the Mandarin is one of Iron Man’s iconic nemeses. Could you imagine turning Lex Luthor into a cowardly actor for the Superman franchise? That’s how sinful Iron Man 3 was.
I actually had the chance to talk to the creator of Iron Man, not Stan Lee, at a Con, and he told me that this was done to avoid chumming the waters with the Chinese. In Iron Man 3, the Mandarin was an actor – and in Shang-Chi, we finally got to meet the real Mandarin. It’s just too bad we didn’t get to see him fight Iron Man.
By the way, Director Destin didn’t only direct Shang-Chi, he also played some type of role in writing it. I’m not sure how much input he had here, but I’m deducing that his influence was rather heavy given the other names on the script. David Callaham is primarily credited with writing Shang-Chi, but his resume makes me puke: Wonder Woman ’84, Mortal Kombat. Ugh! Callaham also claims to have written the Expendables, which is a movie that has no real plot. Shang-Chi is far above his pay grade. None of the movies that Callaham penned were carefully written. Why would this be an exception? So, something had to happen, right?
Andrew Lanham, a writer who has worked almost exclusively with Destin from the beginning of his career, is also credited as a screenwriter. It’s my strong opinion that David Callaham probably penned the original script, and when Destin was slated to direct the movie, he brought on his trusty sidekick to rewrite this script, and that’s what we got to see.
The screenplay is very tightly written. There’s not a wasted scene here, no wasted flowery dialogue, no agendas, no politics interjected. The characters are easy to understand, and their motivations are clear.
GRADE: A
IT’S ACTING, BABY!
Everyone did well, no complaints. I’m a fan of Simu Liu from Kim’s convenience. He can play comedy rather well, and the chemistry between him and Awkwafina was awesome. Awkwafina, by the way, you can tell she’s very much capable of acting dramatically. It’s really obvious how great of an actress she is. By the way, the whole cast was great, no bad actors in this movie.
GRADE: A
Now it’s time to get into the characters:
SHANG-CHI “Shaun” is a Type Nine “Peacekeeper”
For most superhero/fantasy movies, your hero will be either a Type One “Reformer” or Type Eight “Challenger.”
Type Ones are your law and order personality types: Batman, Captain America; who have a compulsive fear of making the wrong decision. This can be a strength and a curse, especially if you take it to the extremes like Batman.
Type Eights can be about law and order, but they are more about themselves and all about power. They are many times assholes, yet ironically superheroes. Think Deadpool, Wolverine, Maverick. They are natural leaders, but somewhat hard to get along with. Other characters will thank god they are on their side.
Shang-Chi is a bit of a different type of hero as his first reaction to conflict is to cower. He’s not a Reformer or Challenger, but a Peacekeeper. Peacekeepers, type Nines, are not natural leaders, and will always choose to talk their way out of a fight, unlike a Type Eight, who would jump headfirst into a brawl. Shang-Chi chose to not help his mother fight, he didn’t return to rescue his sister from his father, he didn’t defend himself in college, and depended on Katy (Awkwafina) to bail him out of conflicts. Shang-Chi also was quite content parking cars for a living, not wanting anything more than to drink and sing karaoke. Being a hero was the last thing on his mind, running away was his solution.
If you’re wondering, Spider-Man is a Type Nine “Peacekeeper” as well. They really don’t deal well with conflict, of any type. I’m sure you can see the similarities now that I’ve mentioned it.
KATY is a Type Seven “Enthusiast”
Shaun, as a Type Nine who is content with parking cars, because he wants to avoid conflict. Katy, on the other hand, is content with parking cars beacuse it gives her the opportunity to race cars around San Francisco without the owner’s knowledge. From driving recklessly while parking cars, to skipping out on her job to go on a mission with Shang-Chi (without asking questions,) to risking her life while fighting supernatural creatures, to singing the night away, no adventure is neither too small nor large for Katy. As long as it’s an adventure, she’s all game. That’s your typical “Enthusiast” personality type.
Type Seven’s do exist in real life, and they are definitely fun to hang around with. Just don’t expect them to have a stable job, a set schedule, or even a permanent address. Sevens are probably the most likable characters in movies because they are unpredictable. They are not stupid, on any level. They just can’t sit still. Usually, scientists are written as Type Sevens in movies. Who doesn’t love a mad scientist who takes his experiments too far?
WENWU “The Mandarin” is a Type Eight “Challenger”
Out of all the characters in this movie, we got to see the full character arc of Wenwu, from when he was at his worse, at his best, and how chose to play his cards after he lost his wife and children. Dave Callaham said in an interview, that Wenwu was a difficult character to write.
But if you know about personality types, it’s not hard at all.
Wenwu is your stereotypical Type Eight personality, whose longing for his lost wife, drove him in the wrong direction. And like most type Eights, he used power as his solution, rather than reason. Almost every type of unhealthy Type Eight took the direction of WenWu, in real-life and fiction. In fiction, Venom, Wolverine, Doc Oct, Deadpool, Martin Riggs, all of who were Type Eights, broke rules in the name of love. In real life, Clyde, of the bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde, was a Type Eight challenger. Bonnie, was a Counterphobic Type Six Loyalist.
Type Eights are all about power and are natural-born leaders. Rules to type eights are not a matter of black and white, but more like a shade of gray, if they believe in rules at all. At their best, they tend to help mold others into stronger versions of themselves, acting in the role of a coach who dishes out tough love. At their worse, they are often selfish, compulsive lawbreakers, stubborn, and can lead their flock down the wrong path.
Again, writing a character like Wenwu is not difficult. Just use the enneagram to nail down his personality, and well…it’s as easy as that…
Growth for a Type Eight typically happens when they slow their emotions and embrace their Nine “Peacekeeper” wing. In other words, WenWu had to encounter a personality like his wife or his son to grow. In the case of Wenwu, his strong martial arts form found peace when he encountered the peaceful practices of Tai Chi (by his future wife).
By the way, the Type Eight is the most common personality to use as an antagonist because they are very pro-active, and can easily drive the story. Without Wenwu, there would be no Shang-Chi, there would be no Iron Man.
LAST THOUGHTS
Remember, the ultimate goal of any professional storyteller is to go unnoticed. It’s kinda like magic. When you do it well, your audience believes anything you feed them. The faster you can get your audience to buy into your beautiful lie, and the longer you can hold them there, the more likely they’ll come out of that theater smiling. So make sure characters are relatable, situations and solutions – believable, even if it’s fantasy.
Even though I dissect films from a technical aspect, I only do this to learn, and then to teach. But I’m much of a fan of great storytelling as anyone else, and I bought into Shang-Chi from the very beginning and stayed there till the end credit scene. This is a great movie for your family and kids. I’m definitely buying the stream on Amazon once it’s available.
GRADE: A
Steve Young
