Shang-Chi film review: Marvel’s latest grabs the brass ring—all ten of them

This film review originally ran on August 23, 2021, to coincide with its press embargo being lifted. We are bringing it back in light of its wide release on Friday, September 3-and unlike other recent Disney/Marvel films, this film has launched as a theatrical exclusive.

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  Debuting exclusively in theaters on September 3, 2021. [credit: Marvel Studios ]

If you want to know what direction Marvel's post-Avengers superhero films are going, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a pretty clear indicator-and it's an optimistic one at that.

I had a blast watching Shang-Chi, which arrives exclusively in theaters on Friday, September 3, and I spent most of the time after my screening wishing for more. It could have been longer. Maybe there's a director's cut. Or, maybe this is the darned good launch of an entirely new film franchise, and this film is merely meant to set up the even more fully rounded sequel(s). Whatever the case, that's a decidedly better way to leave theaters than being bored, annoyed, or otherwise shaken out of a good moviegoing experience by bad writing, acting, and directing decisions.

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