Films

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – 4 Stars

A new phase for the Marvel Cinematic Universe is heralded by a fun new hero, a strong villain, an exciting fi lm and a hell of a lot of cool action.

SHAUN (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina) are valets in San Francisco, but their normal life is interrupted when Shaun is attacked on the bus by a group of assassins on the hunt for his pendant.

Katy is stunned to discover that Shaun is actually Shang-Chi, the son of Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung)–a 1000-year-old power broker, who runs a nefarious organisation with the help of ten magical rings that give him both immortality and unique powers.

Shang-Chi, trained to be an assassin by his father aft er his mother died when he was 7 years old, hasn’t seen his family in years aft er running away at age 14.

But the assassins arrival indicates that his father is on his path, and when he fi nds out he is also gunning for his sister Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), Shang-Chi and Katy travel to Asia to track her down and protect her–only to discover that Wenwu’s plans are much more dangerous and destructive than they ever thought.

As the fi rst Marvel Cinematic Universe fi lm with an Asian-American lead, Shang Chi is a really exciting piece of cinema that is well acted, serviced by the casting and the scripting. Simu Liu, who campaigned very publicly for the role, is magnetic as Shang-Chi, and solidly defi nes himself as an ‘above the marquee’ title star. Awkwafi na is hilarious as Katy, and her performance (along with the strong script writing in her department).

Perhaps the most impressive performance on display though is in the villain department. Many of the MCU fi lms have been criticised for middling antagonists, but Tony Leung, who is an incredibly wellknown thespian in Asia, tackles the role with aplomb, creating a lasting legacy as the real Mandarin that is impressive and constantly engaging.

Th e script gives these actors plenty of moments to fl esh out the actual emotionality of the story, and bring real pathos to some of the action scenes.

But it’s not all talk–Shang Chi also brings the action, in new and exciting ways when compared with the rest of the MCU ilk. Th ere’s a hell of a lot of incredible kung-fu style action on display here, and it feels new and refreshing in a franchise that too oft en deals with CGI monsters fi ghting CGI heroes. It’s great to be able to see some exciting stunt work on display.

Th e visuals also complement the action. Th e set decoration, the costuming, and even the CGI is fresh and vibrant, with a mix of exciting colours and patt erns, as well as some whimsical and amazing creatures. It’s a beautiful fi lm to watch, and that sucks you into this world all the more.

Faults only appear in terms of the story and the structure. For a franchise that is moving towards the exciting possibilities off ered by the multiverse, there are elements of this fi lm that seem played out–there’s a lot of Th or’s DNA here for example. Th en again, there’s something nice about the comfort of seeing a story we love told again well, and with diverse new faces.

Shang-Chi is a welcome big screen gem from Marvel, that will breed excitement for where the MCU goes post-Avengers.

Reviews by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com

Joe Bell – 3 Stars

A semi-biopic that tugs on the heartstrings, while not necessarily practicing what it preaches.

JOE Bell (Mark Wahlberg) is walking across America–end destination; New York. Accompanying him seems to be his son Jadin Bell (Reid Miller), as he journeys across the country spreading an anti-bullying message at town halls, schools and AA meetings.

As the movie unfolds, however, we discover that Jadin took his own life. Joe’s walk of penance is murky in its reasoning, his wife Lola (Connie Britt on) asking him the point of all of this and him being unable to explain what exactly he is trying to achieve. Th e fi lm, therefore, is an exploration of Joe’s own reckoning with his guilt, and his redemption.

Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, Joe Bell is short at 93 minutes and snappy–it never drags, and always holds your interest. It’s also relatively compelling. Our emotions are adeptly pulled at and tugged on in all the right ways throughout the piece, to create a genuine connection with the story and the material.

Structurally, the piece intersperses two time periods rather than functioning linearly, which again adds an element of both pathos and intrigue, although outright surprise will be avoided by anyone who has seen the over-expositing trailer.

Th e issues with Joe Bell stem from the story itself, and indeed the title gives it away–as much as there is a tragedy in the death of Jadin, the story is fundamentally Joe’s story.

Which is counterintuitive to the extreme, given that the fi lm itself has Wahlberg literally lament making Jadin’s story in his lifetime all about Joe, while simultaneously making his aft erlife (and this fi lm), all about Joe.

Th en again, the story necessitates this because the only thing uncommon about this tale is the walk across America from the title character. Th e fact is, suicide, bullying, and discrimination are all too common to make a feature fi lm out of, and that lends this movie a distinct air of sadness that we need Joe to craft a story out of Jadin.

Nevertheless, this is a tight story told with feeling. It features a strong performance from Wahlberg, reminding us that he can act and not just run and shoot guns. It also introduces us to Reid Miller, who is magnetic on screen.

Joe Bell does everything right in portraying grief on screen–it’s just a shame that focus is pulled from the tragedy.

Reviews by Jacob Richardson Creative Director | Film Focus www.filmfocusau.com