Shang Chi: I Can See Clearly Now...

I went to a cinema and watched a movie! I KNOW! It was Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and it was a Good Marvel Movie. Which is to say, if you like Marvel movies you will probably like it, if you don't...you probably won't.
Also I could actually see what was happening in the fights, which were excellent and it made me happy.
Though your boy Cliff (Clev? Cleph? IDK) coming at you on the bus was...I feel called out, Marvel. But in an amusing way.
Music:
Checkpoint 76 - Bonnie Grace - epidemicsound.com
Allégro - Emmit Fenn

[@cftug]

"It doesn't matter how bad the writing is, sign me up for that cliché!" I'm feeling very called out right now.

[@JillBearup]

YOU'RE WELCOME

[@8-bitsarda747]

that's me with "the opening starts playing in the middle of the fight" that shows up so frequently in anime and anime adjacent media

[@zayaweight9579]

y u do dis to us

[@Jemini4228]

Behold the wheelbarrow in which I carry the cliches I love!

[@moonlight_wolfiez2667]

fr hahaha

[@CrimsonTemplar2]

The bus fight was fantastic. You could definitely tell they’d brought on Jackie Chan’s fight coordinator for this film & the bus fight shines because of it.

[@classicslover]

Correction: Brad Allen is a member of Jackie Chan's Stunt Team and is a protege of Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan taught Brad Allen how to choreograph.

[@DeanS946]

@@classicslover Double correction: he was the LEADER of the stunt team. People keep forgetting this.

[@classicslover]

@@DeanS946 So very true!

[@EricChoiniere]

I think the first fight should be looked at as more than the "flirty fight" as you define it. It does a few things: 1. Show how Li (Shang-Chi's mom) could fall in love with this man we've just seen be a evil conqueror. 2. Show how the evil conqueror fell in love and gave up his own empire. 3. Set up a theme of the movie, which is that Shang-Chi is the product of both of his parents, the good and the bad. 4. Set up how he can eventually defeat his father using his mother's techniques. 5. Bridge the narration to the scene of young Shang-Chi and Li with a "how I met your father" joke. And of course, 6. Give us a cool fight scene.

[@shigekax]

Definitely point number 4 hits the hardest at this point in the movie because we just saw the father being a literal god for a millenia and he was kind of left in the dust easily. It's both a relief that the big bad isn't all that big and bad and a good way to show that the mother *really isn't* on the weak side.

[@miguelfreitas5343]

Imma be honest, I was watching that fight play out and I was wondering how the hell his mom fell in love with his dad... Like, I get that eventually they came to a point where they weren't actually fighting, just getting to know each other, but I really didn't understand how that happened. Like, she's suppoed to be defending her village and he's just an intruder who's trying to kill her... How does one thing lead to the other?? Maybe I'm just stupid, but I really don't get it 😅

[@troodon1096]

@@miguelfreitas5343 Love is sometimes not just blind, but willfully blind, is about the only way I can explain it. That he saw something in her that he admires is not hard to believe; but I'm with you that it's hard to see how she saw something admirable in him. But love doesn't always make sense, so I'm willing to suspend my disbelief a bit for the sake of a story. It's far from the most implausible thing in the film and I'm willing to excuse a lot of MCU-ness for the sake of the story.

[@shadebug]

I remember seeing everybody going on about how you had to review the flirty fight and it took me a moment to remember there even was a flirty fight. It's a great fight and it develops the characters but it doesn't feel flirty at all, it makes them develop a respect for each other from whence they can start dating

[@Izanagi009]

Shang Chi was fun for me. I love the elements of Chinese culture they used and it felt genuine in it's use of them. I liked Tony Leung's character; he's probably one of the better marvel villains. I argue that the film is generally great: solid emotional beats, action and comedy. I would recommend it. As for the flirty fight, seeing the dichotomy between Bajiquan/Tai Chi and the more aggressive Kung Fu (not sure what style) was a very good way to set the characters apart. It also was a good way to illustrate the blooming of romance. Edit: As for the bus fight, the fight director for that and the movie was Brad Allan I think, someone who worked with Jackie Chan in the past so if you felt the fight was similar to some of Jackie's past stuff, that's why Edit 2: thanks for the heart and likes

[@macmcleod1188]

fyi... when you edit something, you lose any "hearts." better to reply instead.

[@Izanagi009]

@@macmcleod1188 thank you. will keep in mind

[@Carcosahead]

no heart :/

[@macmcleod1188]

@@Carcosahead he had a heart but it was removed when he edited the post to thank for the heart .

[@grimlock1471]

When I saw the trailer where he whacked the ninja in the face with the floorboard from the scaffolding, my first thought was "This has a a rather Jackie Chan feel to it. Interesting."

[@mickfoil]

Guang Bo is played by Yuen Wah, who - back in his day - doubled for Bruce Lee (doing backflips) in "Enter the Dragon." Also, Tony Leung is so frigging amazing as the villain - I love a good villain who does not play the completely bug-eyed, rabid, foaming at the mouth villain, and Tony Leung delivers no question.

[@MarkusAldawn]

I imagine "Bruce Lee's stunt double" was quite a vote of confidence when it came to getting a role

[@mickfoil]

@@MarkusAldawn He's also worked with Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Michelle Yeoh - I know only a bit about his career but he's worked for a long time.

[@mickfoil]

@@MarkusAldawn But, yeah - doubling Bruce Lee? DEFINITELY a vote of confidence. :D

[@jamesheald7971]

Tony Leung -- Broken Sword from Hero (2002)

[@mickfoil]

@@jamesheald7971 Also the Grandmaster, playing Ip Man. He has a gorgeous fight with Ziyi Zhang. I forgot he was in Hero, though! Now I need to watch it again.

[@BestgirlJordanfish]

I personally love this movie because it feels like it fights the Marvel formula while still following it. Asians? It feels surgical in fighting stereotype and themes Asian Americans experience. From defying family to driving, it was a nice twist to make a Kung fu movie that twists into an Asian fairy tale. Marvel humor? The plane scene helped transition the backstory into heart to heart personal conversation. And Katy's character was really damn real to that zillenial Asian American experience. Camera? It didn't look ugly and grey like other Marvel movies. Especially in the tower wow it's gorgeous the way they uses bright neon lighting in the back to create silhouettes. Convenience? I expected a white conduit going in to make white audiences come in clueless and have someone as a sidekick or student, but here he was a punchline that turned into a comedic GUIDE. And again, this storytelling is not uncommon within Asian fairy tales, where things convenient appear within fortune because the characters were open and found a separate path to earn it. They've accepted the call to action and accepted each other just moments before. Fights? Easily the strongest they've had, even when the CG was applied. The Hero earns victories through objectives rather than winning just because they miraculously won like so many others. Side characters? Dominantly female and found ways to meaningfully participate. Katy started out as a vulnerable side objective that added fight tension but she still managed to be helpful, and having her navigate the forest kept her useful too. Plus the final throat shot had her honestly more useful and active than any other Marvel sidekick period.

[@PanAndScanBuddy]

All these things! I saw an early screening and it was so good, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Because it does sort of do the Marvel formula but not quite, and even when I couldn't articulate that, I felt it. It just worked better. It had something to say that I hadn't heard before. Great stuff.

[@classicslover]

Jordan Nguyen MUCH applause for this comment! STANDING OVATION even! Can I like it twice?

[@master0fthearts894]

@@classicslover Unfortunately not because KZbin forgot to add that to its most recent update. 😞

[@RorikH]

I thought the kung-fu was really great and well put together, the fight with the kaiju at the end was a little messy. On the bus I understood that you have to hit the other guys and not get hit with the hot blade because you'll die. I didn't really know what the rules of the dragon fight were.

[@classicslover]

@@master0fthearts894 How inconvenient of them. Ah well! It's the thought that counts I guess!

[@JustGrowingUp84]

This really seems to be a proper Asian martial arts film transposed in the Marvel universe. Which is great!

[@Duiker36]

A relative of mine called it the best HK film that Hollywood has put out. They're not wrong.

[@JustGrowingUp84]

@@Duiker36 I haven't seen it yet, so this is very encouraging, especially for fans of the genre like me.

[@nicolebee3283]

When I was watching it all I could think of was “what will Jill think of this”

[@JillBearup]

Apparently this was a common reaction. It is On Brand™️ 😂

[@autumn_equinox]

Not me showing up excitedly only to stop, furrow my brows, and go “oh wait… I already watched this on Nebula earlier today” gotta love my neurodivergent brainglob lol 👍🏻

[@JillBearup]

Today I called a company and half way through the call forgot if I had told them where I live or not. (I hadn’t, but they knew where I lived anyway 😂)

[@autumn_equinox]

@@JillBearup 😂 ohhh gosh, that’s a nearly daily occurrence with me: be it with doctors, professionals, even in personal life… I try keeping notes and lists in a journal and that seeeeems to help a little, but still 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@autumn_equinox]

@@JillBearup Oh, and OT but I love your videos and can’t get enough! I’m currently going through your P&P playlist for the 6th? time 😆 I’ve learned so much over the years and appreciate aspects of fight choreo and just notice it far more in various media than before. And, as someone who loves to dissect literally everything to within an inch of its life, I just love being armoured with this particular perspective. Thank you, you’re amazing! 😊🙌🏻⚔️💖

[@jimsanderson9020]

Isn't it odd that 'martial' and 'marital' are so similar?

[@IAmTheAce5]

It feels like familiarity- you literally have to get closer

[@macmcleod1188]

Your question intrigued me so i dug onto it. Martial comes from Mars, God of War. Marital comes from maritus ("husband") which comes from proto indo european "meryo" and "meryos" to which the Latin added "itus". I can't find any tie between Mars and "meryo" or maritus.

[@qwertyTRiG]

A fact that Terry Pratchett had fun with in Lords and Ladies. "They're doing it with sticks!"

[@raraavis7782]

@@macmcleod1188 I love, that you actually looked that up. I'm into Etymology myself and it's such a rare interest. I just find it fascinating, how we can trace back the origin and meaning of words.

[@macmcleod1188]

@@raraavis7782 yes I was wondering if there's some deep tie on the basic sound between man and War but couldn't find one. I mean why did they choose the word "Mars" as the name for their God of War? Couldn't find the foundation for it. And yes, a fascination with words and their roots pays Rich benefits when consuming entertainment. Even spoilers when you realize that the characters name is "bad" in some other language. Like Mal from Inception.

[@sebwryyo2589]

Uuhhh yess, the flirty flight was amazing! It was so floaty

[@JillBearup]

So pretty

[@beccag2758]

I also overall enjoyed the movie, and I’m pretty interested to see what the sister does with the Ten Rings organization she inherited. (I saw a comment saying how funny it would be if a Ten Rings, Black Widow, and HYDRA agent all tried to assassinate the same person) Side note: there’s some pretty cool fight choreography in What If…? Particularly the Captain Carter and Zombies episodes if you’re interested in that (the episodes are only 30 minutes so it’s not a large time commitment)

[@NinjaGidget]

I had mentioned to the friend I saw the movie with that I was so glad they hadn't pulled the "she was EVIL all along" trope and had her betray Shang-Chi in the final fight... and then post-credit scene. Now I'm in denial. She's not resurrecting a shadow organization for nefarious purposes, she's turning them into a punk, egalitarian eco-terrorist org! It's fine!

[@grimlock1471]

Ten Rings, Red Room and Hydra all going after the same target? It's times like this I miss Stark. Because he would be the one suggest sitting back and watching the villains pound on each other for a little while. While munching on popcorn. Rocket would probably say that too.

[@redace001]

I can't deny it. While watching the bus fight in the theater the first time, I instantly thought. "Hey, they should have put Jill in there as a cameo instead of random asian dude 'Cliff' ". She could also have pulled a dagger or such out of a secret bodice pocket or something, and tossed it to Shawn in a dramatic way. :D

[@stevenrasche3159]

That would be an amazing but weird What If story!

[@M.Nowak.]

Jill, literally my top two thoughts during this entire movie were 1) Oh wow! You can see their faces! I feel like that's something that never happens and will excite Jill! and 2) God, I really hope Jill breaks down at least one of these fights in the future

[@AddictedToMusic95]

I would adore a full fight breakdown of honestly any of the fights in this film - I really enjoyed how much storytelling happened during the fights . Also, huge appreciation for feeling like I could functionally understand fight scenes better in one of the first new films I've see since I found your channel!

[@mcvenne8935]

I really liked the fight because the point wasn't being flirty. They were just two great fighters going up against each other and a connection was created throughout it. It doesn't end with them about to kiss. It ends with them being thoroughly intrigued with each other and wanting to know more.

[@alicehalvardsson3197]

Exactly, I loved it because of the connection and tension. They’re both very serious but at the same time we can feel that this is the beginning of something. For me it’s a tension filled fight with lots of chemistry and potential, not a flirty fight but maybe a pre-flirty fight-fight?😂

[@mcvenne8935]

@@alicehalvardsson3197 Couldn't have said it better. XD

[@alicehalvardsson3197]

@@mcvenne8935 Thank you:) I swear, I could rewatch the fight scene like 1000 times and still not get over the TENSION

[@mcvenne8935]

@@alicehalvardsson3197 Same!

[@RorikH]

"Clichés as old as the hills that you still like" I think TvTropes calls these "Undead Horse Tropes" Also I loved that the fight scenes weren't full of cuts, it's a huge problem I've been having with the more recent ones.

[@alinageorge2681]

I agree with how the fight scenes were more enjoyable to watch compared to many MCU fights! I loved the choreography overall, but there were some scenes that I felt would have delivered better if they used a more Eastern-style of cinematography to capture the action. Given that MCU movies are still Western, that didn’t bother me much anyway, plus the martial arts influence is still clearly present!

[@wystellia]

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Shang-Chi! I found the flirty fight so pretty on first viewing and it does establish how respect, and later on love, can change someone even as bad as Wenwu was at the beginning. Upon second viewing though their fight hit even harder, as by then you know just how deeply Wenwu loved Ying Li and how strong her sense of duty and protection is (and how much she sacrificed later on, as she used to be strong enough to even defeat Wenwu)

[@VioletDeVille]

As I was watching the fights unfold, I said to myself, “I hope Jill does a video on them.” 💜

[@BjornTheDim]

This makes me feel quite hopeful for when I inevitably see it. Something that I have come to dislike about Marvel films is that you basically get two varieties of fights: horrendously cut, choppy scenes where it's really hard to tell what's going on; or hallways. And meanwhile, in some of my favorite action movies, fights can be complicated and chaotic, with the camera keeping track of multiple people with their own tasks at different locations... yet my mind knows exactly where they are and what they're trying to do.

[@barrelracer12]

The reason I loved this scene, and the scene between Shang-Chi and his aunt, are because it was beautiful. I almost wanted to compare it to a dance. And I loved how it was showing off, very well in my opinion, the two fighting styles. The flirty part didn't bother me too much and honestly I didn't see it as very important.

[@richardlawson5929]

I had a really difficult time getting into the flirty fight because the dude had just let three of his goons die and he'd shown no remorse, and in the very next scene, romance blooms? Ugh. The thing I liked best about the movie is that they had opposite gender best friends who by the end of the movie had *not* become a couple. That was incredibly refreshing to see.

[@heywhat6676]

Its the same problem for me! Its honestly not too believable

[@DianaGohan]

I agree on Shang and Katy just being friends and not getting together at all. Seriously seemed like we were only going to get that from Marvel movies where the lead and co star were either ridiculously different ages (Captain marvel with Carol and Nick Fury) or related (Black Widow with Natasha and Yelena) where the female hero was the star. But no here's a movie where the male lead was the star but yeah still didn't have him get together with his female co star at all so that's good. I however disagree with the flirty fight. Because the movie had set up how Wenwu being this ancient warrior with these super rings for thousands of years obviously didn't really form attractions and pretty much considered everyone beneath him thus why he didn't care about his own people dying; he's just going to out live them easily and they are really nothing to him. However Ying actually being able to fight and even best him in their flirty fight, probably for the first time in ages actually losing to someone did intrigue him. He was probably someone bored and wanted to seek out challenges so actually having someone who could challenge him actually did intrigue him and I can totally buy that leading to not only romance but also realizing how empty he had been before and finding something new to latch on. So I do very much get the idea. Though yeah I can see why Jill wouldn't be as down with this fight through her defintions of what a flirty fight should be. I have a feeling if this movie was more about Wenwu and Ying's relationship we would of gotten that but you know movie was about Shang Chi so could only show so much of that.

[@keksjanik2138]

@@MAXIMILLIONtheGREAT yes thank you I was so confused by the comments and was like: did I just read all that romance stuff in the end into it?

[@beccag2758]

@@DianaGohan Slight correction: Natasha and Steve were costars in Winter Soldier and didn’t end up together, instead they remained besties after the movie. But yes, I do like seeing male-female friendships as they are often underrepresented. However, I think Katy and Shang might have been at the start of a romance by the end of the movie, judging how their body language towards each other was different from the beginning. Which, although I do like friendships, I think is also fine because slow romances are also super rare in movies and tv anyways

[@bbittercoffee]

At that moment my mind went straight to "He's lived thousand of years, he probably has cried at the loss of his true friends and now doesn't really get attached to anybody anymore" Thankfully I could process all of that before the flirty fight (which is a new term that I'm def using) could start because that by itself was so weird but hey, it didn't matter 'cause she's dead.

[@rasaecnai]

I click on this because... well it's Jill and I click on Jill's video. Jill: spoilers Me: meh im not gonna watch anyway so why not Jill: It's a good movie... (making me want to watch it) Me: Now I regret spoiling myself lol

[@Octa9on]

I really enjoyed the movie, with the spinning and the hurting and the kicking. The flirty-ness of the flirty fight was a bit jarring for me though. I didn't know what to expect (who would win etc) but I super did not expect the slo-mo deep soul-gaze eye contact, and it took me a while to get the romantic implication. Regardless, as you said, so beautiful. I absolutely love watching epic-level soft redirection martial arts (sadly way too rare in movies), and Ying Li delivers in spades. I was quite disappointed in how the fight between Shang Chi and his father went, and how his father died. It was predictable, formulaic, and annoying. I saw what they were trying to do with the callbacks to the flirty fight -- showing the love between the opponents in spite of their conflict -- but it fell flat, probably because they hadn't done enough to show they still loved each other. Flaws notwithstanding, Shang Chi using the rings to cuisinart Cthulhu's giblets was epic, and worth the price of admission. 🙂

[@EricChoiniere]

I would say that Wenwu's death was anticlimactic, but better than other credible options. I don't think Shang-Chi should (or would) have killed him, and I don't think he deserved to be fully redeemed. Ultimately, he saves his son and dies for it, but he ensured his legacy was continued (which jives with the character).

[@xylypotatohead3947]

@@EricChoiniere I think it was still a beautiful scene and it maybe it was anticlimactic but at a point where I feel like it was ok. I don't know I liked that scene and it's placement

[@narulizard]

A note on the fight scenes, they took a lot of inspiration from old hongkong/chinese opera style fight choreography. and for the bus fight in particular; i think they took lots of inspiration from Jackie Chan and his movies. 1. The main character/protagonist is at a disadvantage (out numbered, has less weaponry, has to worry about something else) 2. The main character/protagonist has to use the environment to his advantage 3. The combatants are clearly denoted with clear colours (jackie would wear white if this opponent was wearing black) 4. The fight is filmed perpendicular to the action, so you would see both combatants in frame

[@nobody.8526]

I watched Shang-Chi in the cinema with a friend, and there was this moment in the fight where we both realised what was going on. We just looked at each other in mild concern then we turned back to the film.

[@artemisiatheta7549]

Oh Jill...as you know "You can checkout anytime you like, but you can never leave"...

[@NoraTKD]

I loved the bus fight and the one on the side of the building! Amazing choreography!

[@JubeiKibagamiFez]

"As old as the hills" is my new favorite phrase. I'm stealing that from you, Jill.

[@erichurst7897]

The wirework was some of the best I've seen in a martial arts movie, especially the fight in the forest. That was beautiful.

[@benjaminbrewer2569]

Jill’s favorite things. Sword fights on stages and baddies in rages Fights between heroes that go on for ages. A well armored women not showing much skin These are a few of my favorite things.. Dresses to fight in that hide a sharp knife. Wit that can cut to an inch of your life. A scene that is chock pfull of Banter and bashings These are a few of my favorite things. A guy and a gal who flirt as they fight Well choreographed so the action is tight A quick kiss between the cutting and slashing These are a few of my favorite scenes. When the shots dark When the lines weak When I can’t suspend disbelief, I just remember my favorite scenes And I forget my grief.

[@cecerafferty5570]

I once watched a movie called Hero, by Zhang Yimou, for a class. It was wuxia and like, had egregiously gorgeous fight scenes. That fight between Shang-Chi's parents immediately threw me right back to it.

[@terrybradford3727]

This is my favorite movie. Sharing your other video with my kids. This is so underrated.

[@SMTRodent]

That review was fantastic! I'm clear now on why and how I'd enjoy the film and the review was madly entertaining. I'm also taken by your seat cushion with the red and yellow, it's lovely.

[@eshchory]

I so agree with you about cuts and I also loved the bus fight.

[@TheCrazyPlayer]

I really enjoyed Shang-Chi, and I do think it has several excellent examples of how fight scenes can be used to express character and story (as well as the dynamics there of). I look forward to a fuller dive into the fights sometime in the future. (Because I still really want that Troy video I’ve been requesting since I first subbed to the channel.) Really enjoy seeing new content from you, and may St. Algorithmas bless your.

[@ALeftyGoth]

For point of reference on the pronunciation of "Wu Xia" (from someone who trained and lived in the chinese martial arts culture for a while, but definitely isn't an expert): There are two common terms used here that people frequently use interchangeably. They aren't synonymous, but they overlap for most common conversation. Wu Shu: This is the modern form of competitive "sport kung fu" and the basis for most "eastern martial arts" in movies. It's basically read straight the way you'd imagine with english, or "Woo Shoo". Wu Xia: This can, depending on character and context refer either to martial arts as a practice, as a film genre, or to martial artists as a particular kind of hero. You were pretty close on pronouncing this one, only missing out on the vagaries of Chinese tones. It's pronounced something close to "Woo Shia", except the "x" sound in pinyin is like a softer "sh", a little bit more forward along the top of the mouth. Ultimately, both of these terms get applied to film frequently, and while I definitely know people who get picky about it, I generally think they're being pretentious. Both are understood.

[@amyhermit1761]

You are spot on. Wu Xia is often set in ancient China. It’s also a popular book genre. Her last attempt at pronouncing Wu Xia is the closest.

[@fredtrunce5931]

I have been waiting for this!!!

[@nasasjanitor]

OH MY GOD I WAS LITERALLY WATCHING ONE OF THE FIGHT SCENES AND THOUGHT OF YOU AND YOUR VIDEOS ABOUT KIND OF SHOES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR BATTLE

[@_KungFuBarbie_]

The fights were so good! There was such variety in location and weaponry too. Incredible!

[@Emthe30something]

Jill, continuing to help me bring my nebulous thoughts about movies into focus. Thanks!

[@artemisrose3065]

Hi Jill. Love your work! As I was watching this, it reminded me of my favorite "flirty fight" (although, based on your criteria it isn't exactly one, since there is 0 dialogue in the scene). I found it amazing and very fitting in the story though, with many "feels" if you will. It's the dance fight from season 2 of Marco Polo on Netflix between "100 eyes" and "Lotus" (I think that's her name... I haven't watched it in a while). They don't even touch, but, it's just, beautiful. :_) If you haven't seen it yet, I highly suggest you have a look, at least for that scene alone.

[@SanaePrime]

As soon as I watched the film I instantly thought of you because of the flirty fight xDDDDDD Sooooo looking forward to your analysis of it!!!

[@korb9689]

My main issues with this movie were that i felt it need more time to flesh out certain plot elements and relationships, like the family dynamics between Shang-Chi, his sister and their father weren't as indepth as i would've liked, for example it was weird to me despite the clear trauma and toxicity in their relationships Shang never apologies to his sister for abandoning her or how their father never showed any remorse for how he became an absent parent after the death of their mother or how he kept putting a weapon near Shang's head everytime the father showed him affection (which is kinda fucked up).

[@thegnoblin]

I also watched this in the theater with about 10 other people, but the whole time I was watching the train fight scene I was thinking: "Jill would love this"

[@guessmyname1246]

I have been waiting for you to make this video

[@NinjaGidget]

So glad for film that lovingly shoots its fight scenes so you can actually appreciate them.

[@pyrosianheir]

I also braved the theaters for Shang-Chi! There was my small group (3 including me) in the farthest back row, and then one other guy WAY further to the front. I greatly enjoyed it. It was really fun, especially how Katy and Shang seemed to really only be a sibling bond through the whole thing. That shot of her holding on to him after the fight /could/ be read as an indication of romance, but it could also just be because they just went through a REALLY heavy fight where she thought he was going to die, and sometimes you just gotta hold the person close after that happens. A sequel could up-end that, which would be fine, but as is, I was just happy to see an action flick with opposite-gender leads where they DIDN'T hook up by the end.

[@BOABModels]

I went to see Shang Chi on Saturday AND THEN found they were showing Black Widow the next day! Two cinema visits in two days! Bloody hell!

[@BOABModels]

Also, I did like Black Widow, but I preferred Shang Chi.

[@ginsengaddict]

I have a feeling the trio of Flirty Fights in Sense8 between Sun and Mun will tickle your fancy.

[@nathaliekruger8613]

I couldn't stop laughing during the bus fight for some reason...

[@LucenProject]

1:52 I actually thought of you going over the fight scenes while I was watching the movie. 🤣

[@beckymurphy4714]

I went to an evening matinee (only about a dozen in the theater) and thoroughly enjoyed it. And was the only person who stayed until the END credits scene. I felt the fight between Wenwu and Ying Li was very much a beautiful dance. And when they'd come together and look into each other's eyes there was respect and just a hint of passion.

[@samanthaquinn3003]

I agree with you about that fight, it was strangely placed but important to the narrative. Now that I've seen the movie once, I'm curious if that fight will play differently now that I know Wenwu and Li a bit better.

[@Samantha_yyz]

Saw the movie last weekend, and this fight scene got me wondering if this was the one you'd talk about lol! XD Love the movie

[@eliseclavel7705]

I mean for the whole movie Wenwu was just there, a power move after the other

[@johngoode3509]

When watching that flirty fight, and with the way that the flashbacks were ordered, I first thought the mum was impregnated in the fight somehow

[@fsodn]

Ok, we need to order some Raindrops on Roses, and some Whiskers on Kittens, and see if Bright Copper Kettles and Warm Woolen Mittens are still in stock, and ship some to Jill's house.

[@adriansz343]

Hmm, I was on the fence about going to see this in theaters but you've convinced me to mask up and give it a watch!

[@JuryRigged]

I avoid trailers and other spoilers on principle, so I had *no* idea Trevor was going to be in the movie, and he did some great scene-stealing (playing dead was my second favorite bit from the movie. My first is when one of the sand lions (as I'm calling them) punts a baddie across the village.)

[@kuramasgirl96]

When I was watching this movie in theaters I was hoping you'd make a video on the fights c:

[@aino2835]

yeah, I definitely thought of your Zorro vid during that flirty fight, heh

[@LairdErnst]

Fun video! Can’t wait for the mom and dad fight scene review!

[@amelienabet1861]

Jil!! I wen to see this movie yesterday and I tried to see the fight scenes through your eyes, trying to imagine what you would say ^^ can't wait for you to talk about it more!!

[@Bellbebell]

“You’re not supposed to like him: he’s the bad guy!” I feel called out!

[@albion65]

The man behind the fights in the movie was Bradley James Allen, the protégé of Jackie Chan who did the fights in SCOTT PILGRIM, PACIFIC RIM, the KINGSMAN movies, KICK ASS, HELLBOY 2, and THE WORLD's END amongst others. Sadly he died recently so this and THE KING'S MAN are his last two works as a fight coordinator. RIP Bradley James Allen

[@nrais76]

Haven't seen it yet, but yes, your comments on the art of the flirty fight are right on. And Mask of Zorro's remains the pinnacle.

[@v8packard]

The best, most unique, reviews ever!

[@NIRDIAN1]

Wong's in this?! :O *adds film to watchlist*

[@LuckPuddle]

OMG got home from the movie And needed your hot take on the Ten Rings flirty fight scene and I forgot your name so I typed “Sword Lady” into KZbin and you popped up first thing! You are ubiquitous and definitive at the same time!

[@JillBearup]

That’s genuinely hilarious 😁

[@animemangalover94]

Having finally watched the movie and watching ur video after, I was a little disappointed that u didn’t actually discuss the moves of the fight or any of the attempts at flirty fighting. I totally agree with you that this doesn’t come close to the zorro flirty fight, in terms of being about characters u care about and also sexual tension who? But it was quite similar to the meet-ur-love-interest scenes in Wuxia movies so i guess I understood it in a different way. This is basically as much sexual tension and connection to the female characters as you’ll get in a wuxia movie kids, slightly above zero. It will look v pretty tho! Much swishing, very slow-mo petals/leaves. Ps the second way u pronounced the xia in wuxia was correct, thanks for trying!

[@aussiebloke609]

Flirty fights - the blending of martial and marital arts? You can steal that, if you like. :-)

[@Arikayx13]

Interesting they changed the color of the bus seats on muni to mute green. The modern busses have red ‘anyone can sit here’ and blue ‘you must get up for older or disabled’ colored seats. Which has nothing to do with fight choreography. Shooting inside a muni buss without feeling absurdly cramped is an impressive feat.

[@jenssylvesterwesemann7980]

I love Benedict Wong as an actor! My girlfriend and I used to joke about whenever he is in a science fiction movie, something goes HORRIBLY wrong. Exhibits A to C: - Sunshine (2007) - Moon (2009) - Prometheus (2012)

[@Gothtecdotcom]

Flirty fights, may try this one...

[@johnnysizemore5797]

Personally, what I THINK they were trying to show in this quasi-flirty fight was that Shang-Chi's dad didn't start out as a Villain but became corrupted by his power....

[@Swordsage]

If you want to see a "flirty fight" with Tony Leung in it that you may find to be a little better (as in, you may like the character he plays in that one better, and you'll get to know the person he's up against before they fight), then check out The Grandmaster. Granted, it also doesn't have much dialogue, but It's also well choreographed, and also very pretty, but with a whole lot less CGI!

[@aquaarietta]

I saw the flirty fight between Shang Chi's parents as a way to set up the character complexities of the movie. We aren't supposed to like Wen Wu as a person, but I think we are supposed to see him as more than just a generic villain. As for his mom, we learn through the fight that while she is clearly feels a strong duty to protect her home, her heart is still open to new possibilities for her life. I think it reflects her fighting style well. Strong, but flexible and can easily change directions. Whereas Wen Wu is much more brute force. I think the fight works as it stands because otherwise they would be the main characters instead of Shang Chi. But those are my thoughts!

[@classicslover]

EXACTLY! Someone who gets it! (bows deeply)

[@tofu_golem]

I loved it, the ending was moving for me, but I still think Black Panther was the better origin movie. Hotel California was brilliant. Marvel is so good at picking music. Hotel California is about the American Dream of suburban living, and how it's just a debt trap many never escape and fails to provide any real meaning. In the beginning of the movie, Katy and Shang's relatives criticize them for not joining the rat race. When they sing it, it is an act of defiance declaring that they aren't interested in joining the rat race with everyone else. At the end of the movie, Wong sings it with them, and Wong was the one who escorted them into the superhero life where they can permanently avoid the rat race.

[@pyrosianheir]

Also, OH MY GOD TREVOR! I was fully not expecting that, but then they walked into the cell where he was being held. I gasped in excitement and said his name. It was such a fun spot, especially since he got to hang out for the rest of the movie.

[@jastaykotuce2249]

YES. THE FIGHT SCENES.

[@DaveVespa]

I spent the 1st 10 mins trying to work out why he wasn't washing cars too.

[@KiwyAMV]

I would love to see you react to Skullgirls characters.

[@Ajbarili]

This explains why the flirty fight didn’t land for me either! I was thinking “who is this forest lady and why does she seem to like the evil warlord? Because he brought apples?”

[@JillBearup]

Where did he find an iron in the enchanted forest? that was my big question.

[@RoseKB22]

It was a fun movie. I agree with some of the character stuff, but this time I mostly went because I knew the fight choreography and camera work were going to be really really good. Also because Andy Le of Martial Club was playing Death Dealer, the guy in the theater mask. He actually helped train Simu Liu for the role of Shang Chi in the beginning. If you like martial arts fight scenes, and martial arts comedy, check out Martial Club's channel. They have some great stuff. Martial Club is writing their first movie now too.

[@kenbrown2808]

I had just made the connection between the movie titles when you mentioned Raya and the last dragon.

[@Cinnder]

I'm completely with you on the overall assessment of the film and the worries about Awkwafina's role after the annoying dragon in her last film, but I'm fascinated that you found it to be easy to see what was going on in the fights. Maybe it's because of your experience with the topic, because as a layperson I found the martial arts fighting to go so quickly that I rarely had much idea of what was happening, which made it hard to get invested in the drama of the conflict. Normally I find Marvel films to be really good at not over-clocking the fights, but here I rarely was able to keep up. Maybe I'm just old?

[@classicslover]

There are fight scenes that have SOOO many quick zoomed in cuts with a hand held shaky camera that you don't even know if the actor is ever actually participating. Its like shooting a scene of Fred Astaire dancing, and only showing clips of his face, his hand, and one of his shoes. What you want is for the camera to pull back so we can see him doing everything. Fred Astaire once said: "Either the camera will dance, or I do." What Jill meant was that we can SEE everything in the fight. The fighters are moving, the camera isn't and there are few cuts....so we can see the fight unfold. You might not be able to count the punches, but you see them thrown. Just like you might not be able to count Fred Astaire's taps during a dance, but you see them tapped! So no...you're not old.

[@crimsonraen]

Oooh, not going to watch the video because of spoilers (thanks for the warning!), but I'm super stoked to see the movie! :)

[@gigabyte2248]

I couldn't help but notice that, in the first fight scene between Shang-Chi's parents, there's a slow-motion moment where Li performs a pretty textbook ikkyo, from aikido, on Wenwu, then when there's an equivalent slow-mo moment in Shang-Chi's fight in the finale, he gets it very wrong indeed :P

[@habersmashery]

I get what you're saying about not knowing one parent and no liking the other, but I felt like that was what the fight did do well. No it was't a true flirty fight, but it did show us that the dad wasn't a cut-out evil - his ego could stand being beaten, he had a sense of fun, he doesn't take vengeance on her family because they don't want her to go with him. And if was a way of getting to know the mum, who is coded as good, and what her personality is like. So it wasn't really a flirty fight so much as a character intro fight, and I think it did that very well. I really enjoyed the movie. Decently nuanced characters, some good growth, AMAZING fight scenes and visuals, an A++ dragon, the refreshing feeling of a Marvel film set ANYWHERE OTHER THAN AMERICA. The final boss was a little flat, but only because so much time had been given to everything else, and the story wasn't really about him anyway. i had a good time.

[@blokey8]

Sorry to hear you weren't into Raya, I loved that film a whole heap and was surprised by just how hard it hit me. On a related note though... do you think you might do a video about a Wuxia film? I recently rewatched Crouching Tiger and am hungry for anything I can find about the storytelling of the fight.

[@ChuckD008]

Pretty sure they've stated that Simu Liu did most of his own stunts. What a cool dude.

[@DarkElfofVulcan]

I agree with this so much! I watched it and was like, erm, no? Milady you're better than the monster you are fighting, and I was frankly offended when she left to marry him and was subsequently fridged. Just, enough of that nonsense. Glad she was a badass. Glad she got to do things. But her fighting with this guy then deciding, ah yes, definitely going to marry this person, just not great.

[@peterxyz3541]

The Bus fight scene was the BEST of all Disney. FINALLY, can see a Hong Kong Style fight scene (after Matrix) in American cinema Ending was…ok

[@vanaharris4437]

Fun!

[@redvorno]

One of the characters with whom I really connected was actually Shang Chi father. i perfectly understood his emotions after his wife death and his desperation to have her back. The only gripe I had with his character was that, at times, movie just had to blatantly remind the audience "Hey, he is a bad guy" which for me really seemed just out of his actual character. But yeah, overall a good movie

[@Antonio-mn5pq]

Take a shot for every 'land'.

[@danielbradshaw4068]

I love that they did not turn it into a romance action movie also.