With a 98% approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes and $71.4 million gross revenue on opening weekend, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” set the tone for the new Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Many were worried about this movie being one of the first Marvel movies to open solely in theaters since the beginning of the pandemic. 

Many other Marvel projects have been pushed back for released or been released on streaming as well as in theaters.

The Black Widow movie that came out in July was available for streaming and showing in theaters. 

Eternals which has a star-studded cast and will be another step for Marvel’s “Phase Four” was pushed back on its premier many times. 

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” would be used as a guinea pig on whether or not to release Eternals theatrically, for streaming or both, like “Black Widow.” 

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” surpassed all odds and succeeded in places where many thought it would fail and has not been in theaters for a full week. 

The story begins with the Legend of the Ten Rings and the family who has had the Rings’ power for generations creating and toppling empires. 

A terrorist organization called “The Ten Rings” can be tied back to the kidnapping of Tony Stark, who would soon become Iron Man. 

Shang-Chi, who is played by Simu Liu is the movie’s protagonist who has left his life behind for the past decade to live how he has always wanted to. 

But soon he is drawn back into his family’s troublesome ways when warriors of the Ten Rings find Shang-Chi and steal a pendant from him that belonged to his sister. 

He then reveals his true identity to his best friend Katy, played by Awkwafina, and they travel to an underground fight club that ran by Shang-Chi’s sister, Xu Xialing, played by Meng’er Zhang. 

Once the siblings are reunited with Katy, the Ten Rings ambush the fight club and take Shang-Chi, Xialing and Katy back to the Ten Rings compound. 

Wenwu, played by Tony Leung, who is the leader of the Ten Rings and Shang-Chi and Xialing’s father, uses the stolen pendant to create a map that will lead him to a place called “Ta Lo.” 

Wenwu tells his children that their mother has been trapped in Ta Lo and have been calling for him to come and free her. 

He tells his children that if they cannot free her, then he will destroy the mystical village. 

After Shang-Chi, Xianlin, and Katy all object, he imprisons all of them. 

The trio escapes from the prison and find Ta Lo before Wenwu does. 

They warn the village of their father’s impending attack. They meet a woman named Ying Nan, played by Michelle Yeoh, who is Li’s sister. 

She warns them that the person or thing that has been talking to their father is not Li, played by Fala Chen. 

Ying Nan tells them that thousands of years ago, Ta Lo was attacked by a creature named the Dweller-in-Darkness, but the village was saved by a dragon called the Great Protector. 

After they learn of this, the trio stays with the village and helps them prepare for the incoming battle. 

Soon, Wenwu and the Ten Rings appear, and the battle beings. Shang-Chi and his father fight, and his father blasts him into a nearby lake. 

While in the lake, Wenwu begins to break down the gate holding back the Dweller-in-Darkness’ minions begin to escape the gate. 

The villagers and the Ten Rings soon join forces to attack the minions. 

While this is happening, Shang-Chi is revved by the Great Protector, who then leaves the lake to fight also. 

Shang-Chi and his father fight once more and before delivering a deadly blow to his father, Shang-Chi decides to spare him. 

While all of this is going on, the Dweller-in-Darkness escapes from the gate. 

The Dweller-in-Darkness attacks Shang-Chi, but his father saves him. In doing so the Dweller-in-Darkness kills Wenwu, but before this happens, he gives the Ten Rings to Shang-Chi. 

With the help of The Protector, Katy, Xialing and the power of the Ten Rings, Shang-Chi is able to fight and kill the Dweller-in-Darkness. 

After the battle is won. Shang-Chi and Katy return home, but later are summoned to the Sanctum Sanctorum by Wong, who was in Endgame, and Dr. Strange. 

The three are in a meeting about the power that the Ten Rings hold with Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel, and Bruce Banner, Hulk. 

They are trying to figure out where the Rings came from and then discover that they are emitting a signal to someone in outer space. 

Overall this is a must-see if you want to stay up to date with Marvel and what Phase Four has to offer.