Let's start with a few sets of diagrams:
No, no, no, this is a shot from the latest official trailer released by the movie "Shangqi".
Since the release of the new trailer, many people have said:
The second trailer is much better than the first trailer!
After all, since the release of the first pilot trailer in April 2021, the film feels like "Shangqi" is going to follow in the footsteps of "Hua-Mulan".
As Marvel's first Chinese superhero movie, it has faced two controversies since the project was established:
One is the controversy caused by the villain in the original comic;
The second is the stereotypes contained in the casting of Liu Simu and Okafina in the movie.
So, can "Shangqi" "turn over" in domestic theaters?
From the official trailer for the film, we see something new.
First of all, the title of the film was changed from "Legend of Shangqi and the Ten Commandments" to "Legend of Shangqi and the Ten Rings", which was suspected of "stealing" Zhou Xingchi's film
In the trailer, we can see Shang Qi (Liu Simu) and Wen Wu (Liang Chaowei) dueling with a ring worn on the wrist.
In terms of shape and usage, it is more accurate to change from "ten precepts" to "ten rings".
Watching the "ten rings" on the wrist of Wen Wujun recycled one by one fight scenes, it is easy to think of the Hongjia Iron Wire Fist moves.
As director Destin Creighton said:
"We also have action choreography from Chinese mainland, and they design some beautiful martial arts fight scenes."
Just like the poster of Stephen Chow's movie "Kung Fu" posted in the Shangqi room in the teaser trailer, we should be able to see the shadow of the action design of many old kung fu films and old Hong Kong films.
In the original manga, the "Ten Commandments" of different colors represent different abilities, including skills such as "material recombination" and "hitting laser beams".
And this can be comparable to the "Ten Commandments" of the Infinite Glove, which is a bit like a bug in the Marvel Universe.
Therefore, just like the blue light and yellow light represented by Shangqi and Wenwu respectively in the duel, the ability of the "Ten Rings" in the film seems to have been weakened, and more emphasis is placed on the balance of ability.
Secondly, Yang Ziqiong made her debut, and the new character heralded the interweaving of the Marvel universe.
In the teaser, we can learn about the relationship between several characters.
On the one hand, Liu Simu plays Shang Qi, whose father is Wen Wu, played by Liang Chaowei, and his sister is Xia Ling, played by Zhang Meng'er;
Katy, played by Okafina, is a friend that Wen Wu met when he was working, and should be responsible for the laughter of the film.
On the other hand, Shangqi is opposed by Razor Fist played by Florian Mutru, and the death merchant who once taught Shangqi martial arts.
In the official trailer, Jiang Li, played by Chen Fara, is speculated to be Shangqi's mother.
I have to say that Liu Simu really did not inherit the appearance of his father and mother...
Jiang Nan, played by Yang Ziqiong, made his first appearance in the film, and seems to use kung fu similar to "qi", as if teaching Shangqi kung fu.
It is worth mentioning that Yang Ziqiong has previously played Aleta Ogord in "Guardians of the Galaxy 2", which is to play the rhythm of two roles in the Marvel Universe?!
In addition to Qian Xinyi's role as Jon Jon, the most eye-catching thing in the new trailer is undoubtedly the appearance of two new characters .
The villain "Hate" in The Invincible Hulk and the "King" in Doctor Strange.
The two play each other in a fight, and the timeline seems to be after Thanos' first finger ring, and Wang goes to fight to make money in order to make a living.
It is reported that in the TV series "Female Hulk", which is expected to start in 2022, Tim Rose, who plays "Hate", will return;
In the movie "Doctor Strange 2", the "king" played by Benedit Wang will also return.
The appearance of the two characters in the new film undoubtedly means the fusion of "Shangqi" and the Marvel Universe.
In addition, there is also a mythical beast "Di Jiang" derived from ancient Chinese mythology in the film;
Combined with the surroundings of the release, it is four-legged and red-winged, resembling a combination of a dragon and a dinosaur, and is named Morris in the film.
And in the face of Shangqi who fell into the deep sea, would Morris become a mysterious force that opened shangqi's "Ren Dou Second Pulse"?!
Finally, the film focuses on the core of the family and takes the road of the growth of young heroes.
Whether it is the original comic, or the Shangqi and Wenwu in the film, the father-son contradiction between the two has always run through the story.
On the one hand, Shangqi has a "childhood shadow".
In the pilot trailer, we can see that under the gaze of Wen Wu, Shang Qi has undergone rigorous training.
Whether it is a hand-to-hand fight with Razor Fist or a duel with a death merchant, it seems that Wen Wu wants to give Shang Qi a test, in order to——
"Prove yourself (Shangqi) that you are capable of harnessing them (the ten rings)."
However, in the cruel training of Wen Wu, Shang Qi does not seem to want to look back and want to get rid of the shadow of patriarchy.
Just as Xiao Shangqi saw his father subduing others in the restaurant, in his mind, he did not approve of his father's behavior and ideas:
"You're a murderous criminal."
On the other hand, the ability of Shang Qi is "not yet awakened."
Despite the brutal training he underwent as a child, For some reason, Wenwu later gave Shangqi 10 years of "free activity" time.
In the past 10 years, Shang Qi, who came to San Francisco to work, seems to be still in the process of "finding himself", and the ability in his body is still in a sleeping state.
Until 10 years later, Wen Wu did not know for what purpose, he found Shang qi again, brought him to his own Ten Rings Organization, and gradually awakened the ability of Shang Qi.
As Destin Creighton, one of the film's directors and writers, put it:
"The main problem of Shangqi in life is that you don't know who you really are."
"He has to learn how to have every part of himself, and if he doesn't allow himself to see everything — good, bad, light and dark — and have it all, he won't be able to reach his full potential."
It can be seen that Shangqi will also go through a stage of gradual maturity from black and white naivety to acceptance of darkness.
In general, the official trailer of "Shangqi" looks much more normal than the pilot trailer, whether it is a fight scene or a routine for the growth of a young hero, it is in line with the expectations of superhero films.
However, combined with the two trailers, it is too early to say that "Shangqi" will be "true", and it still leaves two defects that may be "fatal".
First, how to make Chinese audiences like Shangqi?
There is no doubt that the movie should make a drastic adaptation of the original comic, and it is likely that most of it will be original plot.
However, the much-maligned Liu Simao's "old" appearance is more abusive in the same frame as Liang Chaowei, who looks "not bad enough", and the father and son look like peers.
And Liu Simu is not inherited to his parents' appearance at all, so many netizens called directly:
"The only movie where the villain wants to win."
It can be said that Liu Simao, who lacks national popularity and passers-by, it is difficult for the audience to have empathy and a sense of substitution.
Compared with the male and female protagonists Liu Simu and Okafina, I would like to see Liang Chaowei and Yang Ziqiong fight each other.
Second, the pattern of "Shangqi" is small?
For this film, where more than 90% of the cast is Asian, the ultra-high Asian lineup does not guarantee that it will have a convincing "Chinese flavor".
Just like the movie "Picking Gold", which was released in 2018 with an all-Asian lineup, it suffered a big hit in North America and a cold reception at the domestic box office and word-of-mouth;
Hollywood blockbusters' stereotypes of Chinese culture have long been criticized by Chinese audiences.
The problem of cultural collage and style mixing such as masked men with Peking Opera faces and black-clad men like Japanese ninjas that appear in "Shangqi" still exists.
Whether it is a tribute to the plot of the lonely island competition in the movie "Dragon Fight Tiger Fight" starring Bruce Lee, or the routine of the growth of young heroes, the story content of "Shangqi" seems to be too simple.
However, just as the film will show the origin of Wenwu's establishment of the "Ten Ring Gang", "Shangqi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" focuses on the past and present lives of the "Ten Rings", and may only take the first step of the series of movies.
In addition, the film may also explain the connection between the "false adult" mentioned in the previous "Iron Man 3" and Wenwu.
Perhaps, Wen Wu is not a complete villain, and the real villain boss may have someone else.
Of course, in the film, Liu Simu's fist and foot kung fu looks good, and Liang Chaowei's English lines are also very flavorful, depending on whether the film can bring surprises beyond expectations to the audience.
It is worth mentioning that whether the film has the deep participation of Chinese capital such as a certain East, or in the "most beautiful night" annual party of a certain station, "Shangqi" has been publicized with great fanfare.
As can be seen from the above, the film will most likely be released in China, and the schedule should be similar to the release time scheduled for September 3, 2021 in the United States.
In the face of the weakness of the domestic film market for several months since the May Day show, it is unknown whether the Hollywood blockbuster "Shangqi" may receive a good box office.
So the question is, will you go to the theater to see "Shangqi"?
Bluestone Film Editorial Office | Morning
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