The Most Underrated Marvel Movie Is Finally Streaming on Disney+

The greatest Marvel superhero of the past few years has finally come home. AlthoughShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsbroke post-pandemic box office records, there’s a good chance many families skipped it because it wasonlyin theaters. But now, that’s changed.

For Disney+ day,Shang-Chiis streaming at no additional cost. UnlikeBlack WindoworMulan, this means you do not — repeatdo not— have to pay the additional $29.99 to watchShang-Chi．It’s just on there with a regular Disney+ subscription.

What MakesShang-ChiSo Great

Although many superhero stories focus on underdogs who find their story as heroes, the character Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) is unique insofar as he’s a guy who is trying to shake a legacy of anti-heroes. Infamously, his father, Wenwu (Tony Leung) is the kingpin of a crime syndicate. So, like a martial arts version of Luke Skywalker, the journey of Shang-Chi is all about trying to avoid an undesirable family business.

Shang-ChiBrings Marvel Back to the Ground

After the kooky otherworldliness ofWandaVisionandLoki, what makesShang-Chiso exceptional is that it reminds you that Marvel movies take place in thereal world．Yes, there are some quasi-magical superpowers happening here — and a herd of fuzzy, mystical creatures — but tonally this movie feels more like the 2008Iron Manthan something likeInfinity WarorCaptain Marvel．This vaguely “realistic” aspect ofShang-Chiis a good reminder of why everyone liked Marvel movies in the first place: Big purple space gods are cool, but the only reason we cared was that the MCU built a real, believable world first.

InShang-Chinot every single person we meet is a superhero, and in this way, is also the opposite of theEternals．

Older Kids and Tweens Will LoveShang-Chi

If you’ve got a Marvel-obsessed kid who is around 8 to 13 years old or so, the movie is sort of perfect. It’s about a guy and his friends trying to figure out their place in the world. It might not be as accessible to younger kids as something likeThor: Ragnarok, but that’s also kind of not the point. The aim ofShang-Chiis for us to watch someonebecomea hero. It may seem old-fashioned, but considering how dark Marvel has gotten lately (looking at youFalcon and Winter Soliderepisode 4, most ofBlack Widow)Shang-Chiis an almost pathologically optimistic movie.

No,Shang Chiis not for the “whole family,” but it’s closer to being a family movie than most MCU movies have felt since, perhaps,Spider-Man: Far From Home．这不是一个完美的电影,但我s fun as hell, and most of all, refreshingly upbeat. Oh, and thesoundtrack is great.

You can watchShang-Chion Disney+ right here.

Here’s how to watch it with the “IMAX ENHANCED” feature