Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 3D Blu-ray (2021) [Region Free]

[Just_Discovered_3D]

Originally Posted by Tober27

For the reasons given above, and that you say it's unnecessary. I think it's necessary. That's the movie.
You could ignore all that dialogue, the same as you could mute any other Marvel movie and assume you know what's going on. There are family dynamics to those scenes and it's building their relationships. I would rather know what they're saying than guess and assume I got it.

They're speaking Mandarin because they're Chinese and in China. If anything, it's pandering that they speak English as much as they do.

A good chunk of the Chinese spoken is spoken in America. Well, San Francisco. Also there are many characters in the Ten Rings who are not Chinese and do not speak Chinese, yet are in China, most notably Razorfist.

There is also a lot of English spoken by Chinese in China, which makes it really weird when characters who we know can speak English in China suddenly, apropos of nothing, instead speak to each other in Chinese. Even weirder is that the characters will switch from speaking Chinese into English in the same conversation. Heck, at one point, The Mandarin starts speaking to Shang-chi in Chinese and then says, in English, "Have you been practicing your English?", and then proceeds to converse with him in English for the stated purpose of training his mind.

There is a scene where "Shang-she" is yelling at Shang-chi in Chinese and he answers in English in a way that lets the viewer know what she is trying to tell him to do in Chinese. There is also a scene wherein Shang-she starts conversing with Shang-chi in Chinese but then, after Shang-chi switches to English, she switches to English.


I reskimmed the film and noticed two things. First, relevant to the conversation, is that the only long-form Chinese conversation seems to be Shang-chi and his mom, who might be the only character in the whole film who only speaks Chinese. However, everything that she says is explained in English by her sister (Shang-chi's aunt) and The Mandarin.

The second is that this film really, really underwhelms when seen in 2D.

I am still a bit surprised that the Japanese release does not have proper English subtitles as, at least for a while, their domestic releases of their animated content were being released with English subs, making them more appealing to the American importer. But Disney just can't make anything about Shang-chi in 3D convenient for us

[Jlardonio]

Originally Posted by Just_Discovered_3D

A good chunk of the Chinese spoken is spoken in America. Well, San Francisco. Also there are many characters in the Ten Rings who are not Chinese and do not speak Chinese, yet are in China, most notably Razorfist.

There is also a lot of English spoken by Chinese in China, which makes it really weird when characters who we know can speak English in China suddenly, apropos of nothing, instead speak to each other in Chinese. Even weirder is that the characters will switch from speaking Chinese into English in the same conversation. Heck, at one point, The Mandarin starts speaking to Shang-chi in Chinese and then says, in English, "Have you been practicing your English?", and then proceeds to converse with him in English for the stated purpose of training his mind.

There is a scene where "Shang-she" is yelling at Shang-chi in Chinese and he answers in English in a way that lets the viewer know what she is trying to tell him to do in Chinese. There is also a scene wherein Shang-she starts conversing with Shang-chi in Chinese but then, after Shang-chi switches to English, she switches to English.


I reskimmed the film and noticed two things. First, relevant to the conversation, is that the only long-form Chinese conversation seems to be Shang-chi and his mom, who might be the only character in the whole film who only speaks Chinese. However, everything that she says is explained in English by her sister (Shang-chi's aunt) and The Mandarin.

The second is that this film really, really underwhelms when seen in 2D.

I am still a bit surprised that the Japanese release does not have proper English subtitles as, at least for a while, their domestic releases of their animated content were being released with English subs, making them more appealing to the American importer. But Disney just can't make anything about Shang-chi in 3D convenient for us

Please, call her Xialing. As you typing Shang-she is ridiculously similar with "Zhang-Chee" which is the asian version of his name writing.

[Just_Discovered_3D]

Originally Posted by Jlardonio

Please, call her Xialing. As you typing Shang-she is ridiculously similar with "Zhang-Chee" which is the asian version of his name writing.

Why does it matter what it sounds like when it is spelled out in text?

Simu Liu explains that "Shang", in Chinese, is supposed to sound like the English name "Shawn", but "Shang" sounds nothing like that by English pronunciation.

Has anyone played around with a 3d conversion of the 2D film yet?

[levcore]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

There is a lot, all in Mandarin, I believe. The film opens with a Mandarin voice-over that explains crucial backstory. Fala Chen plays Shang-Chi's mother and speaks only in Mandarin and several scenes with Tony Leung are in Mandarin as well. Several supporting characters also speak only Mandarin.

You will definitely need English subtitles for the Mandarin dialogue to understand the film if you don't speak the language.

Thanks, such an annoying situation (regarding the likelihood of the 3D disc only having one option for English subs).

[Jlardonio]

Originally Posted by Just_Discovered_3D

Why does it matter what it sounds like when it is spelled out in text?

Simu Liu explains that "Shang", in Chinese, is supposed to sound like the English name "Shawn", but "Shang" sounds nothing like that by English pronunciation.

Has anyone played around with a 3d conversion of the 2D film yet?

That was just for him to use an english name that sounds similar with his name, not because it is equal by both languages as he wanted to mingle with american population.

And please, it's Xialing and Shang-chi(Zhang-Chee in asian), not Shang-she and Shang-chi.

[Dan_Shane]

Originally Posted by Just_Discovered_3D

E: The conversations in Chinese are mostly about feelings...

Yeah, who needs that in a movie?

[mrtibbs]

Would there be a possible way to add English subs from the 2D disc to the 3D?

[Just_Discovered_3D]

Originally Posted by Jlardonio

That was just for him to use an english name that sounds similar with his name, not because it is equal by both languages as he wanted to mingle with american population.

And please, it's Xialing and Shang-chi(Zhang-Chee in asian), not Shang-she and Shang-chi.

If you want me to do something so inconvenient then you'll have to explain to me why I should.

Even if you are not pronouncing these words in English, where neither of them sound like the Chinese, they are clearly spelled differently here in these posts.

It's also a fun jab at how her character is superfluous in the film, feels "tacked on", and takes away screentime that should have gone to Shang Chi. Other MCU films had a much better balance with this, Pepper and War Machine didn't steal Iron Man's thunder.

Originally Posted by Dan_Shane

Yeah, who needs that in a movie?

You can see the emotion in the actors. Everything that is said in this film in Chinese either was or will be effectively restated in English at another point in the film. Sometimes that point is in the same conversation.

We didn't need a translation to understand what Groot was conveying in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Originally Posted by mrtibbs

Would there be a possible way to add English subs from the 2D disc to the 3D?

Absolutely. It can be a bit of a chore but it's doable. It could be easier to just watch those scenes subbed on the 2D disc first. The scenes that are mostly in Mandarin are flashback scenes that could be watched stand-alone. They're also not scenes with 3d that was all that strong.

[mrtibbs]

I'm was thinking as simple as putting the file in the BDMV folder ..or is it harder since it's a 3D movie vs 2D disc structure

[DualEdge]

Originally Posted by mrtibbs

Would there be a possible way to add English subs from the 2D disc to the 3D?

Honestly the best way to do it is with a remux but I know that the forum generally frowns upon talk like that, so I'm being intentionally vague, but it's definitely more than possible.

[Tober27]

Originally Posted by DualEdge

Honestly the best way to do it is with a remux but I know that the forum generally frowns upon talk like that, so I'm being intentionally vague, but it's definitely more than possible.

There are some, very few, players that can play an external subs file from a USB during disc playback. If possible, that'd be the ultimate way.

[Jlardonio]

Originally Posted by Just_Discovered_3D

If you want me to do something so inconvenient then you'll have to explain to me why I should.

Even if you are not pronouncing these words in English, where neither of them sound like the Chinese, they are clearly spelled differently here in these posts.

It's also a fun jab at how her character is superfluous in the film, feels "tacked on", and takes away screentime that should have gone to Shang Chi. Other MCU films had a much better balance with this, Pepper and War Machine didn't steal Iron Man's thunder.

I'm saying this because [you] typing Shang-she people will think that you are still referring to Shang-Chi because he's also known by Zhang-Shee. By your eyes and thinking she is shallow and forgetable, nonetheless the character has a name and isn't Shang-she. If you don't want to type her name just simply type "Shang's sis/sister" or something that make the subject better understandable by those who aren't following your way of thinking.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Jlardonio

I'm saying this because [you] typing Shang-she people will think that you are still referring to Shang-Chi because he's also known by Zhang-Shee. By your eyes and thinking she is shallow and forgetable, nonetheless the character has a name and isn't Shang-she. If you don't want to type her name just simply type "Shang's sis/sister" or something that make the subject better understandable by those who aren't following your way of thinking.

I think Xu Xialing is one of the best, smartest and most amazing characters ever created in the MCU, the movie just wouldn't be complete without her.


It's funny how some people seem to miss the larger role that both Xialing and Katy serve in the movie, because so much of the movie's larger theme is about rejecting the archaic values WenWu represented, especially the patriarchal nature of his rule and the very clear examples of toxic masculinity that abound in the movie. That's why it is so vital to see Shang-Chi and Xialing rejecting those older values in favour of something that is more egalitarian; the same point is made when they get to Ta Lo, it is shown explicitly that everyone fights together. And then, at the end of the movie, when it is shown that Xialing is going to be running the Ten Rings, they make it very clear that it won't be a male-only organization. Everyone will be fighting together, side by side.

The message couldn't be clearer, and yet it is completely lost on some folks.

[cdx47]

Originally Posted by Just_Discovered_3D

It's also a fun jab at how her character is superfluous in the film, feels "tacked on", and takes away screentime that should have gone to Shang Chi. Other MCU films had a much better balance with this, Pepper and War Machine didn't steal Iron Man's thunder.

The sister has a potentially great story arc, one of the best in the movie. But it is totally undermined by being built on the ridiculous foundations of what she did as a 16 year old girl. The film is called Shang-Chi yet they neuter him for much of the film when it came to his sister. (Imagine the TV series Agent Carter - brilliantly played by Hayley Atwell - with the guys showing her up). The funny side kick story arc was weak but forgivable, until she was suddenly able to do something that takes years of training in one hour. All of this was fixable if the story and basic character development was the priority, not the message.

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

The message couldn't be clearer, and yet it is completely lost on some folks.

I think they spent so much time trying to portray "toxic masculinity" and "the patriarchy" that they failed to properly develop 2 out of the 3 main female characters. It's a common problem with Hollywood movies where the agenda comes before the story. So you are 100% right, "the message couldn't be clearer" and has been the case with these things, it is to the detriment of an otherwise very good movie.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by cdx47

[Show spoiler]The sister has a potentially great story arc, one of the best in the movie. But it is totally undermined by being built on the ridiculous foundations of what she did as a 16 year old girl. The film is called Shang-Chi yet they neuter him for much of the film when it came to his sister. (Imagine the TV series Agent Carter - brilliantly played by Hayley Atwell - with the guys showing her up). The funny side kick story arc was weak but forgivable, until she was suddenly able to do something that takes years of training in one hour. All of this was fixable if the story and basic character development was the priority, not the message.


I think they spent so much time trying to portray "toxic masculinity" and "the patriarchy" that they failed to properly develop 2 out of the 3 main female characters. It's a common problem with Hollywood movies where the agenda comes before the story. So you are 100% right, "the message couldn't be clearer" and has been the case with these things, it is to the detriment of an otherwise very good movie.

I think all of the characters were excellently developed, they all felt very real and well-thought out, considering all of the main characters are new to the screen.

[panman40]

Originally Posted by levcore

Thanks, such an annoying situation (regarding the likelihood of the 3D disc only having one option for English subs).

It certainly is, I have decided not to buy the 3D version .

[levcore]

Originally Posted by panman40

It certainly is, I have decided not to buy the 3D version .

I can understand your decision!

[cdx47]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

I think all of the characters were excellently developed, they all felt very real and well-thought out, considering all of the main characters are new to the screen.

"Considering all of the main characters are new to the screen" you would have thought that they would do the bare minimum of making their backstories somewhat consistent. Look at how well Wasp was introduced in the first Ant-man film. She's actually better trained than Ant-man but the film is his origin story so they concentrate on him. In the second film, with her being properly introduced, she is given a more prominent role.

In Shang-chi, the sister did not get the full training Shang-Chi received, yet a mostly self trained, non super powered 16 year old girl became what she did? That's far fetched, even for the MCU. So what could have been the best backstory in the film was downgraded to an interesting plot twist. We don't even need to discuss Akwafina's sudden transformation into a hero. None of that is remotely "real" even for the MCU and as I have shown above, some of it was far from "well thought out".

The best character story arc in Shang-chi is the relationship between his father and mother. Shang-Chi himself is a pretty cookie cutter character, so his sister could easily have been the most memorable character in the film, kind of like Shuri's character moments were more memorable than Boseman's regal but "deliberately" understated performance in Black Panther. But the execution is botched because character development was sacrificed on the alter of "strong woman". Is Hope Van Dyne any less "strong" for having a more coherent backstory?

Anyway, everything is set up for a great 3D experience, I hope they don't screw it up.

[Jlardonio]

Now i have to doubt about all of those movies with women with slim bodies beating men that know martial arts skills. :/

These are comic book movies, the far fetched is their thing. You want reality watch a documentary, a bio-pic or the news.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Jlardonio

These are comic book movies, the far fetched is their thing. You want reality watch a documentary, a bio-pic or the news.

Exactly! Nitpicking like this is just an excuse one uses when one doesn't really want to have fun. I saw the movie more than 14 times in the theater and had a blast each and every time. Every character is great and well thought-out. Every major character has a meaningful arc, which is a lot more than I expected and it definitely adds to the sense of a very nice and layered story, I really do want to see more not just of Shang-Chi, but also about Katy and Xialing. They are some of the best and most interesting characters in the MCU now.