A San Fran Bus Driver Thoroughly Roasted A 'Shang-Chi' Scene & Simu Liu Absolutely Loved It
"They are seriously off route!"
There's no denying that Marvel's Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings was a smash hit in 2021, but there's one bus driver in San Francisco that has a bone to pick with the film.
Twitter user @that_mc, a bus operator in the city that Shang-Chi is partly set in, devoted a whole Twitter thread to breaking down the iconic bus fight scene and did it so well that Simu Liu couldn't help but be amazed.
That's a real ad for the jazz and blues festical you can find in muni busespic.twitter.com/WWjaAkEbbq— Mack, yes, That Mack (@Mack, yes, That Mack) 1636833868
The real-life driver's name is Mack Allen, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, and he broke down everything from the ads on the wall to the "terrible" fake bus driver. The scene features a broken brake line and a careening bus, but it turns out that Marvel would've lost one of its more memorable action scenes if Allen was at the wheel.
Our bus operator, played by Michael-Anthony Taylor, discovers his service brake isn't working. He's mashing on the treadle (pedal) and not stopping. That's terrible! And he's wearing earphones. That's terrible. He definitely could be charged with an avoidable incident by SFT.pic.twitter.com/NjPG7RwRmP— Mack, yes, That Mack (@Mack, yes, That Mack) 1636833878
Allen points out the driver's shoulder patch indicates he's likely a part-time worker — maybe that explains why the bus is "seriously off-route!"
But the bus is headed south on Noe at 21st St, they are seriously off route!pic.twitter.com/nyWl8c7FIA— Mack, yes, That Mack (@Mack, yes, That Mack) 1636833864
But Allen had tons of compliments for Simu Liu and Awkwafina, who he says nailed driving the bus and using the accessories available.
Every bus has a fire extinguisher, and we check every day before we pull out of the yard. It is intended for exactly these situations.pic.twitter.com/6qeLXhAkcu— Mack, yes, That Mack (@Mack, yes, That Mack) 1636834436
There are tons of things that Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton gets right, like the destruction of scooters in the path of the bus ("I really wanted to just demolish a bunch of these scooters," Cretton told Vanity Fair).
Every bus operator cheers when the scooters get mashed to shreds.pic.twitter.com/UQ9Rj1Yrna— Mack, yes, That Mack (@Mack, yes, That Mack) 1636834521
And apparently, Shang-Chi perfectly encapsulated the vibe of every San Fran resident who's just a few seconds late for their bus.
This is how everyone asks to be let into the bus when we aren't at a stop. Too real.pic.twitter.com/CxAgBy4iWn— Mack, yes, That Mack (@Mack, yes, That Mack) 1636834951
Overall, Allen said he enjoyed the scene and even took a moment to wish the fake bus driver, well.
Unfortunately I think this guy isn't going to keep his job as a bus operator, though. I'm glad he's ok, that was a nasty knock he took. Let's hope he lands on his feet. Maybe he'll drive charters?pic.twitter.com/eDjZebxTPM— Mack, yes, That Mack (@Mack, yes, That Mack) 1636835789
The thread exploded in popularity, gaining thousands of likes in just a few days, but no one enjoyed it more than Shang-Chi himself, Simu Liu.
Thank you sir, what an enjoyable scene!— Mack, yes, That Mack (@Mack, yes, That Mack) 1636840914
"I just want you to support public transport by riding the bus more and driving a personal car less. Support policies that fund public transport, and support policies that prioritize people over parking spots," Allen wrote after the thread blew up on Twitter.
"And thank your operator when you get off the bus," he said. "Every 'Thank you' makes our day on the road a little better."
It's good advice, and even better advice when your driver is fighting off supervillains at the same time!