It’s a brand new year on the Andrews University campus, and you’re already missing out on the conversation if you haven’t seen Marvel’s latest film, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” Starring Simu Liu & Awkwafina, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film is a celebration of Chinese culture unseen in the Marvel Universe before now. In short, it tells the story of a young Chinese man who immigrated to the U.S. to escape his overbearing immortal father and his quest to save his mother’s village. Yeah, pretty much just normal Marvel stuff. The movie ties him into the larger Marvel universe with a few end-credit scenes and some big star cameos that help connect him to the larger storyline. But the movie doesn’t do much to further the overarching Kang the Conqueror story and instead serves to establish a new hero with villains and sidekicks of his own. That’s not to say it doesn’t lack Easter eggs, however. Marvel finally finishes the mystery of Iron Man 3’s Mandarin character, Trevor Slattery, and brings him along for the journey. The movie also brings us more Wong content which seems appropriate considering he’s the only already established Chinese character in the MCU.
Here’s a breakdown of what I appreciate about the movie:
- Fight choreography. So good. Probably the best fight choreography the MCU has ever given us, and that’s saying something since Bucky & Loki’s knife flip sequences are a personal favorite. The choreography here plays out in a dance-like manner and definitely finds its grounding in traditional martial arts.
- Soundtrack. If you get a chance, please download the soundtrack for this movie. It stands up to the likes of “Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse” and they made a point to bring Asian-American musicians to the forefront. Personally, I’ve been streaming “Act Up” by Rich Brian and EARTHGANG and “Baba Says” by Adawa and Shayiting El nonstop. But Anderson .Paak’s “Fire in the Sky” and Swae Lee and Jhene Aiko’s “In the Dark” are fan favorites as well.
- Platonic best friends. Instead of giving Liu’s character Shang-Chi an ostentatious love story, he and Awkwafina’s Katy play out as childhood best friends who keep it platonic over the course of the movie. I love how they spotlight his parent’s complicated, torrential relationship instead of forcing Shang-Chi and Katy into an awkward pairing. The MCU is famous for pairing up its characters in, for lack of a better word, awkward pairings (may Bruce & Black Widow rest in peace), so I love how they didn’t force things in this movie.
- Culturally appropriate themes. Representation is such a complicated topic & there’s always loads of debate on whether it’s done right or wrong, especially for this film. “Shang-Chi” had a lot of weight on its shoulders from the start, being the first Asian-American led superhero and story to come from the MCU (a cultural behemoth in today’s society). In my opinion, they did a great job. The filmmakers kept things close to the heart with this one, battling complex, meaningful topics like family and cultural identity while attempting to keep things accurate. Family is so important in Asian-American culture and this film chose to emphasize it in a way that was culturally respectful.
There’s so much to discuss in this movie, but I want to highlight representation for a second. There’s been a lot of discussion around whether the MCU’s representation here was out of a genuine want to celebrate Asian-American culture or just for the internet clout. One of the things I learned during my summer in the film industry is that, unfortunately, just like any other business, a film’s main focus, especially with these big blockbusters, is to sell a product. Who can forget that iconic “Endgame” scene where all the female Avengers work together to take down a bad guy? Viral scenes and themes make money and sometimes it can feel like the industry is using activism to sell their product. It can be important to step back and make sure that these stories are highlighting the right voices and telling marginalized stories the way they should be. The truth is, viral scenes or not, movies like “Shang-Chi” make sure people feel seen because they can see themselves in the characters on screen. So many people were able to see their experiences through the lives of Shang-Chi and Katy, and that’s what truly matters.
I’ve got to be honest with you guys, “Shang-Chi” is my new favorite Marvel movie & I definitely recommend you watch it as soon as possible.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.