Written by Vivek Philendra

@vivekphilwrites_

Thumbnail Photo by IGN

Header Photo by Forbes

Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings is Marvel’s latest blockbuster that hit theatres on September 3rd, starring the legendary Tony Leung Chiu-wai, the first Asian Bond girl Michelle Yeoh , the unapologetically funny Awkwafina, and Canada’s favourite Simu Liu of Kim’s Convenience. While a theatrical release amidst an ongoing pandemic is challenging enough, Shang-Chi had a lot more riding on it than any other movie. Its performance in the box office would very much determine the opportunities within the movie industry available to a historically underrepresented community for years to come. Failure of Shang-Chi could’ve led companies to believe that nobody is interested in media centering around an all-Asian cast, and we’d probably have to wait two whole decades before somebody decides to give it a shot again. Fortunately for us Asian audiences, it was a spectacular movie!

I personally had the pleasure of watching the movie on September 12th with a large, diverse group of friends, which made it an especially memorable experience! I am not here to provide a review of the film, as I am sure you would have already seen plenty of them by now. Instead, I would like to impart our shared experiences, and share our major takeaways from the film. I had sent out a survey to my friends after the movie to capture their thoughts on the film.

How Did Marvel Nail Shang-Chi?

With the gaps in diverse representation in the spotlight in our current era, most companies might understandably feel a bit forced to include diversity in all their projects. Unfortunately, when companies are just trying to tick all the boxes, the effort is often half-hearted and unhelpful to the cause, and as a result, the minorities keep getting discriminated against and not having access to opportunities they deserve. Additionally, audiences see right through the superficial attempts at diversity, so it's even better to just avoid it altogether. Right from the start of the film, we got a feeling that this wasn’t going to be another quintessential Marvel movie. And frankly, I was starting to get tired of the Marvel formula. There were no aliens trying to end the world this time around, the antagonist is human, and to my surprise, I could actually sympathize with him and understand where his actions were coming from.

Shang-Chi was an Asian story. While watching other Hollywood movies, I often had to think to understand the conflicts Caucasian families were faced with, whereas I could feel and instantly recognize the characters’ tribulations in Shang-Chi. The family dynamics and close-knit bond, the pressure to succeed, family legacies, parental expectations — the good and bad, they had it all! As someone who grew up as an expat, the identity crisis faced by Shang-Chi and Katy particularly hit home!

The film’s creators may have taken a gamble by incorporating particularly Asian film elements such as Wuxia, which may seem foreign to the average North American viewer, but it’s risks like those that ultimately give the film its unique character. The movie was also careful not to objectify or fetishize oriental culture to make profits. As one viewer rightly put it, “…I do not think the culture was bastardized or demeaned.” It did not feel as though Marvel was just trying to cash in on a trend for an easy payday, but rather was actually dedicated to providing a platform for Asian voices to tell their stories. In light of the vehement Asian hate-crimes that have been increasing since the beginning of the pandemic, I think we can all agree that this movie is something our world needs right now.

But Was the Movie Actually Any Good?

Okay so we get it, the movie exists for a great cause, but the real question is: is it any good as a standalone movie without all these emotional and cultural strings attached? Well, it’s my pleasure to confirm that it absolutely was!

Along with being critically acclaimed and receiving great reviews, our group gave it highly favourable scores, with many considering it a masterpiece and the best movie by Marvel. For me personally, it was a solid 8/10. It was the first time since 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok that I did not feel bored at any point during a Marvel movie — although I have to admit that the great company probably played a part too! My movie partner and I were eating snacks with chopsticks trying to avoid contracting the virus (sometimes modern problems require traditional solutions), admiring the action together, and having a complete blast! I never had to think about having fun, I just did naturally. It’s been a while since I could say that about any movie. It never felt like a drag, and no character overstayed their welcome. The CGI definitely held up far beyond my expectations, even the mystical kingdom of Ta Lo was exceptionally well made!

Our group consensus was that the breathtaking action sequences were undoubtedly the best aspect of this movie, and the high production value afforded by Marvel truly shines here. One viewer noted that it was genuinely funnier than other Marvel movies without obviously trying too hard. In my opinion, the supporting cast truly stole the show, and their performances often overshadowed our titular hero Shang-Chi, portrayed by Simu Liu. There’s definitely enough scope for many of these supporting characters to star in their own stand-alone spin-offs, and I cannot wait to see Marvel explore that possibility in their next lineup of films!

So, What’s Next?

Shang-Chi is the first Asian superhero film and it should definitely be celebrated! However, this is only the beginning. One movie isn’t going to miraculously fix the diversity gaps that exist in the movie industry, and it shouldn’t have to. As Tracy Brown from The Los Angeles Times comically pointed out, “The franchise… has been ongoing for 13 years (and counting). In that time Marvel Studios has made more MCU films starring white men named Chris than it has films that center superheroes of color. Or women, for that matter.” More movies like this need to come out, and they should be well-made so that audiences support it the way we did with Shang-Chi.

There are still many Asian communities that feel unheard as well as underrepresented, and Asia is much more diverse than many realize. Shang-Chi is a step in the right direction, and I sincerely hope to see more deserving talent have opportunities to tell their stories, and I’m not just talking within the media industry. It’s no longer enough to stick to tried-and-tested formulas. We’re going to emerge out of the shadows, and we’re going to be victorious!

Personal Reflection

I remember watching Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movie for the first time when I was a kid — it completely blew my mind and is still my favourite superhero movie even today!

Peter Parker went from a bullied kid who had no confidence to someone who could stand up for himself, had superpowers, and even had a pretty girlfriend. To young me, it seemed like Peter had everything — but I accepted that I could never have that. And not because radioactive spiders who give you superpowers don’t exist, but rather because he was on the other side of the world and looked nothing like me. I wanted to be Spider-Man, but I gave up on my dream before I even made the first step.

The cultural impact of this movie will be imprinted on generations to come. It will soon be one of the classics we all show our kids when Asian families get together alongside Enter the Dragon and Police Story. While the existence of Shang-Chi will not magically give us all superpowers tomorrow, I can imagine millions of Asian kids, kids like me, leaving the movie theatre feeling that they are invincible, that they can be anything they aspire to be if they work hard! Yes, reality will hit us all at one point, but sometimes even us Asians need a break from pragmatism. We all deserve to dream, and dream without limits.

My biggest takeaway from this movie is the same as a Latin American viewer mentioned, “…[Shang-Chi] allows us to realize that to be someone important or with courage, you only need to be you, and not question yourself because you were not born elsewhere.”

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank all my friends who I watched the movie with for the unforgettable experience, and everyone who volunteered their time to take the survey and share their valuable thoughts. Thanks to my editors for trusting me with this piece and providing me with an opportunity to voice my opinions. I would also like to express gratitude to Marvel for using their platform and position in the industry to give us such a great movie that we can all talk about here today. I would like to share my heartfelt congratulations to each and every cast and crew member, both on-and-off screen, for their dedication and hard work which led to Shang-Chi’s success!

Why Shang-Chi’s Success Matters

FOLLOW US