So Marvel Studios is now two for two on making a superhero blockbuster film headlined by a character who's ethnicity is not "bleached flour" and managing to produce something that feels both respectful and inclusive and is also indisputably awesome. We're up to 25 movies in the MCU now, though, so this isn't actually an achievement. It's far below what the bare minimum for this inclusion should actually be. But it does help to illustrate that the reason we haven't been getting Hollywood blockbusters headlined by actors of US minority groups is not because those movies aren't as good or won't make as much money. It's because the producers in Hollywood and a huge majority of their wealthiest supporters are all transparently bigoted.
Just so we're absolutely clear.
And I'm angrier about it this time than I was when Black Panther came out, because at least to me, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings doesn't actually feel new. It doesn't feel like I can point to it and go "see Hollywood? See how stupid and backward your insistence on casting white dudes was?!?" That's because Asian-led superhero movies with top-notch production values, brilliantly written characters, and engaging stories have existed for decades. They usually tend to come out of Hong Kong, heavily feature martial arts and mysticism, and in some cases are actually better than Shang-Chi.
Don't get me wrong, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an excellent movie. It's fun to watch and never becomes dull, which is the only rung on the ladder to get onto the "good action blockbuster" podium. But beyond that the action feels fresh, the characters are well-written and fabulously performed, the story is coherent and well structured, the production design is top-notch, and to top it all off, the villain actually has clear motivations and his logic makes sense! Sure, most of that is true for a good chunk of the MCU, maybe even as much as half of it (except the villain thing, that's only true of like four other villains in the MCU, and Thanos only half counts).
But my point isn't to say that Shang-Chi is anything less than excellent. Due to personal preference more than anything else, I'd probably place it even a little above Black Panther. No, my point is that if I'm going to get violently inarticulate in a Hollywood studio exec's face and shout "see how stupid and backward your insistence on casting white dudes was?!?" in reference to the Asian-led superhero genre while pointing at a movie poster, I wouldn't jump to Shang-Chi first.
It'd probably be Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Or maybe Hero.
Because all things considered, Shang-Chi is a Hong Kong martial arts film dressed in American clothes. It's a good one, no doubt, but it's not at the top of that genre. We've had evidence that Hollywood was racist for years, and everyone is talking about how Shang-Chi is suddenly the proof we needed? All Shang-Chi proves is that American audiences do in fact like a good martial arts film when it's released in their region, and that they will in fact pay MCU-levels of money to see it.
Okay, yes, I do realize what I just wrote. That's why we have to point at Shang-Chi, because it was profitable in the US. Freaking... Hollywood, you make me so angry sometimes.
Anyway, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is great. Highly recommended, you should go watch it, and love it, because there's a lot to love. Simu Liu is an amazing lead, his relationship with Awkwafina is adorkable, Tony Leung is one of the most relatable villains in the MCU, and Meng' er Zhang is a bad-ass. Michelle Yeoh is, predictably, also a bad-ass, and have I mentioned how awesome Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is? Yeah, she's a bad-ass in that too.
This is exactly the type of movie we needed in the MCU right now, Black Widow and this. Because somehow we have to turn the pasty white sausage fest the MCU has largely been into something that can continue to be interesting, and this summer has been a reasonably good start. Quite frankly, the upcoming Spider-man movie can suck it.
That's right, you heard me. Gimme more stuff like this, Marvel, and let Sony make the Spider-man movies. Featuring a black or female spider-person lead.
That's my hill.
Preach!! 🙌
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