It's not often that we complain about having consistent, quality, and honestly good films, but hey, in light of COVID-19, expect the unexpected, right? A new complementary phrase that's been popping up all over the Internet is to say, "It feels completely different from an MCU movie". And at first glance, you could see that and think that the MCU is an entity of lackluster content (Warner Bros. much?) but that couldn't be further from the truth- it's the most successful movie franchise of all time for a reason. And that brings us to Shang-Chi.

The main premise of the story is simple; Shang-Chi wants to escape his father (and family's) destiny of becoming a member of the Ten Rings, a worldwide crime syndicate. However, the genius of the film was the sheer originality of the world that Destin Daniel Cretton has created. From the story, the characters, and the setting- it all feels original, unique, and furthermore, it feels integral towards the future of the MCU. By allowing directors to be more expressive and creative with their storytelling (such as Chloe Zhao's Eternals, or now Shang-Chi), you are building on the momentum following Infinity War. And I gotta say- that's genius business acumen.

What drives this film is not the breathtaking scenery and choreography, nor is it the stellar performances from Tony Leung's Mandarin/Simu Liu's Shang-Chi/Awkwafina's Katy- it's the writing. To masterfully weave themes of first gen/second gen Asian expectations, love in both romantic and familial, and deep, deep familial trauma, while subverting the traditional my-family-is-evil trope, is a feat that would require all three Spider-Men (ha- see what I did there?). This film pulls this off with absolute ease, and the story easily endears us to Simu Liu's Shang-Chi minutes into the film. Liu captures the soul of a genuine, kind, fun-loving guy who has deep emotional scars from his past life with his family. However, don't let the lovable exterior fool you- Liu kicks the absolute holy hell out of everyone he comes across with the best hand-to-hand combat we've ever seen in the MCU.

Tony Leung as Wenwu absolutely stole the show and is arguably the best actor in the film. Instead of playing a racist caricature (thank god) or playing a forgettable villain (cough*Malekith*cough), Leung captures the essence of a man who longs for more than simply gaining power- he's driven by a contagious sense of love for his family. I don't think I'm overrating him by saying that I was oddly reminded of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader when I was mesmerized by Leung- but don't worry, there are no spoilers here. Awkwafina's Katy is a character that absolutely floored with me with not only her emotional range, but also her relatability. Often times as second-gen Asian children, we're forced to live the destinies that our parents could not- such as becoming doctors, engineers, etc. We're expected to know the specific details of our life instantly- and creative paths are discouraged. To see her character so fearlessly fly against these norms, and be brave enough to follow her own destiny? This is character representation sorely needed for Asian children- especially the second generation.

But simply talking about the characters does not do this film justice- the score takes you into another dimension into the MCU. In many ways, the score represents the soul of first and second generational differences; the film plays loving, tender, beautiful traditional Asian scores while balancing bombastic, hip-hop inspired action scores that will keep you exhilarated. Much like how you are transported to Asgard, let into Wakanda, or lining up with the Avengers; Shang-Chi teaches you the way of the Ten Rings.

This film could have done the predictable route of focusing on Asian culture and building a new cash cow in the MCU; but instead, it beautifully honors Asian culture and traditions while also organically building characters that people will fall in love with in the coming days. The film's real theme was about grieving- and about how the implications of grieving touch the people around you.

This film had it all. It's Marvel's response to the haters that said that the MCU would die after Endgame. And well, as Shang-Chi put it-

"A blood debt must be paid in blood."

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is another example of MCU excellence. We're truly spoiled as fans. I'm not complaining.