Marvel’s Shang-Chi with its Asian American superhero is an important film for Asian American representation. But is this really a cultural watershed moment or more of a marketing opportunity to ensure profit for Disney’s shareholders? Could it be exploiting the desire for more positive Asian representation? Time to buckle up as we dive into these issues in our new video, “Shang-Chi: Does the Legend Live up to the Hype?”. We talk about filmmakers and films that pushed the boundaries further and paved the way for Shang-Chi's success – why didn’t they receive the same attention? How much does Shang-Chi really challenge Hollywood stereotypes of Asian men? A movie like Shang-Chi is overdue and a milestone for the AAPI community, but there's still a long way to go in terms of Asian representation on the big screen!
[Transcript]
“I'm going to say it's one of my favorite Marvel movies.”
“I love the movie. It was very refreshing. Very different”
“The idea of putting in an Asian face as the hero in a Marvel story is definitely going to like open people's eyes who have never seen us in this way, right// people within the Asian community who are so used to being marginalized and and never being front and center in stories.”
The movie has a golden opportunity to rewrite the narrative around Asian masculinity.
But is this really a cultural watershed moment? Or more of a marketing opportunity to ensure profit for Disney’s shareholders? Time to buckle up, let’s dive in!
First, a little history. Asian men have been emasculated
since their arrival here in America in the 1850’s.
When movies were introduced, one of the first stars and leading man, Sessue Hayakawa, was Asian. It went downhill fast after that.
“The traditional stereotype of Asian men in Hollywood or on screen has been docile, meek, the perpetual foreigner.“
Hollywood was complicit in the embarrassing White washing. And allowing a cultural icon to be the butt of the joke.
“Those kind of depictions and those kind of ideas have been fermenting for 100, 150 years in the West. So it's deeply ingrained in how people see Asian men. And I think it's also impacted how Asian American men see themselves. But keep in mind that stuff has been around for hundred and fifty years.“
Of the top 1,300 films from 2007 - 2019, only 44 films had an API lead or co-lead, and 14 of the films starred Dwayne Johnson.
Shang Chi is younger and more relatable. An everyman, with nice abs. He fights bad guys, and monsters. The movie beautifully displayed cultural homages to Chinese mythology, culture and growing up Asian American.
Yet unlike other Marvel superheroes, he didn’t get to kiss the girl.
“They're very rarely the romantic interests. And and to be fair, that has changed quite a bit in the last few years to the positive. You look at Henry Golding not only in Crazy Rich Asians, but later on picking up on a number of different romantic leads in different movies. Steven Yeun as well.“
“So I was hoping with Shang Chi, this is an opportunity to showcase, you know, Asian-American men in a different light as a Marvel superhero.”
“They didn't pair him with any other I would call starlet type. I don't know. Nothing against Aquafina, but that's who she is, right.”
In another move, Marvel movies always show support of the #metoo movement. Shang Chi’s sister is the resident badass who knows how to throw a punch.
The motive here is to ensure success. Cast a popular, known comedian, surround Shang Chi with strong female characters. because they want to appeal to everyone. That strategy is known as the four quadrants. All men. Women. Young. Old. Put butts in seats.
Remember Black Panther? That buzz was all about the first Black, African superhero. But it wasn’t. That distinction goes to -- Blade, released in 1998. But Shang Chi is the first Asian Marvel superhero to hit the big screen.
Wong was introduced in Dr Strange as a master of the mystical arts.
And before Wong? In 1994 another movie studio made The Crow, starring Brandon Lee, Bruce Lee’s son.
Overseas there have been plenty of Asian men in lead action hero type roles, and they are legendary. Some of those stars also crossed over to America. All this before there was a Marvel movie universe.
Snake Eyes was released one month before Shang Chi, and had a bigger star in Henry Golding alongside another Asian actor. It’s in the same action hero genre. But did not get the same attention.
That’s the power of marketing -- to get your attention.
Outside the mainstream, Asian men do play the lead in smaller movies, without the same type of marketing hype.
“Yeah, I think there's been a lot, both in TV and in film. You know, you think about Kumail Nanjiani story about the Big Sick minority, Crazy Rich Asians, of course, Warrior, which a great TV series and John Cho searching, you know, there's just a lot of.“
And yes, they got to kiss the girl.
Besides being a Marvel movie with Asian characters, was there any big cultural message?
Black Panther depicted an African nation as futuristic and modern, never seen before.
In the original comic, Shang Chi’s father is the racist Fu manchu. That is glossed over, never addressed so none of the audiences will know of the dark history of what that character represents.
Remember Shang Chi’s sister? Well he goes through extensive training, while she learns in the shadows. When they have their fight. She, the younger sister, kicks his butt.
Great for female empowerment. Not great for Asian men who are still fighting an uphill battle of being perceived as inferior. Meek. Docile.
“You know, it's no secret moving images, you know, media, motion picture, film, television, all of these things are this is how people perceive or learn about other cultures and people. This is where stereotypes are formed, good or bad.”
There are more Asians in high executive roles in entertainment, who can push for stronger, original diverse roles. Because male masculinity, is evolving. We, as an audience, are also evolving.
“I think I think that's a good thing that Asian men aren't like stereotypically masculine as in the western world sees it, because I think that the western world masculinity leads to toxic masculinity, and I think they're overly masculine. The world is becoming more feminine and more gender fluid. // I think that’s a positive thing.“
“It's not going to solve racism. It's not going to solve everyone's like or change everyone's minds about thinking, you know, Asians are meek or docile or what have you.
“This is an opportunity that landed in our community and we should react to it one way or another. You could watch the movie. You can not watch the movie, but it's important that you have your say in what you want.“
Despite shortcomings, Marvel’s Shang Chi is part of pop culture, and has created a platform for conversation.
Now it’s up to the Asian community to use its power to speak up and be heard.
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