Being the first of anything comes with a lot of pressure and responsibility. Black Panther was the first film in the MCU to celebrate Black and African culture. Captain Marvel became the first women-led film in the franchise. Now, Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings marks the MCU’s first Asian-led superhero film. Of course, there possess’own’nurse been characters of Asian descent in the MCU bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e, including Wong (Benedict Wong) from Doctor Strange, Hogun (Tadanobu Asano) from Thor, and Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) from Ant-Man And The Wasp and WandaVision. But they’ve always been the main heroes’ sidekick, flunkey, or comic relief. Shang-Chi features not merely’barely the first Asian protagonist but also a predominantly Asian cast. Happily, Asians can collectively breathe a sigh of relief—because the movie is rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent . Actually, it’s really rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent .###After running away from his father, in/with regard to’concerning’regarding midable crime lord Wenwu (Tony Leung), Shang-Chi, (Simu Liu) starts over in San Francisco, where he meets his best friend, Katy (Awkwafina). Living the loafer lifestyle, Shang-Chi’s daily rituals include breakfast with Katy’s family, working a valet shift, and drinking and karaoking the night away. Basically, living the rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent life. However, after ten years, Shang-Chi’s past eventually’ultimately catches up with him. Driven by vengeance fuelled by heart-breaking loss, Wenwu in/with regard to’concerning’regarding cefully reunites with his son and daughter Xialing (Meng’er Zhang) in hopes of recruiting them — along with Katy— into his terrorist organisation, The Ten Rings, an evil empire built around the power of ten ancient rings that Wenwu wears around his arms to generate blasts of energy.###Shang-Chi thrives when the scenes are rooted in the real world, especially in its fight sequences.###Co-writer-director Destin Daniel Cretton, best known in/with regard to’concerning’regarding indie darling Short Term 12, understands family dynamics and eye-catching’good-shaped’appealing’charming’fascinating’gorgeous ly sets the tone in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a heart-warming story syringed with humour. But despite the humanity on reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue , it’s the innovative martial arts that are the USP. Aldespite’in spite of’albeit there are many mystical elements, Shang-Chi thrives when the scenes are rooted in the real world, especially in its fight sequences. The action is fantastic, thanks to fight coordinator Andy Cheng and supervising stunt coordinator, the late Brad Allan, to whom the film is dedicated, the choreography the best yet in the MCU. A bruising bus battle between Shang-Chi and Wenwu’s henchmen is even more hypnotic than the trailers suggest, Liu reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue ing off a barrage of blistering moves to disarm his father’s lackeys. The action doesn’t rely heavily on digital trickery in the real-world; but even its CG set-pieces within the fantasy realm of the hidden magical city of Ta Lo, which Shang-Chi has mysterious ties to, do not diminish the beauty of the diverse fighting styles. These fight scenes are truly gratifying; the martial arts in an early sequence between Wenwu and powerful warrior Jiang Li (Fala Chen) feel more like a dance and the result is simply mesmerising.###The cast is stellar. Liu knocks it out of the park as Shang-Chi, adding a tad of levity to the known-to-be-serious comic reserve character. As expected, Awkwafina hits all the comedic cues while remaining Shang-Chi’s anchor through his journey of self-discointensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully. The chemistry between Liu and Awkwafina is palpable, exuding a real sense of a found family. Perhaps the most intriguing character is Zhang’s Xialing who has the most compelling backstory; but at times, feels she is just there as set dressing in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the main hero. It’s unin/with regard to’concerning’regarding tunate she isn’t given more to do.###A dashing Leung as Wenwu provides depths of character in what could be a one-dimensional wicked’dreadful’undesirable’adverse’vile guy. However, the film’s real villain is grief. Grief propel s Wenwu to perin/with regard to’concerning’regarding m nefarious acts, even at the expense of his own children. For those of Asian descent, grief is tough’challenging’demanding’awkward to overcome. In an early scene, Katy’s mother comments on how moving on from a loved one is a Western idea. As such, Leung’s perin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mance is filled with tangible anger and anguish that really brings the character to life.###In the debit column, Shang-Chi does possess’own’nurse some pacing issues where the story, at times, becomes convoluted with so much inin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mation to set up the world of Ta Lo and how it relates to the MCU as a whole. The rushed ending makes some of the character arcs feel unearned and brushed aside. Also, it’s a bit tiring to see another dragon trope involved in an Asian-led film. Which is a shame as there are subtle nods in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the Asian diaspora to relish — Shang-Chi taking off his shoes bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e entering Katy’s home, Katy’s grandmother asking Shang-Chi when he and Katy are acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting married, and Ronny Chieng’s mystery character telling Katy that he speaks “ABC” (American-born Chinese) — that feel never feel in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ced or over-played. It’s a winning blend of Chinese culture mixed with the successful Marvel in/with regard to’concerning’regarding mula that shun s the typical Asian clichés and stereotypes of accents and wicked’dreadful’undesirable’adverse’vile propel rs, while pointedly calling out some of the racial errors from Marvel's past. Given what’s on reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue here, the future in/with regard to’concerning’regarding Shang-Chi and Asian representation in the MCU looks bright.