Culture and Identity in Kung Fu

[tessaray]

Expands the discussion of the show's accuracy in the representation of martial arts, and Chinese and Chinese-American culture in general. 

Note: this is not a political topic. See the site's rules here. 

[Camera One]

I just watched the "Shang Chi" trailer, and it looks awesome, and it's great there's going to be a mainstream comic book movie with an Asian cast.  Maybe it's because I've just been watching this show for two weeks (and the live-action Mulan recently), but I'm struck by the similarities between them, heavily relying on the same tropes of people doing martial arts driven by a wise master saying traditional platitudes and a protagonist going through a phase of trying to break free and asserting their independence as a form of rebellion against their Confucian elders.  

Again, it's overall a good thing but I hope it will lead to more and more high-profile productions that eventually deviate from stereotypes.  The storylines for the family members in "Kung Fu" have potential to do that.

Edited April 19, 2021 by Camera One

[arc]

I was going to also bring up the almost miraculously renewed Warrior and then it hit me: Shang-Chi, Warrior, and Kung Fu are all at least partially set in San Francisco. (I expect Shang-Chi will probably globetrot like many MCU movies)

for Kung Fu (2021) specifically, I realize the library Nicky and Henry meet in is in the Chinese association’s building but I still think it’s a little silly they have Chinese lanterns as the light fixtures in there.