The latest addition to the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe is Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. A comic book story inspired by Chinese mythology and centered on a martial arts-trained assassin, Shang-Chi’s slick hand-to-hand fight scenes bring a fresh palette to the genre.

Humor has always been an awkward element for Disney’s Marvel franchise. The film conglomerate aimed to bring the superhero cinematic universe to the big screen in a format accessible to the whole family. This meant making certain sacrifices — namely, eschewing the dark and serious tones that color much of the DC Comics world in lieu of grand action set pieces driven by lighthearted, banter-laden dialogue.