Blue Beetle
review by Bobby Blakey
Warner Bros and DC has really struggled trying to get their theatrical universe going. I for one have enjoyed almost all of them, but sadly a lot of people have not. One of the more obscure that surprised me that was moving forward was Blue Beetle. Outside of a teaser poster months ago we have seen nothing until now. The film stars Adriana Barraza, Damían Alcázar, Elpidia Carrillo, Bruna Marquezine, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez, Belissa Escobedo, Harvey Guillén and Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes aka Blue Beetle from director Angel Manuel Soto. Could the latest DCU character bring something fresh to the table or will make people crawl away?
Blue Beetle follows recent college grad Jaime Reyes who returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the super hero Blue Beetle.
I love all things comics and so happy when they move forward on any project in the genre but can say I am not a big Blue Beelte fan so heading in was just hoping for the best. The trailers looked fun, but does the film deliver? For me, it is a resounding yes. I had a blast with this film and loved almost every moment of it. The overall tone of the superhero side of it all reminded me almost identically of Iron Man in its story but fused with something from Metroid, The Guyver and Power Rangers in the best way possible. They have
fully dived into the world of Blue Beetle in all its forms and the film just works.
Prior to the actual Blue Beetle elements of the film kicking in the film does limp along a bit here and there and feels like it might not work, but that doesn’t last long. Quickly you get fully invested in the Reyes family in all their chaotic love and drama. Sure this is a superhero film, but like Black Panther, this film brings culture to the forefront and it helps the film be more than just another superhero film. Its focus on the Latino culture and family is the heart of the film that just happens to also feature an alien-based superhero that inhabits a world with other heroes.
Everyone in the Reyes family cast are so good here. You feel their family connection and will make you laugh out loud in their arguments and discussions while wanting to embrace them in their struggles. Maridueña does a great job as a young hero without losing that innocent quality that makes him relatable. His performance is strong and brings all the needed emotions and hits the comedy moments perfectly. George Lopez gets a lot to do here and looks to be having a blast. He is so fun to watch here complete with a stand-up like chaotic monologue about Batman that was funny.
Sarandon was fine here, but her role as the villain was kind of a cliché and didn’t ever really bring much to the table for me outside of the same kind we have seen a thousand times. Her side-kick played by Mayans alumni Raoul Max Trujillo is cool, but at times felt out of place. He did a great job with the character and is cool to watch just something felt off sometimes. That aspect of the story felt kind of rushed as well with the way it is handled in the end, but not so much that it hurts the rest of the fun of the film as a whole.
The film is filled with some great action sequences and gadgets alongside the scarab itself. The look of Blue Beetle and the uses of the technology is well handled and looks awesome. There are nods to the original comic versions as well that had me pleasantly surprised and happy with the direction they took the film. The film clearly takes place in a world with other heroes, but this one is firmly planted all its own and sets a good first entry into the new DCU. There is a mid and after credit sequence with one just for laughs and the other setting up the possible future of the character.
I hope it finds the audience it deserves because it is a ton of fun and one that I hope is just the beginning for the Reyes family and Blue Beetle action. In addition to the film this release offers up bonus content including documentaries, featurettes and more. Witness the birth of a new hero when Blue Beetle available now on digital and then on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD on October 31st from Warner Bros Home Entertainment.
