If there's any franchise that's in desperate need of a hit that'll rejuvenate audiences interest both critically as well as financially, it's that of the DC cinematic universe (Or the DCU as it's referred to). That can especially be said regarding this year's massive failures with both Shazam! Fury Of The Gods and The Flash failing to connect with audiences. With Blue Beetle, Warner Brothers Discovery hopes to reverse the universe's current misfortune by producing hit which can not only rejuvenate fan interest, but also serve as being a legitimate representation of Latino culture masked as a comic book origin story.
Blue Beetle's plot has young college graduate Jaime Reyes being chosen by an alien scarab to be its symbiotic host, bestowing the teenager with a suit of armor that's capable of extraordinary abilities and forever altering his destiny. It can definitely be said that Beetle's plot essentially borrows the same formulaic structure for a superhero origin story that's similar to that of Spider-Man's. There isn't anything shown that's innovative or groundbreaking outside of the new hero introduced, but the story takes what's already done and reapplies the same formula in a way that's exciting, funny, heartfelt, and ultimately meaningful with it's message regarding the importance of family.
A big part of what makes Blue Beetle genuinely fun to watch is the terrific performances given by its talented cast, who add tremendous energy and heart to the story. Xolo Mariduena totally impressed here with his star-making performance as recent college graduate, Jaime Reyes, who gains the superpowers of the Scarab. Mariduena completely convinces at being shocked and confused with his characters newfound abilities, while also accepting his destiny and wanting to defend his family as well as his neighborhood. Bruna Marquezine shines as Jaime's love interest and daughter of Ted Kord, Jenny Kord, who successfully manages to keep the Scarab away from her corrupt aunt. Susan Sarandon proves effective as the films main antagonist, Victoria Kord, sister of Ted Kord whose hellbent on obtaining the Scarab. George Lopez completely steals the show as Jaime's uncle, Rudy Reyes, with his character generating the most laughs from the audience, especially with his "Batman's a fascist" line. The rest of Beetle's supporting cast give strong performances with Raoul Max Trujillo as Victoria's bodyguard, Ignacio Carapax, Adriana Barraza, Damian Alcazar, and Elpidoa Carillo as Jaime's grandmother, father, and mother. When it comes to performances, the cast proves charismatic along with showcasing total devotion to the story at hand.
When it comes to Beetle's directing, Angel Manuel Soto delivers serviceable work with bringing the comic book character to life on the big screen while surrounding him with the richness of Latino culture. Considering that the film is PG-13, the violence is presented as being fairly standard comic book style violence in which people are non-fatally beaten and involved in a series of explosions with brief glimpses of blood shown. A few moments of edginess regarding the violence include the use of child soldiers presented in a series of flashbacks. In terms of CGI, Beetle's suit looks solid given the fact that the film carries a smaller budget in comparison to many of today's standard superhero flicks. At 127 mins, Blue Beetle is fast-paced and never lets up once the Jaime discovers the Scarab. The soundtrack proves hugely effective in complimenting the stories action, as well as the films representation of Latinx culture. Although the directorial work may come across as feeling unremarkable and average at best, Manuel deserves commending for crafting a well-paced and slick comic book origin story that never feels like it overstays its welcome while boasting CGI that looks more convincing than that of Marvel's Phase 4.
Although the story revolves around the origins of a young hero, it's also one that's a coming-of-age tale along with showing pride towards the working-class family. Themes including life journeys, love, sacrifice, loss, sexism, doing something for the greater good, and legacy are all at play here with Jamie's character coming to terms with the abilities he has and the responsibility that comes with having them. Legacy is defined through Jamie's family's heritage with dialogue being spurted out, that gives insight to his families struggles with trying to make it as everyday American citizens, as well as the realization that their main purpose is to guide him towards his destiny. Hints of sexism are shown with Victoria's character still being bitter regarding the fact that her brother chose another male to run the company over her, which plays into her sinister plot. The films side characters are developed enough to where the audience becomes connected with them, particularly Jaime's family tree as well as his romance with Jenny. Jamie is shown as being completely devoted to his family with him returning the love and support they gave him in the past. Jenny is shown as desiring to put people over profits as she battles her aunt for control of her dad's company. Nana is shown as being a loving grandmother and cook, but also a force to be reckoned with.
At its heart, the script emphasizes the value of a strong, supportive, and loving family while playing off basic formulaic conventions within the superhero genre. While it's true that the films formulaic structure feels repetitive and bear strong similarities to both Spider-Man as well as Iron Man's, Blue Beetle compensates with charismatic performances from its main cast, fast-paced action, and a heartfelt tribute to Latino culture that makes it a refreshing experience for audiences given that this superhero story doesn't rely on multiverses or time travel but old-fashioned superhero tropes that are effectively reapplied to a new face. Contrary to the view that audiences hold towards the DCU, the uneven cinematic universes latest effort is worth seeing and is packed with Latino infusion.
Final Verdict: A must watch for comic book fans and a win for DC.
Images courtesy of Warner Brothers Discovery
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