Movie Review: Blue Beetle
As of writing this review, the superhero genre is a hot mess. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is lost in the world of the multiverse and doesn’t seem to be getting out of it anytime soon. The Universe seems stagnant and there doesn’t seem to be a direction to where it is going. DC is going through a revamp by bringing in James Gunn to take control of its new universe, but they might also include some of the original universes in their new one. It’s all very confusing and makes for bad filmgoing experiences.
Just as I was getting bored and annoyed with the superhero genre, Blue Bettle comes along and like the characters and look of the movie, it is a splash of fun and energy. This isn’t a genre-changing superhero film or even the best one of 2023, but it is a down-the-middle origin story elevated by a strong message and fun action.
Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) has just recently graduated college and returns home with hopes, dreams, and aspirations. But the home he returns to has changed since he’s been at school. His family is struggling in a poorer part Palerma City (a fictional city inspired by Miami) and are forced to sell their house. With little job prospects, Jaime’s sister Milagro (Belissa Escobedo) gets him a job cleaning homes. While working one day, Jaime meets Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine), the stepdaughter of Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon), the CEO of Kord Industries. Jenny tells Jaime to come to her office to discuss a potential job.
Jenny discovers that Victoria has found an ancient alien artifact known as the Scarab and plans on using it for military purposes, which she strongly disagrees with. In a moment of panic, Jenny steals the Scarab and gives it to an unsuspecting Jaime, who is told not to touch it and not tell anyone that he has it. Stricken with curiosity and pressure from his family, Jaime begins to analyze the Scarab, only for it to choose Jaime as its symbiotic host and attach itself to his spine, which allows Jaime to have an impenetrable suit of armor and a slew of explosive powers. With Victoria and the military after the Scarab, Jaime must learn the powers of Scarab quickly to protect his family and Palerma City.
Blue Beetle is a classic superhero origin story. We are introduced to our hero before they get their powers, we watch as they go through the growing pains of learning their powers, and then ultimately become the hero they were destined to be. It isn’t anything original or anything. We’ve seen origin stories and they all start and end the same, but watching Blue Bettle was a fun, light, refreshing watch. While superhero movies are all over the place and focused more on making Twitter and fanboys happy by bringing back past characters and connecting universes, Blue Beetle focuses solely on Blue Beetle and the world he is in. There are no ties to other heroes or credit scenes that bring in Superman or Aquaman. This is strictly a Blue Beetle movie, which is how all origin movies should be.
What elevates Blue Beetle from a standard superhero origin story to one of the best DC movies in recent years is the characters. Reyes is a great screen presence and a charismatic hero who is easy to root for. But it is his family that really shines. They are fun, funny, and full of life and passion for their roots. By the end of the movie, you know each one of them and feel like you are part of their family. George Lopez, who plays Jaime’s conspiracy theorist uncle, is a scene stealer and is my favorite performance in the film.
Led by a unique cast of characters, thrilling action, and a ground-level story, Blue Beetle is an exciting and refreshing origin story and a film I hope we see more on the big screen.
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