I’ve soured on superhero movies over the past few years. Despite standouts like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Across the Spider-Verse, slowly watching Marvel go from the high of Endgame to the lows of Love and Thunder and Secret Invasion has been tough to watch.
Sadly, the DC universe has never really had any of those highs to begin with. Not counting (what would now be called) Elseworld stories like The Batman and Joker, I can’t think of a DC movie besides The Suicide Squad that I’ve actually enjoyed, which makes James Gunn’s incoming universal reset an exciting prospect.
Related:Superman Is Finally The Himbo He Was Always Destined To Be
Now, along comesBlue Beetleto make things a whole lot more complicated. Just as I was about ready to wave goodbye to the DC Extended Universe and the angry Snyderverse fans with it, director Angel Manuel Soto delivers what has been missing this whole time - a standalone, heartfelt adventure that introduces a lesser-known hero and makes you want to stick around for their future. This is as close as DC has ever gotten to its version of Iron Man, even if it doesn’t quite reach the same heights.
Blue Beetle focuses on Jaime Reyes, played by Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña, as he returns from university to his family in Palmera City in Texas, only to find them in serious debt. After taking a temporary job with his sister working for the Kord family, Jaime accidentally encounters the Scarab, a mysterious piece of alien tech that grants him access to armour, weapons, and the ability to fly, all at the cost of this technology permanently being bonded to him.
A down-on-his-luck teen getting superpowers and learning how to deal with them might seem overly familiar to anyone who’s watched any superhero film in the last several decades, but it works here thanks to how charismatic and loveable Maridueña is as Jaime. At first, he’s reluctant to take on the Blue Beetle mantle (understandable considering the running joke of how it got into his body and how gross it looks attached to his spine), but, just like in the comics, he slowly begins to come to terms with it to protect those close to him.
Although Jaime is the hero of the story here, what sets Blue Beetle apart from any other superhero movie is the focus on family. Just as much screen time is dedicated to his mum, nan, sister, father, and uncle, and their unconditional constant support, and love for each other despite the tough times they’re going through.
Belissa Escobedo as Jaime’s cynical younger sister, Milagro, and George Lopez as his eccentric uncle Rudy carry most of the film’s humour with ease. There isn’t a weak link among the cast and everyone puts a ton of heart and soul into their roles, with Susan Sarandon and Bruna Marquezine making for a great villain and love interest respectively. Blue Beetle has such confidence in its supporting cast that a significant part of its final act barely features Jaime at all, which only works because of how much faith the movie has in his family throughout.
This focus on family is what makes Blue Beetle unique, but the hero elements hold up well too. The action can feel a little chaotic and unreadable at times, especially since they’re mostly in the dark (likely to disguise lower budget VFX that mid-tier comic movies have to deal with), but the Scarab’s unique power to summon anything Jaime thinks of (including Cloud Strife’s Buster Sword) helps keep the action interesting even when it’s a little tough to see.
There are times when Blue Beetle relies a little too much on cliche. Beyond its unique focus on family, much of the film can feel formulaic and predictable. For every slice of intrigue, be it the synthy soundtrack of Bobby Krlic or the body-horror elements of Jaime’s first transformation, there is a superhero box lazily ticked off elsewhere.
Over the past few years, DC and Marvel have collectively drained our interest in comic book heroes, and Blue Beetle might not be part of the problem, but it’s probably not a solution either. With Jaime Reyes being less well-known to everyone who didn’t playInjustice 2or keep up with comic books, it spells an unfortunate future for Blue Beetle’s success. I hope it’s given the chance it deserves, but it’s hard to get excited considering the current state of the genre, and studios repeatedly failing their writers and actors, leading to strikes.
Blue Beetle still manages to feel distinct thanks to its stronger focus on its cast of characters and their relationships with one another over the typical CG superhero shlock. As one of the most sincere efforts in the genre in almost a decade, it’s worth getting over your fatigue for. It’s not only one the most heartfelt films to come from DC, but perhaps one of the most heartfelt in the whole superhero canon.
Next:Scream Just Got Its First Gay Director And I Couldn’t Be More Excited
