Blue Beetle Centers Latinos In A Family-Style Superhero Origin Story
What happens when Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) suddenly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology? His life is forever changed as he becomes the superhero Blue Beetle.
Blue Beetle has plenty of action and humor, but the heart of this film is in its celebration of the strength, love, and resilience of the Latino family. I absolutely loved following the Reyes family. They all shined in their own ways, with George Lopez as Rudy and Adriana Barraza as Nana being particular stand outs. As much as this film is about Jaime becoming a superhero, it's also about his family being thrust into this as well — and they're up for the challenge. It reminded me of Shazam meets Ms Marvel with a touch of Robert Rodriguez.
For anyone worried about the scare factor, Jaime’s first transformation into Blue Beetle is a bit scary with body-horror vibes. However, I do wish the setup was stronger and the pacing was tighter. There was a lot of telling versus showing moments, especially when it came to the original Blue Beetle. The villains were another weak spot in the film. They tried to give them that motivation, but it didn’t quite land, especially when it came to Susan Sarandon. They also underutilize Harvey Guillén in the film.
While it doesn’t re-invent the wheel, this was a really fun introduction to the new DC hero. I love that Jaime actually got his own solo movie that focused on him and his family instead of just being used to set up something for the future as many superhero movies have done lately.
Blue Beetle is playing in theaters.
