DC Comics has been making the same superhero movies for a while – Batman, Superman, Justice League – but they’ve finally added something new with a Latino comic story called “Blue Beetle.”
“Blue Beetle” was released on Aug. 18 and stars Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes, the Mexican-American superhero known as Blue Beetle. The movie follows Jaime, a recent college graduate, who just landed back home in Palmyra City, where he becomes the Blue Beetle. Along with having to deal with becoming a superhero, Jaime’s family revealed they were in the process of losing their home to the evil Kord Industries’ newest buildings. In a desperate attempt to get any job he’s offered, Jaime gets stuck with the scarab, or large blue and gold dung beetle, Kaji-Da, that seeps into his spine and turns him into the Blue Beetle. This movie was an action-packed tearjerker.
In “Blue Beetle,” Maridueña portrayed a great superhero. His acting turned Jaime Reyes into a complex well-rounded character. Jaime went through a range of emotions that many first-time superheroes go through and Maridueña executed them perfectly and showed his impressive range as an actor.
Geroge Lopez was hilarious as Jaime’s uncle, Rudy, and my favorite character. I could not stop laughing at his jokes and conspiracy theories, like when he was looking around at the airport and saying “Big Brother is watching.” Belissa Escobedo, who played Jaime’s younger sister, was also funny with her snarky comments during fight scenes or flirty scenes between Jaime and Jenny Kord, played by Bruna Marquezine. Jaime’s grandma, played by Adriana Barraza, was the true star. She was a fun wild card during fight scenes and watching her grandkids be surprised by her amazing ability of handling the huge weapons was hilarious. The cast was perfect.
The storyline of “Blue Beetle” was captivating. Many aspects of it weren’t just about Jaime becoming the Blue Beetle but also about his family. Jaime’s main goal was to protect his family and at points when he couldn’t, there was so much tension that I was hiding behind my hands afraid of what was going to happen next. There was a huge focus on Jaime’s fear of not being able to protect his family from Kord Industries which ultimately made me cry. This aspect of the story makes Jaime a complex and relatable character.
The movie’s soundtrack was immaculate. Songs like “Cumbia Sampuesana,” were featured and brought the best party vibes. The energy was fun and upbeat whenever a new song came on when Jaime was chilling at home or at a fancy party hosted by Kord. The songs kept the energy throughout the movie and I was really glad to hear some of the classic songs I’ve grown up with.
I’ve had one problem with DC’s recent superhero movies- the fight scenes. Most fight scenes in the DC Universe seem to be placed randomly, which often disrupts the flow of the film, but that was not the case in “Blue Beetle.” The fight scenes continued the storyline and put me on the edge of my seat. Kord Industries’ human weapon, Conrad Carapax, targets Blue Beetle and the two have the most intense battle I’ve seen in the DC Universe.
Angel Manuel Soto deserves a lot of praise as the director of “Blue Beetle.” His ideas and insight were visually pleasing and gave Blue Beetle the potential to be a hit movie. I think that the Warner Brothers did a great job at bringing in Latino voices with the making of “Blue Beetle.” “Blue Beetle”’ was fantastic and I have high hopes for the future of the character and I’m crossing my fingers that his story continues.
