The once Teflon world of comic book movies has certainly shown signs of vulnerability in recent years. Disney and Marvel seem to be floundering with films showcasing grand consequences that ultimately feel inconsequential in a connected universe that is clearly more of a burden at this point as opposed to the fresh creative direction it once was. Then there’s DC. Currently under reorganization and living off the remaining films of prior creatives, with a reliance on media teases and announcements of superheroes to come.
After the financial failures of The Flash comes Blue Beetle, a relatively unknown superhero riding the wave of representation to gain traction. Many considered this film D.O.A. and to be honest with talks of a cinematic reset for the DCU, I assumed the same. But being the consummate professional I am, I went into this superhero origin story with an open mind and for the most part I would say this film was a success and surprisingly enjoyable for a hero only few have heard of but will never forget after seeing this charming rookie mission.
On the positive side, Blue Beetle is filled with effective light humor, the charming power of family, and it’s lined with a sincere hero’s journey you can easily invest in through the lovable performance from Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes. He isn’t a reluctant hero. He’s an uninterested one. Reyes is a graduate, pre-law, and dealing with health and financial issues in his family. He doesn’t feel he has time to be a hero and over the course of the film his growing into the gifts given to him and understanding the importance of the abilities he was chosen for does deliver plenty of sincere emotion and heartfelt conflict.
So Blue Beetle as a result is an easily engaging flick that can sweep you up. The humor is woven nicely into the story. I do think things get a bit too silly in places but much of the lighthearted humor lands effectively because I was chuckling throughout, and only a few times did the levity undercut the dramatic impact of the scene before it. So overall, there is a nice upbeat tonal flow which makes the movie a fun summer superhero adventure, and with crisp visuals that is certainly worth viewing on the big screen. There’s a charming rapport between the characters, they feel lived in and there is a blend of personality types to connect with.
Now on the downside, I do think the overall villain angle and their evil scheme of sorts was a bit of a misfire. Susan Sarandon’s certainly a skilled veteran in front of the camera, but she hams this character up far too much and really was not the right actor for this role. Sarandon just puts too much sauce on her animated performance, and she never feels as grounded as everyone else around her. Fortunately watching Reyes come into his own as the Blue Beetle does provide plenty of entertainment on his own and when the climax kicks in the lack of intrigue in the bad guy’s intentions doesn’t hinder the action-packed intensity as the Blue Beetle showcases what its symbiotic capabilities are.
The core seed of Blue Beetle is family and I enjoyed aspects of the representation lining this film. Yet, there felt like just as many generic stereotypes used as well. That was a disappointment, there is culture in this story without question, but outside of family the themes feel thin. This focus on family also leads to some of the overbearing silliness that I mentioned earlier. I can admit the love of family is a powerful gift, but how this family is woven into this mission, flying aircrafts, firing massive alien weaponry, and working control panels seemingly out of nowhere does result in some head scratching.
Yet, when all is said and done Blue Beetle is a charming superhero adventure that can appeal to audiences and have you leaving with a smile. Its heartfelt but never takes itself too seriously and despite some tropes of the comic book genre being noticeable, Blue Beetle is able to incorporate plenty of fresh elements to give this young new hero a solid origin to stand on with Maridueña capturing so much charisma as Jaime Reyes that it will be fun to see this hero grow inside the new DCU.
Grade: B-
CAST: Xolo Maridueña, Bruna Marquezine, Becky G, Damián Alcázar, Adriana Barraza, George Lopez, Belissa Escobedo, Elpidia Carrillo, Susan Sarandon, Raul Max Trujillo DIRECTOR: Angel Manuel Soto WRITER: Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros. Pictures RUNNING TIME: 127 minutes RATING: PG-13 (For sequences of action and violence, language, and some suggestive references) YEAR: 2023 LANGUAGE: English GENRE: Action/Comic/Sci-Fi/Adventure
Anthony J. Digioia II © 2023 SilverScreen Analysis. All Rights Reserved.
