Blue Beetle : the superhero movie that no one expects
It’s an understatement to wait Blue Beetle it was minimal. Primarily because this new DC Comics superhero is not the best known, although he has appeared in print since the late 1930s, but under the leadership of Fox Feature Syndicate. Then because the DC universe at the cinema has clearly been in trouble for several years. With the management changes (James Gunn and Peter Safran now head of DC Studio), abandoned projects (Bad girl), and especially a series of failed films.
It’s quite simple, since the excellent The suicide squad (2021) and The Batman (2022), Warner Bros. and DC have had three bankruptcies. black adam (2022), Shazam! The rage of the gods (2023) e The flash (2023) have been major failures. And as the DC universe is overhauled, Blue Beetle appears, like its predecessors, like a lost production. The absence of promotion around is also indicative of how little hope Warner Bros. must have. her.
From then on, being so little involved in this undertaking of the illustrious unknown Angel Manuel Soto, we told each other Blue Beetle could only surprise us positively. In a sense it is. Because we can say from the outset that the feature film at least is not as disastrous as later DC productions. Which doesn’t make it a good movie or an interesting proposition. Far from there!
From Spider-Man to Beetle-Man
Blue Beetle indeed it is a origin story of the most classic. We follow Jaime Reyes (introduced in the comics in 2006), a young boy of Mexican descent who returns to Palmera City after graduation. Taken in by his family, he’s already returning as a hero, being the first Reyes to go to college. But the party is short-lived since his family (his parents, his sister, his uncle Rudi and his grandmother) are in danger of losing their home in the coming months.
Due to the development of the Kord company, rents have exploded in their neighborhood and it’s becoming impossible for those at the bottom of the social ladder to get by. Obviously everything will change when Jaime (Xolo Mariduena) will meet Jenny Kord (Adriana Barraza), who will entrust him with a mysterious beetle that her aunt Victoria Kord (Freewheeling Susan Sarandon) want to use to create weapons. The original alien creation then chooses Jaime and fuses with him, giving him some sort of Iron Man-like armor.
Besides the irony of seeing a big company like Warner Bros. you ask the living conditions of Mexican immigrants (Marvel had on its side raised the issue of refugees in Ant man 3), Blue Beetle mostly looks like a proofreading of Spiderman (2002) by Sam Raimiin the Hispanic version and without having the qualities. Like Peter Parker before him, Jaime Reyes will discover his powers very awkwardly and go through similar phases. In particular, the loss of a loved one, punctuated by a highly evocative final conversation the sequence of Spider man 2 between Peter and his uncle Ben.
The family is sacred!
Nothing very original then, which gives that feeling Blue Beetle probably would have more interest if it had come out 20 years ago. Only that to this is added such an immature character and even less resourceful than Tom Holland’s Spider-Man (in the Marvel Cinematic Universe). Played by the uncharismatic Xolo Maridueña, Jaime should at best entertain a very young audience. Why Blue Beetle reveals extremely childishespecially in its last act.
Putting all credibility aside, the film sees the hero’s family rushing to his aid by running over an enemy base packed with armed soldiers with disconcerting ease. The simple fact of having a united family and some gadgets (including a beetle-shaped ship that releases gas when it enters “flatulence mode”) enough to deal with overtrained assassins.
Even if it seems ridiculous, Blue Beetle at least go to the end his crazy gait to underline family values, support and love of loved ones to support the hero. And although Angel Manuel Soto’s staging is anecdotal, the director at least shows himself reasonable in his action scenes. Which allows for Blue Beetle in order not to sink into total visual ugliness. Thus, the movie may have a chance for him to release next The flash (our review), next to which it is not difficult to be to your advantage.
Blue Beetle by Angel Manuel Soto, in theaters on August 16, 2023. Above the trailer. Find all our trailers here.
Source: Cine Serie
Ray Ortiz is a journalist at Gossipify, known for his coverage of trending news and current events. He is committed to providing readers with accurate and unbiased reporting, and is respected for his ability to keep readers informed on the latest news and issues.
