In an era of increasingly ambitious superhero films (sending characters across space, time and the multiverse), there’s something strangely refreshing then about Blue Beetle. There are no crossovers, no multiversal cameos and it’s not about the end of the world (or universe) as we know it, but instead a story about Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) given great power, learning how to use it, understanding his responsibilities, and protecting his family from a pair of supervillains. While Blue Beetle isn’t breaking any new ground plot-wise, it does make for a fun, low-key, character-centric superhero origin film with a lot of heart.
Perhaps the film’s greatest strength is the Reyes family. Xolo Maridueña is instantly charming and likable as the protagonist Jaime, and the dynamic with his family members (including Belissa Escobedo as his sister Milgaro, Damián Alcázar as his father, Elpidia Carrillo as his mother, Adriana Barraza as his Nana, and George Lopez as Uncle Rudy) feels genuine, thanks to some great on-screen chemistry. The Reyes’ clearly love one another, but there’s also some fun interactions and plenty of opportunities to embarrass one another – particularly Jaime. Lopez’s Uncle Rudy in particular is a comic highlight throughout the film, but also adds a more emotive, heartfelt perspective to some key scenes.
As this is an origin story, most of the narrative is dedicated to introducing Jaime and his Blue Beetle powers (manifested from a scarab device which latches onto him a slightly comedic body horror sequence), meaning that the villains of the piece take something of a backseat. Susan Sarandon chews the appropriate amount of scenery as evil businesswoman Victoria Kord, while Raoul Max Trujillo plays her cybernetically-enhanced henchman Carapax, offering a physical threat for Jaime to face. Jaime to face. Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer‘s screenplay adds a little bit of depth to these Bond-esque villains, and while they’re not the most interesting antagonists, the focus remains (quite rightly) on the protagonists.
There’s also some really nice world-building in the story, with Jaime’s romantic interest Jenny (Bruna Marquezine) being the daughter of Ted Kord, the original Blue Beetle. This legacy hero aspect doesn’t negate Jaime’s role in the story though, instead developing the broader context in a way that makes the world of Blue Beetle feel more real. The focus remains on Jaime becoming a hero, and his interactions with the scarab’s AI interface Khaji-Da (voiced by Becky G) adds not only some comic relief but also some dramatic tension. The Blue Beetle suit itself looks great on screen (I can imagine the toy being a must-have for the kids in the audience), presented through a combination of practical and CGI effects work that blends in incredibly well.
Blue Beetle was filmed for IMAX, with around 70 minutes of the film presented in the digital IMAX 1.90:1 aspect ratio (up to 26% more picture than standard cinemas), as intended by director Ángel Manuel Soto. All the key action sequences are filmed in IMAX and look great, partly thanks to the film’s excellent blend of practical and CGI effects work. Most of the sequences take place in real-world environments, adding a more grounded feel to the action, while the versatility of the nanotech Blue Beetle suit (including the robotic legs, wings, jetpack, arm cannons and swords) makes for some fun fight choreography. The various sound elements from the suit and various action sequences sound particularly great through the immersive IMAX speakers, as does Bobby Krlic’s synth score.
All in all, Blue Beetle is a lot of fun, and a great cinematic debut for Xolo Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes in the DC Universe. The script feels a bit clichéd in places, and the CGI effects occasionally look a bit ‘off’, but the story itself is really good, with some compelling characters and a lot of heart. There may not be universal stakes at play, but there’s an emotional component that makes Blue Beetle much more engaging and emotionally satisfying as a result. If this is an indication of DC’s new direction, it’s certainly for the better.
Oh, and be sure to stick around for the mid-credits scene.
