August 21, 2023 · Watch the trailer
Warner Brothers and their DC Comics film division have been trying – and largely failing – to replicate the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Yet somehow, almost by accident, they may have actually stumbled upon a winning formula with their latest feature, which combines the best aspects of properties like “Iron Man” or “Spider-Man” with the comic charm of “Ant-Man” and DC’s “Shazam!”
The resulting “Blue Beetle,” which dropped in theaters this past weekend to minimal fanfare given its mid-August release date, is campy fun that doesn’t take itself too seriously or connect to a larger cinematic universe. Instead, the focus is an origin tale of a little known secondary hero in the DC Comics canon that could prove to be the way forward for Warner Brothers.
Director Angel Manuel Soto’s first big-budget studio feature follows Jaime Reyes, the first college graduate in his family, who loses his job only to find himself connected to a piece of alien technology that puts his family and minority neighborhood in the crosshairs of a weapons contractor seeking to obtain the “scarab” inside of Jaime at any cost.
Even though the general formula for this superhero tale is pretty standard by this point, “Blue Beetle” feels vibrant, fresh and original thanks in large part to writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer’s focus on family and the plethora of newcomers making their major English language film debuts.
At the heart of the film, Xolo Maridueña provides a quiet sympathy mixed with an eagerness to enjoy his newfound abilities that’s a fun cross between Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther and Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. While he doesn’t quite have the best comic timing, his big heart and terrific chemistry opposite love interest Jenny Kord played by Bruna Marquezine.
Susan Sarandon is less than ideal as the villainous Victoria, but luckily, the screenplay spends much more time on the positive female influences on Jaime with Adriana Barraza’s Nana and Belissa Escobedo as Milagro serving as standouts.
Without question, the best part of “Blue Beetle” is the pitch perfect comic relief from George Lopez as Jaime’s eccentric uncle Rudy. Lopez steals most every scene he’s in with a dry affectation, oversized goatee and over-the-top mannerisms that match the ridiculous, yet perfect costumes designed for Rudy.
Action sequences aren’t anything to write home about as the CGI isn’t particularly inventive or exciting, though some scenes have comedic elements layered in that help bring levity to the narrative especially in the somewhat excessively long final sequence.
Because Warner Brothers and DC have largely underwhelmed in recent years, “Blue Beetle” feels like a breath of fresh air for a studio longing to build back a shared universe. While it clearly isn’t on the level of last year’s “The Batman” starring Robert Pattinson, that film’s darker tone and stand-alone nature puts it on a separate plane.
There probably won’t be a better film released theatrically this month than “Blue Beetle,” which is less of an indictment of the slate of August and more a result of what a pleasant surprise the unlikely superhero film has turned out to be.
Given the original take on a well-told origin tale and the solid comic aspects, “Blue Beetle” might be the perfect escape for end-of-summer fun as younger audiences make their way back to the classroom.
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