Well, everyone, today, we are doing yet another movie review! This time, we will be talking about the newest edition to join the DC Comics superhero film franchise as of last month! To be fair, since it’s likely been over a year since we got a DC Comics movie in theaters with The Batman (I’m not counting DC League Of Super Pets as much, since that was more of an animated family-oriented film than adult one), it was about time that DC Comics released a film from their studio, and Warner Bros. once again. This film stars Xolo Mariduena, Bruna Marquezine, George Lopez, Susan Sarandon, and a few others. So now, let’s talk about the one, and only Blue Beetle!
Plot: In the fictional town of Palmera City, when a recent college graduate named Jaime Reyes gets hired at business company by the name of Kord Industries to try help pay off debt that his family’s been facing, he receives a fast food box, and his told by an employee named Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine) that he must not open. However, Jaime does during dinner with family, and it is reveled to be a blue scarab. The blue scarab comes to life, and Jaime becomes what is known as the Blue Beetle. Jenny’s aunt Victoria, who is head of Kord Industries, is hellbent on retrieving the blue scarab back for herself, and use it for the destruction of the world. Can Jaime, with his newfound powers of the scarab, as well as the help of his family, and Jenny defeat Victoria, and the corrupt members of her company, or will Victoria succeed in getting it back, and use it for the destruction that she intended, when she, and her team uncovered, and acquired it in Antarctica?
So, did we have another winner in the DC Comics that have been adapted to the big screen, or did DC Comics have a dud like Justice League, Batman Vs. Superman, or films like those? Well, guys, even if this film has flipped at the box office thus far, Blue Beetle definitely deserves more recognition than it’s been getting in the end. First of all, the action is really good. The film almost feels like an Iron Man kind of movie except for the DC Comics, instead of Marvel. There is also really good comedy in this film. Let me tell you, it works really well. It was also really good to have this film set in a fictional city, and have people of color. Now, some might argue that having people of color in this movie might make it woke. However, this movie doesn’t seem to be woke due to the fact that that element works really well in this case. Why, you may ask? Well, mainly because Blue Beetle takes place in a more poor neighborhood, and around a family that is surrounded by mostly people of color. Not to mention that the film is set around an environment that consists most likely of a mostly Mexican population. As for the whole deal of Susan Sarandon’s character, Victoria, being related to people like her niece Jenny, well, I’m guessing her brother must have gotten married to a Mexican female? Quite possibly!!! Should we get a sequel, definitely would be more curious about that aspect. Anyway, there is also really great acting in this film. You have Xolo Mariduena as main character Jaime Reyes, Damian Alcazar, and Elpidia Carrillo, as Jaime’s parents, Belissa Escobedo as Jaime’s younger sister, and George Lopez as Jaime’s uncle Rudy. Rudy seemed to be one of the major highlights in terms of having quite a few funny lines in this film. Then again, nearly any film that George Lopez has been in, he’s been a major highlight in comedy, and here is no exception. However, it would seem that Susan Sarandon as the villain, Victoria Kord. Now, I’m sure she’s played some good character roles in her career, as well as villain ones. Still, to see her go from being a villain in the 2007 Disney live-action/hybrid, Enchanted, when she played the evil Queen Narissa, and then play this villain several years later, she definitely shows, once again, that she’s capable of pulling off playing a villain that’s good at being manipulative, conniving, and any other ingredient that makes for a really great villain. The CGI design for the the Blue Beetle scarab, along with the armor that Ignacio Carapax, Victoria Kord’s Lieutenant, wears is really cool. Then again, even villains do have cool body armor in movies like these, don’t they? The romance between Jaime, and Jenny is cute as well. Oh, and another thing! The climax, and the events that took place during it turned out to be a big surprise, and in a good way too. Finally, there are quite a few great messages in this film such as how we should be willing to accept the purposes in our lives (which, parallel to real life, how God has purposes, and plans for our lives), that we need to learn to stand up for what is right, even if it means going against any wrong beliefs that any family member, or friend, how evil is NEVER good, or vice versa, that sacrifices for family, and friends come first before yourself, and things like that.
With all that said, are there flaws with Blue Beetle? Well, there are a couple. First of all, Jenny Kord was a fairly fleshed out character. Emphasis on fairly. However, at the same time, she did also feel a little bland. I mean, we probably have a good idea of why she goes against her aunt Victoria’s beliefs, and things like that. Still, that aspect probably could have been explored a little more. In addition to that, there was some character development that occurred near the end that felt a little forced, and could have somehow been handled sometime before the third act of this film. Because of this, this is one of those films that probably should have gone through maybe an additional draft, or two, and probably been around 2.5 hours, rather than just two hours, or a few minutes past that. The whole deal with the blue scarab/Blue Beetle, though fairly expanded upon, could have maybe been a little more developed, and had a little more depth, and development as well.
And that’s my review for Blue Beetle. Yeah, it could have maybe gone though one, or two additional drafts in order to be a little better. Still, for what it is, especially with this film being one of the fewer films that has some more decent quality in it, having better morals in it, compared to quite a few films made in Hollywood nowadays, and things like that, Blue Beetle is still worth checking out. It’s fun, entertaining, and still has some heart in it. I would say that if you still have yet to see Blue Beetle, definitely do so. It could have been better, yes. Still, it’s worth checking out. Oh, and make sure that you stay during the beginning part of the end credits. There is an additional scene that occurs during that that you don’t want to miss. So, definitely go see Blur Beetle, and see what you think!
Final Grade:B+
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 