Blue Beetle

6.5/10

In this new movie based on the DC comics character (which was originally supposed to be on HBO Max but new management felt it had a chance in the theaters), Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) is entrusted with a scarab that turns out to be a biomechanical suit that bonds with him transforming him into the superhero Blue Beetle. He's soon hunted by a corrupt corporation out to retrieve the scarab. 

This is one of those films with a weaker first half and a stronger second half. At the beginning, Reyes' family, which is a huge focus of the film, is just too silly and goofy for their own good. (In fairness, I'm a very, very white guy (I know who Glenn Yarborough and Garrison Keillor are). This is a Hispanic director and screenwriter and intricacies of Hispanic families and culture may be lost on me.) It is also frustrating that Jaime is way too naive and idealistic and his cynical sister Milagro (Hocus Pocus 2's Belissa Escobedo) is too self-destructive in her devil-may-care-decisions.

However, when the story starts getting serious and the humor is downgraded then I started liking the family. They felt like real characters and though there were still jokes, they no longer felt too cartoonish. The sentimental family bonding moments really work. Jaime's uncle Rudy (George Lopez) is the one who gets the most screentime and is definitely the VIP. He does get the best jokes but is also a great ride-or-die ally and the tech guy. Lopez gives the best performance I've seen (and isn't playing his usual type) and nails the more serious moments. He definitely has the best interactions with Jaime.

The movie has the problem that you sometimes find in shows and films these days in that it tries to look at a culture while also telling a superhero story and has difficulty balancing the two. The movie tries to cram as much demonstrations of racism and other struggles for Hispanics in America as it can before Jaime gets the suit. It feels inorganic and like the movie is talking down to you. (There are not one but two white people who don't care about getting Spanish names wrong.) Again, things improve in the second half; the messages are shown not told.

If you don't know, Jaime is the third Blue Beetle in the comics. If you're a fan of his predecessor Ted Kord (who may not mean anything to anyone unfamiliar with BB but trust me, he has a fan base. He was pretty prevalent during the 90's), you may like to know that the movie does honor the BB legacy.

The single worst part about this is the villain Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon). She's a one-dimensional evil/racist businesswoman/weapons manufacturer. Sarandon's trying her best but her dialogue is painful and she's impractically evil for the sake of evil. Her right hand Carapax (Mayans M.C.'s Raoul Max Trujillo), who actually does the fighting, is better. He's an effective physical threat, and I give Trujillo credit for nailing the character's body language. He can say a lot without speaking at all.

Jaime's suit has an artificial intelligence (voiced by singer/actress Becky G). She appears to have her own personality, but the movie makes it slow to figure this out at first. So much time is spent on the family and other human characters, the relationship between Jaime and his suit is lacking. She just speaks up when the plot needs it and no more.

The best part of this is the action and visuals. The action in the second half, especially the final battle are some of the best choreographed fight scenes I've seen in a superhero movie in a while. They don't break the mold but are really entertaining. 

I love the use of color in this. Everything looks so vibrant. The city the family lives near is a superb quasi-futuristic-looking accomplishment. 

Special effects really blend in well in this. I applaud director Angel Manuel Soto for making it look like the actors aren't even acting with CGI effects they can't see.

The movie does a surprising job of accurately replicating the Blue Beetle suit in live-action. It doesn't have a mouth hole, but they have the suit have a lower lip-like section at the bottom that moves as Jaime talks. I've never seen a movie do something like that ever before. It sounds goofy but manages to work.

Kinda recommended. The first half and Victoria Kord can be a slog to get through, but when the movie works it's really entertaining. I'm really impressed by the action and physical design in this. I do feel a little bad this isn't doing well at the box office. I kinda want to see Jaime and company in a sequel with a chance of correcting the flaws of this film. Also, again white guy here. If you're Hispanic, you may get a lot more out of seeing your culture represented.