Blue Beetle Review – A Solid First Entry Into The New DCU

In recent years, DC movies have had their ups and downs. Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ was released last year and was widely acclaimed by both critics and fans alike, with some even calling it “The Best Batman Movie Ever!”. However, they have since faced setbacks with ‘Black Adam’ later that year. With ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ and ‘The Flash‘ also receiving mixed reviews in 2023, DC is in need of a comeback. ‘Blue Beetle’ could be the film to help the DCU regain its footing.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has previously confirmed that Blue Beetle is the first character to be introduced in the new DCU, and it is one very solid introduction for them.

It’s All About Family

Blue Beetle tells the story of fresh college graduate Jaime Reyes, played by Xolo Maridueña, who returns home to his family full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world,  Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology called the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary powers, forever changing his life forever as he becomes the Blue Beetle.

Despite being action-packed, at its core Blue Beetle is a heartfelt story about a family who are trying to overcome hardships together and the movie portrays this narrative beautifully.

Solid Performances All Around

Xolo Maridueña delivers a remarkable performance as Jaime Reyes. He exudes charisma in both comedic and action-packed scenes, while also hitting the right emotional notes when the movie delves into more heartfelt territories. One of my favorite aspects of his performance is how he realistically reacts to becoming the Blue Beetle, taking time to fully accept the situation, despite living in a world already inhabited by superheroes such as Superman or The Flash.

The other supporting cast members who play Jaime’s family, such as Damián Alcázar as his father Alberto and George Lopez as Uncle Rudy, also deliver equally charismatic performances.

But a special mention has to be given to the legendary Susan Sarandon, who delivers a menacing performance as the film’s antagonist, Victoria Kord. Every now and then, I want to see a comic book movie villain without any redeeming qualities, someone who embodies pure evil. Victoria Kord perfectly fits that description. She is just the absolute worst, and I thoroughly enjoyed Sarandon’s portrayal of her.

Finally, Good CGI

Now I’m sure many have noticed a decline in CGI quality in recent superhero movies, both with DC and Marvel. Well, I’m pleased to say that the CGI in this film is pretty good. It’s no Guardians of the Galaxy but it’s no The Flash either. This makes the action scenes fairly engaging and there is no bad CGI to distract you and pull you out of the movie.

I really liked the design of Blue Beetle’s scarab suit; it strikes a great balance between comic book accuracy and a realistic appearance that avoids looking too goofy. Although, most of the bad guys look generic, one of the movie’s villain Carapax also has a cool design.

The action scenes in the movie were bursting with creativity and were all thoroughly entertaining to watch as they did a good job of displaying Blue Beetle’s powers and toolkit. Blue Beetle’s fight with Carapax towards the end of the movie was particularly fun as it was very well choreographed.

To New Beginnings

All in all, director Angel Manuel Soto has managed to craft a movie that delivers an action-packed rollercoaster ride from start to finish, satisfying the expectations of a superhero movie whilst still weaving in a compelling family story that keeps you emotionally engaged amidst all the thrilling action.

However, I believe the movie’s pacing could be improved, especially in the first and second acts, and not every joke landed as intended. Nonetheless, these shortcomings don’t detract much from my overall enjoyment of the film. Is it a groundbreaking masterpiece that will revolutionize the superhero genre? No, but Blue Beetle serves as a solid beginning for the DCU under James Gunn’s guidance.

Join Us!