Blue Beetle
**This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movies being covered here wouldn’t exist.
I get that several people- usually, white people- are sick of hearing about the importance of representation in media, but “Blue Beetle” works best because of the Latino perspective given to it by the filmmakers. Yes, the film’s narrative- a standard-issue origin story- is predictable, but the emotions are genuine as Jamie Reyes comes home from college, wanting to help however he can with his family, only to have fate have a different plan for him. The film this reminded me most of wasn’t necessarily any other DC or Marvel film, but the Wachowskis’s “Speed Racer,” also about a family facing off against a corrupt world. I’m not saying it’s as good as that film, but it felt as beautifully observed in its character details as that film did, and that’s worth a lot.
When Jaime Reyes (“Cobra Kai’s” Xolo Maridueña) arrives home from college, he’s setting his sights on grad school to become a lawyer, but things have been a challenge for his family since he’s been away. Health issues, losing business, and they might have to leave their family’s house, which they’ve had since first coming to America. The impulse for Jaime is to not only wonder why nobody told him, but also to help, but as his parents (Damián Alcázar and Elpidia Carrillo), his grandmother (Adriana Barraza) and his uncle (George Lopez) tell he and his sister (Belissa Escobedo), the Reyes have always overcome adversity. Is that what it’s called, though, when Jaime finds himself in possession of an ancient Scarab that- when it chooses a host- turns them into the powerful Blue Beetle. This is not just a matter of finding a suit, however; it’s important for Jaime and Khaji-Da (the Scarab’s consciousness, voiced by Becky G) are symbiotic. Hopefully, that happens sooner rather than later, as the head of a weapons manufacturer (Susan Sarandon) wants to use it to power an army of cyber-infused cops. That never really ends well for the corporate types. Just saying.
Family is truly everything in “Blue Beetle.” When it comes to the notion of a secret identity for the superhero, it’s hopefully interesting how each film works with that idea. Some are, more or less, open secrets while others truly take the idea of keeping their loved ones out of harm’s way seriously. Jaime’s family not just knowing his identity, but having a front-row seat for his origin story is essential to “Blue Beetle” working. A fundamental part of the Reyes’s family’s story is sacrifice, and how Jaime’s father’s choices are the reason they have the opportunities they have today. As with any story of sacrifice, there is tragedy that comes with it, but it is because of the trials Jaime goes through in the film that allows them to come out stronger on the other side. The reason this feels more like “Speed Racer” to me than, say, “Spy Kids” is because the latter is about a secret that gets revealed to the main characters; here, everyone is on board (in terms of knowing) from jump street, and like with “Speed Racer,” everyone helps out in their own way to make the heroic finale come out the way it does. The screenplay by is very much written in archetypes, but the actors bring a sincerity- and sometimes, an outrageous personality allowing for some wild humor (primarily from Lopez and Barraza)- that keeps the film both grounded and entertaining.
On the other side, we have Sarandon’s Victoria Kord. She is in charge of her family’s namesake company, and is looking to take it to the next level as an arms manufacturer, basically developing a symbiotic suit based around the Scarab’s coding that will militarize the police in a way we haven’t seen onscreen since “Robocop.” Previously passed over for her brother- who went missing fifteen years ago- she now presides over the company, and takes care of her niece, Jenny (Bruna Marquezine), but she is not much of a caregiver. For her, power over her namesake company matters more than building on the path it took before she took over, which causes the rift between her and Jenny, resulting in Jenny stealing the Scarab, and giving it to Jaime for safekeeping, unaware of what would happen. The duel views on family and legacy are not new, but they add a layer of interest to the film that makes this more than just an “Iron Man” clone (which is, honestly, the superhero movie this most resembles structurally). There’s also the matter of Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo), who is Victoria’s muscle, and test subject; as we will discover, family is important on his journey as well.
Many of the most impactful moments of this film are those that speak to the Latino experience in America. Much is made of the father’s experiences to try and do what he could for his family. There are moments of warmth every step of the way with the Reyes family. The community around them coming together when they most need it. But the two moments that will probably resonate the most are during big action scenes, one which speaks to how American authorities go after immigrants, and one to how white colonizers in South American treat the people who actually live there. This is where director Angel Manuel Soto is a great choice- he can create the visuals for such sequences, and make them feel genuine. He’s also great at visualizing the typical action sequences and visual effects this type of movie requires- he and cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski have strong imagery and color working in this film, and a score by Bobby Krlic, and soundtrack in general, that keeps us energized every step of the way. “Blue Beetle” has all of the ingredients to make this a strong superhero film, and indeed, this is DC’s most entertaining film in a long while.
