Over the past 36 months, the comic book genre has entered a fatigue led by an oversaturation of the once beloved and profitable genre. Gone are the days when studios could bank on a comic book film to succeed commercially and critically, and the dark days of bloated budgets and lack of interest have surfaced.
While there have been a few exceptions over the past few years, 2023 has shown that quality over quantity should be Marvel and DC’s motto going forward. With failures on both sides: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Flash, respectively, there is no denying that the writing’s on the wall for a change in strategy.
With James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over the future of DC, that change has arrived in the first film of the new and improved DCU – Ángel Manuel Soto’s Blue Beetle. A film that’s not only important in kickstarting a new era for DC, but is also the first live-action comic book film led by a Latino. It’s important for the future of the genre and Latino opportunities knows no bounds.
Despite a lack of promotion from Warner Bros., Ángel Manuel Soto’s Blue Beetle is the cinematic VICKS Bibaporrú for the DCU! Oozing Latin pride and authenticity, Blue Beetle is an inspiring and heartfelt journey that embraces its Latin American roots while forgoing the universe-building entanglements that have tarnished the genre for quite some time.
Blue Beetle introduces cinephiles to Jaime Reyes, the first college graduate in his family, who returns to his hometown, Palmera City, to discover his family is struggling financially and in danger of losing their home. Desperate to take his family out from under these hardships, Reyes takes a job at KORD, which ultimately leads to being chosen by a symbiote, turning him into the Blue Beetle.
If the beats of this story sound familiar, it’s because they are. Blue Beetle is a comic book origin story through and through. However, the combination of Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer’s screenplay and Ángel Manuel Soto’s direction elevate the material from the generic “we’ve seen this before” to an emotional, familial tale highlighting the importance of family and culture.
As a Latino, it was eye-opening to see the ideologies of a Latino household so elegantly explored on the big screen. Dunnet-Alcocer and Soto’s focus on this bond and the sacrifices made within this family hit home. The film is set to capture an array of “Leo pointing at the screen” moments throughout with the sprinkle of featured iconic telenovela Mexican TV stars.
Such a strong focus on the foundation of family leads to one of the year’s most entertaining ensembles – The Reyes family. Each performance offers its unique flavor; it’s impossible not to be enthralled and emotionally hooked by each. Adriana Barraza and George Lopez stand out with their comedic timing, disdain for fascism, and some of the film’s most potent moments.
As a huge fan of Cobra Kai, it’s great to see Xolo Maridueña’s magnetic turn as Jaime Reyes. In a superstar-making performance, Maridueña gives much-needed sazón to a tale as old as time. Evoking his infectious charisma both emotionally and comedically, Maridueña’s take will make it impossible to leave the theater and not be talking about Jaime Reyes.
With a superhero origin story, the villain always tends to be a massive roadblock in the film’s overall success and execution. While Susan Sarandon’s Victoria Kord doesn’t entirely change that narrative, her villainous take shines. The Oscar winner was given full reigns, and similarly to Tommy Lee Jones’s Two-Face in Batman Forever, Sarandon goes to 11 and never comes down in an over-the-top portrayal.
While there’s much to love, the film’s comedy sometimes falls flat. It’s never a good sign when your film relies on fart jokes, and while used uniquely, it is a chink in Blue Beetle’s armor. Speaking of armor, while I was invested with Sarandon, I can’t say the same about Conrad Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo). Never feeling like a huge threat, Conrad evokes Obadiah Stane “Iron Monger” vibes, and cinephiles know he’s not one of the genre’s most beloved villains.
In a year that has given cinephiles tentpoles from both the MCU and the relic known as the DCEU, Blue Beetle stands as one of the finest thus far. Embracing its Latino culture, Ángel Manuel Soto gives Latinos their very own superhero and one that should be the blueprint for the future of comic book films: less nostalgia and more character studies.
