Shortly after returning from college, Jaime Reyes, played by Xolo Maridueña (“Cobra Kai,” “Dealin' with Idiots”), is job hunting to help provide for his family including his mother Rocio, played by Elpidia Carrillo (“Predator,” “Bread and Roses”), his father Alberto, played by Damián Alcázar (“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” “El Infierno”), his sister Milagro, played by Belissa Escobedo (“Hocus Pocus 2”), his grandmother Nana, played by Adriana Barraza (“Babel,” “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels”), and his uncle Rudy, played by George Lopez (“Real Women Have Curves,” “Beverly Hills Chihuahua”). However, on the way to one interview, he’s given a mysterious alien robotic scarab by Jenny Kord, played by Bruna Marquezine (“I Love Paraisópolis,” “God Save the King”), that attaches to his body, giving him control over a superpowered alien suit and allowing him to take on the mantle of the Blue Beetle. This then puts him in the crosshairs of Jenny’s aunt and CEO of Kord Industries Victoria, played by Susan Sarandon (“The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Enchanted”), who wants the Scarab back by any means necessary.
For all intents and purposes, this is a fairly basic superhero origin story. There isn’t much in its basic ideas that stand out from the others that have come before. Jaime must learn to control his powers and save the day through the power of family and his belief in himself. It’s a lot of what you’ve seen before. However, director Ángel Manuel Soto (“Charm City Kings,” “The Farm”) and screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (“Miss Bala,” “Contrapelo”) mix in a lot of chemistry and charm from the characters. It practically pours out of the Reyes family, and it helps sell the film from start to finish.
It cannot be overstated how much fun it is to spend time with the Reyeses. They’re supportive and loving, while still having a joking quality that comes from a close-knit family. They all have plenty of moments to shine, with Lopez stealing every scene he’s in particularly. They never feel overused either. Rather the opposite, as the film is at its worst when they’re put on the back burner in the third act in favor of far more traditional climactic CGI explosions and fights.
Maridueña proves to be a charming lead, easily selling his optimism and love for his family, while also mixing in some goofiness with his lack of experience related to his newfound powers. Marquezine does the best she can with a more underdeveloped female love interest kind of role, but she’s still fun and charming. Sarandon, meanwhile, seems confused as to what kind of tone she needs to hit at any given moment. It’s hard to describe her performance as “scenery chewing” because that implies a certain mix of over-played that still works. She just seems out of place the entire movie, never really meshing with the rest of the performances, feeling like a table read that got mixed into the final film.
Visually, there’s a kind of overly artificial sheen to the effects that works with the heightened reality of the film. At no point does the Scarab or the suit look realistic, instead going for a more “pulled from a comic book” look. Jaime’s hometown of Palmera City is covered in skyscrapers and neon lights, giving it all a pulsating glow even in the middle of the night, contrasting against his family’s neighborhood. It’s not realistic at all, and its got its fair share of poor green screen moments, but it also has a charm to it just like the rest of the movie.
It is worth reiterating though, the third act really loses a lot of the film’s best aspects up until that point. It’s more generic and lifeless due to its setting and focus on typical superhero antics. It doesn’t ruin the film but does leave it ending on a more forgettable note than it otherwise could have. It also doesn’t help that said third act is where most of the shoddier effects are, leading to a feeling of quick and dirty reshoots late in the game.
Yes, things might sour a bit in its last third, but it speaks to the charisma of the Reyes family and the actors that even a drab third act can’t fully ruin this film. It’s a simple and charming piece of popcorn filmmaking, with a heartfelt and lovable central cast that shines and puts a smile on your face whenever they’re on screen. It might not rewrite the genre, but “Blue Beetle” definitely has a superpowered charm all its own. 3.5/5
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