Disappointment doesn't even adequately express the feelings in my head right now at the underwhelming performance of Blue Beetle at the box office.
When it was first announced, I was ecstatic. As someone who had grown up in a world where the superhero world lacked the Latino representation I often wanted, I was eager to see what superhero fans thought about the first leading Latino character like that. It wasn't an animated film; it wasn't a side character – Jaime Reyes was the story's live-action lead.
And then the release date came and went, and the film had a worse weekend than The Flash in June.
It bums me out , considering I was so eager to see what would come next for Blue Beetle. I will talk about why this film deserves so much more attention and love, because if audiences aren't going to give it, I will.
Xolo Maridueña Is An Excellent And Charismatic Superhero
I've been a fan of Xolo Maridueña since he co-starred in the Netflix series, Cobra Kai, which is receiving a sixth and final season. I've seen how well he fights in that series, so I knew he'd make a good superhero. He already had the moves down.
But, I wasn't expecting to seriously love Maridueña in the role of Jaime Reyes, because he embodies the character so well. He's funny, a good guy, we genuinely wants the best for him, and he fully portrays that freakout moment that anyone would have over getting powers.
He was such a good pick for the lead, and I was eager to see what else he would bring to James Gunn's DC universe – but I'm not sure it'll happen now.
The Supporting Characters Are Amazing (Especially George Lopez)
When it comes to supporting characters in superhero movies, many of them can be hit or miss. I can't think of many that stand out to me from the Marvel films – maybe Happy Hogan makes me smile and I’m always happy when he returns, or Wong from the Doctor Strange films. The list of DC supporting characters is even shorter.
Honestly, every single supporting character in Blue Beetle was given the proper screen time they deserved. They flowed with the story enough that it didn't feel like they were shoved in there just for laughs. One I need to point out especially is George Lopez's character, Rudy Reyes. God, he was one of the best parts of this movie. Please, for the love of god, put George Lopez in more superhero movies.
The Superhero Genre Has Been Overdue For The Latino Representation Blue Beetle Includes
This was the main reason I was excited about Blue Beetle. I couldn't wait to see that Latino representation delivered on the screen. After seeing the film, I can fully say it was signed, sealed, and handed personally to me on a platter.
In a country and world that is constantly changing and evolving, it is so important nowadays that we all have proper representation on a movie screen. While superhero movies have been making strides in that direction when it comes to Latino representation, such as Miles Morales becoming extremely popular from the Spider-Verse films or America Chavez appearing in the MCU, there hasn't been a live-action superhero movie that had a Latino in the lead role.
That was, until Blue Beetle, the incredible story of Jaime Reyes and his working-class family and their pure love for each other. I can feel the amount of heart poured into this film because it felt like my family was reflected right back to me. And that is what I want to feel when there is a representation of my culture.
Blue Beetle’s Villain, Carapax, Is Strong, Terrifying, And Compelling
Villains are sometimes hit and miss for me, whether from the Marvel universe, DC’s universe, or somewhere else. The villain in Blue Beetle was a lot of fun, though.
While I would say that the main villain is Victoria Kord, played by Susan Sarandon, all her fighting is done by Ignacio Carapax, a bodyguard of hers who is infused with a prototype which turns him into a killing machine. It’s sort of the same thing the scarab does for Blue Beetle, except a lot more violent.
Carapax is one of those villains you can't take your eyes off. He's not as complex as some of the greatest villains out there, but he's captivating while on the screen because he's such a good fighter. When his backstory is revealed later in the film, it makes his story much more compelling.
The Fights Are Some Of The Best That DC Has Done
I think this bothers me the most – DC fans are depriving themselves of watching some of the best fights the DC universe has to offer.
I know that the DC movie universe is all over the place right now, but I'm just talking about the franchise in general. The fights featured in Blue Beetle are some of the best in DC history – even up there with The Dark Knight and Man of Steel. They are entertaining, with high-stakes and well-choreographed moments.
I literally could not look away from the screen for a single second. My eyes were stuck on the movements, and if I could, I would rewind my brain to watch it all over again for the first time.
And The Story Is Genuinely A Lot Of Fun
What surprised me about this film was that I thought many fans would turn out for the story. It was a fresh superhero, so it wasn't a rehash of a previously done story, like the Spider-Man franchise in the MCU.
It was also a sweet story – a young adult who didn't want to be a savior suddenly has this power thrust into his hands, and he doesn't know what to do with it. Now, we get to watch him learn how to be a hero – nine times out of ten, that is a recipe for success.
Jaime Reyes is such an enjoyable character that he's electric to watch on the screen, and he makes being a hero look almost fun and easy when in reality, he's struggling to adapt just as much as we probably would.
I'm really disappointed with how everything turned out for this film in terms of the box office. It makes me nervous about potential sequels because of how poorly it did, and the pressure on the film to make up the money.
I don't know where Blue Beetle is going to go from here. I want it to have an Elemental moment and pick up box office numbers in the coming weeks, but one can only hope. Only time will tell – but if you haven't gotten the chance to see Blue Beetle, please, head to the theater and see it. I promise you; it's worth the time.
