Blue Beetle

After many defeats and failures, James Gunn and Peter Safran finally hit the reset button on the DCEU. "Blue Beetle" marks the first film in the DCU. Well, did Warner Bros. finally succeed with their latest hit? The answer is difficult because it's a yes and a no at the same time. "Blue Beetle" follows an alien relic who chooses Jaime Reyes to be its symbiotic host, bestowing the teenager with a suit of armor that's capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero Blue Beetle.

Let's start with what the film doesn't do well. First off, the story was in my opinion a very mediocre story and felt like a rehash of all the iconic superhero origin stories. It didn't do something special nor did it stay with me after the film which is disappointing, to say the least, especially after James Gunn publicly stated that people are tired of seeing a bunch of nonsense on screen and the presence of superhero fatigue! Since the trailer gave me a good and cool impression of the film, I was expecting this film to be a great comic book film which was definitely not the case here. It's a barebone, generic, and predictable story that unfortunately misses the mark! I would only recommend this for a fun watch and for its Latino representation. On that thought, I have to praise director Angel Manuel Soto for finally giving Latinos a good representation in a superhero film. Everything from the score to the cast and to the comedic bits made for a great representation. 

Last but not least, I would like to mention the performances. Xolo Maridueña did a fantastic job at bringing the Blue Beetle to life. His charisma perfectly fits the character which made the film more enjoyable to watch. Praise should also go to his co-stars here. Adriana Barraza, Bruna Marquezine, and George Lopez did a fantastic job here and honestly carried the film with their great performances. Finally, I would like to mention the action and the CGI. I absolutely loved the action here and wish there were more action bits in this film. The choreography which was inspired by Injustice 2 was clearly seen here and put a big smile on my face. These action sequences couldn't have been achieved here without some great and convincing CGI which was the case here. All in all, "Blue Beetle" makes for a fun and entertaining watch if you have some time to spend. I wouldn't mind seeing this character re-appear in a DCU film and would be excited to see the sequel if they greenlight one!