Blue Beetle: the D.C. superhero film you didn’t know you needed?
Just when you thought Hollywood was done milking the super-powered cash cow, Warner Bros. swoops in with Blue Beetle, an unexpected yet audacious superhero adventure. Yes, you heard that right. Blue. Beetle. If the name feels like the result of tossing darts at a dictionary, remember: this is the world of comic book lore, where subtlety is about as common as a vegan T-Rex.
Directed by Angel Manuel Soto, a man whose previous films include titles that sound like the losing teams on “The Apprentice,” this film introduces us to Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña), the unlikely protagonist turned chitinous champion.
Recent college grad Jaime stumbles upon the Scarab, an ancient piece of alien biotech that’s presumably been gathering cosmic dust in the universe’s lost and found box. But this is no ordinary relic. This nifty little gadget turns out to be more clingy than a stage-five clinger on a first date and attaches itself to Jaime, transforming him into the super-empowered, no-refunds-accepted, Blue Beetle.
Xolo Maridueña, best known for his role in “Cobra Kai,” morphs from a martial arts dojo to a cosmic dojo. Alongside him, we have an ensemble of characters that sound like they’ve just walked out of a telenovela. The cast includes Adriana Barraza, Damían Alcázar, Elpidia Carrillo, Bruna Marquezine, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez, who somehow manages to be everyone’s uncle.
Not to forget, there’s Harvey Guillén as Dr. Sanchez, a man whose most impressive superpower is somehow managing to keep his lab coat spotless amidst all this chaos.
Jaime’s life gets a full-scale superhero makeover, which probably includes defying gravity on a regular basis, destroying a few city blocks unintentionally, and dealing with relatives who suddenly can’t recognize him when he puts on a mask. It’s all part of the superhero package, you see.
“Blue Beetle” is set to hit the big screens internationally on August 18th, 2023. Set your phone reminders, mark your calendars, and let the beetle mania begin!
