#BlueBeetleBattalion
Blue Beetle buzzed into the DCU with a solid opening! The movie stars Jaime Reyes a Mexican-American who is a first-generation graduate fresh out of college and his family. The film focuses primarily on the family dynamic while bringing a lot of the superhero tropes fans have grown to love to it. Blending a nice mix of comic book cheesiness and real-world realism, this movie has something for everyone!
Jaime is played by Xolo Maridueña & he has mastered this character. His charisma captures the essence of Jaime from comic book to live-action. Both he and George Lopez are the highlights of this film. George Lopez plays Uncle Rudy who is the fun but skeptical Tio who doesn’t want anything to do with the man. The dynamic between these two and the rest of the family makes for a compelling performance that captivates throughout the entirety of the movie.
The Culture
The family dynamic is one of the many positive examples of Latin/Hispanic culture and influence in this movie along with the representation of Mexican dialect. However, throughout the film, it touches on a lot of issues in the community as well without going too in-depth. This makes context easy to understand while still hitting on a lot of topics that need to be addressed. Topics like immigration, deportation, and the effects it has on generations of families are some of the issues that are showcased in the film. This movie is a powerful message to and for Latin/Hispanic families and communities.
The Scarab
The Beetle or Scarab as called in the movie is sentient and her name is Khaji Da. After choosing Jaime and attaching herself to his back, Khaji Da’s relationship with him becomes symbiotic. The concept for Khaji Da is much like that of Venom with elements of Iron Man and his weaponry blended. The A.I. is different than that of Tony Stark’s F.R.I.D.A.Y. where it feels alive and conscious. Khaji Da is also influenced by Jaime and shows that together they make the Blue Beetle.
“Your house is full of love.”
Blue Beetle is by far one of the best DC movies in recent years. The story is compelling and addresses a lot of real-world problems but never feels forced. The plot, the comedy, everything develops naturally. The cinematography, effects, & concepts used were some of the best parts of the film. The score felt nostalgic and reminiscent but still fresh and new. Blue Beetle is a must-see for DC fans and fans of superhero movies!
Blue Beetle Future in the DCU?
According to James Gunn, although Blue Beetle isn’t made by DC Studios, Jaime Reyes will be a part of the DCU moving forward! It’s unclear of how or where in the future which has left many fans to speculate. As confirmed by the director Ángel Manuel Soto, a Green Lantern was at the other end of the green light during the opening scene of Blue Beetle. This could be a reference to the Lanterns TV series in development. Guy Gardner and Jaime Reyes also have history which leaves the door open with the Superman: Legacy casting of the Green Lantern as well.
Another possibility lies in the mid-credits scene with Ted Kord and his transmission stating he’s alive. This could be referencing a potential Blue Beetle 2 or something else entirely! Longtime comic book fans know of the history between Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle and Booster Gold and with a Booster Gold TV series in development, it’s a possibility that Ted Kord is somewhere in time with Booster!
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