Blue Beetle Review: Superhero Film Explores Unique Powers Without Reliance On Time Travel Or Multiverse Elements
Yet, onscreen, there are indications that while the superhero movie audience remains vast, it might be veering into a realm of diminished excitement.
Is the comic-book movie culture teetering on the edge of peak exhaustion? Signs of this weariness have emerged in lackluster box-office returns for "The Flash" and "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" this summer. Admittedly, the resounding success of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" and "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" affirms the genre's ongoing allure. Yet, onscreen, there are indications that while the superhero movie audience remains vast, it might be veering into a realm of diminished excitement.
As the cinematic landscape fills with movies tied to sprawling multiverses, the imaginative charm often succumbs to the demands of corporate universe-building. Take, for instance, the "Ant-Man" sequel, crafted to lay the groundwork for an extensive villainous saga, akin to the enduring Ring cycle. Additionally, the superhero genre appears burdened by an overwhelming sense of self-importance, with cosmic destinies hanging in the balance with nearly every installment.
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Amidst this backdrop, "Blue Beetle," a DC-originated superhero tale, injects a gust of revitalizing pulp freshness. Its narrative, refreshingly uncomplicated and lightweight, follows Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña), a charming recent college graduate returning to his slightly futuristic Latino immigrant community in Palmera City. Struggling with limited prospects and impending familial financial woes, Jaime's chance connection with Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine), heir to Kord Industries and niece of the ruthless Victoria (Susan Sarandon), thrusts him into a battle against Victoria's ambitions to transform the company into a fascist anti-crime weapon enterprise.
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While it has become customary for Marvel films to be engulfed by visual effects extravaganzas in their climactic acts, "Blue Beetle" follows a similar path. Yet, here, the effects - characterized by magnetic waves of electric-blue light and clomping robot enforcers - deliver a gratifying, old-school kinetic thrill. It's not that these visual spectacles are profoundly awe-inspiring; rather, they exude a tactile quality that evokes a sense of pre-digital, unpretentious dynamism. As Blue Beetle, Jaime harnesses the ability to weaponize his limbs, yet the stakes remain contained and relatable - he is simply safeguarding himself and his family, leaving the complexities of the multiverse to await their turn.
