With Blue Beetle grossing over $100 million worldwide and an approval rating of 92%, many consider it a big success compared to DC’s recent flops, Black Adam and The Flash. Cobra Kai star Xolo Mariduena plays Blue Beetle. The story follows Jaime, a young man who becomes the host of an ancient relic, along with his Mexican family supporting him through his journey.
The movie begins with Jaime, the main character, returning home from college. His family greets him and later learns about his father’s auto shop closure and his home’s possible repossession by the antagonist Kord Industry. Jaime is determined to help his family and finds work with his sister at a resort. Following this, a few scenes introduced the biotechnology concept and the scarab. Along the way, he was bestowed with powers and acquired ruthless enemies.
This movie resonated with many Hispanics, with Luis Ruiz, a sophomore, describing it as “something I can relate to” because the family portrayed was “similar [to other] Hispanic households.” Amner Vasquez, a sophomore, would agree, addressing that the “backstory with them first coming to the country was relatable.” The Spanish-language film was observed to showcase the first DC superhero of Hispanic descent. Keller Ortiz, a junior, expresses his content with this. He notes the film contained a “bunch of amazing Hispanic references, and the representation was there.” Keller Ortiz adds that as an “Hispanic, you really understand most of it.” They knew their target audience and had Spanish subtitles embedded, making it accessible to non-English speakers.
Blue Beetle and the characters allowed many viewers to connect with the feature and see themselves in the story, making it a fantastic experience. The movie was not just Spanish-speaking but perfectly represented Hispanic culture, specifically Mexican culture. The house resembled many Mexican households, including an altar with Guadalupe paintings in the corner, Selena playing on the radio, the telenovelas, and even the wall decoration and tiles. It contained well-known actors from Mexico and Brazil, such as Bruna Marquezine and Damián Alcázar. This casting made the audience feel included without feeling forced by the movie industry. Luis Ruiz felt the impact, asserting that this was the “first Hispanic superhero [he has] seen.” Keller Ortiz added to this, mentioning he is glad DC “decided to adapt a story based on a Mexican hero” because “in this generation, there [are] not a lot of Hispanic superheroes.” This is shocking, acknowledging that Hispanics comprise 20 percent of the population but only have 13 superheroes representing them and displaying how underrepresented they are despite their presence. Although DC did well in capturing the essence of Mexican culture, how can they improve the movie further?
The movie was fantastic but had cringe moments that would make viewers laugh or squirm. For example, there are scenes where the scarab talks to Jaime whenever he is close to his love interest. Amner Vasquez would agree, mentioning how the film needed more “serious moments because [he] felt like it did not have the development needed in movies.” Many agree that the film’s rushed pacing sacrificed significant character development for action and humor. Keller Ortiz felt partial about these statements. He agreed that the “pacing felt off” but that the film included “some serious parts that balanced things.” Luiz Ruiz, a movie fanatic, said the movie was “great overall” and any improvements to the cinema would be minor, such as “adding more action,” but there needs to be no additives to the plot. Despite statements of improvements required, the movie was a big success for the audience.
The 92% approval does not lie. Despite all the movie’s flaws, it still scored high with the audience and resonated with them. This rating is a huge win because it saves DC from its flop streak, and they could do it while representing an underrepresented majority. Keller Ortiz ranked the movie an “eight out of ten,” Luis Ruiz agreed with the rating, saying it was a “cool movie, and it did entertain me.” Amner Vasquez felt it was a “good movie to pass [the] time.” Overall, Blue Beetle was a success for DC, enjoyed by many, and is highly recommended.
