Recently, I had the opportunity to watch DC’s newest movie, “Blue Beetle”. The movie follows Jaime Reyes, a Mexican American college student, who discovers an ancient artifact called the Scarab that allows him to transform into a superhero by the name of, you guessed it, Blue Beetle. His mission is to stop the evil CEO Victoria Kord and the villainous Carapax. The cast includes Xolo Maridueña, Elpidila Carrillo, Bruna Marquezine, Susan Sarandon, George Lopez, and many more.
“Blue Beetle ” has made history for being DC’s first live action superhero movie with a predominantly Latin American and indigenous cast. The film also has a Latin American director, Angel Manuel Soto. This movie is a prime example of Latin American excellence from not only the family dynamic and food, but also the pop culture references like telenovelas and artists like Selena Quintanilla, Vincente Fernandez, Luis Miguel, and Ivy Queen. The entire cast did a great job in the movie, but I was impressed with Xolo Maridueña’s portrayal of Jamie Reyes. His character’s determination to stop Victoria Kord and save his family without giving up was inspiring. I also enjoyed Bruna Marquezine’s performance as Jaime’s love interest Jenny, and Susan Sarandon’s performance of the main antagonist, Victoria Kord, who wants to steal the Scarab from Jaime Reyes even if it means destroying his family in the process.
Without giving away too much, I must say that “Blue Beetle” is an emotional rollercoaster to the point that it is best to bring tissues. There are many heartwarming and sad scenes that will make you become attached to the characters and relate to their trials and hardships in the movie as they lean on each other for emotional support.
With actors and writers that are currently on strike in Hollywood, it is important for us to go out and watch this film, which is an example of great Latin American cinema. “Blue Beetle” will go down in history for many years with its diverse cast and the director. I wish Angel Manuel Soto and the rest of the crew the best and hope that they will get many more opportunities post strike.
