The mantle of Blue Beetle is held by three characters, with the first being Dan Garret in Mystery Men Comics #1, published by Fox Feature Syndicate in 1939, then Ted Kord in Captain Atom #83, published by Charlton Comics in 1966, and finally, Jaime Reyes in Infinite Crisis #5, published by DC Comics in 2006. The Jaime Reyes version brought in more diversity to DC Comics, quickly making him the most popular Blue Beetle and one of the most popular Hispanic superheroes.

The character has been featured in various TV and animated series as well as games, with the most well-known being part of the main cast in Young Justice, some episodes in the live-action series Smallville, and was a playable fighter in Injustice 2 by NetherRealm Studios. In 2010, a live-action Blue Beetle series was announced with its first trailer two years later, but sadly, we never heard from it again. Now, in 2023, Blue Beetle finally arrives on the big screen as part of the DC Extended Universe, directed by Ángel Manuel Soto, and starring Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes.

After graduating from Gotham Law University, Jaime Reyes is welcomed home to Palmera City by his family, but soon learns they’re facing eviction from their home due to financial hardship and increasing rent prices. His sister, Milagro, portrayed by Belissa Escobedo, manages to get him a cleaning job at Victoria Kord’s mansion, played by Susan Sarandon, who is also a co-founder and the CEO of Kord Industries.

After getting involved in an argument between Victoria and her niece Jenny, brought to life by Bruna Marquezine, Jaime and Milagro are both fired. Feeling bad for costing Jaime his job, Jenny tells him to meet her at Kord Industries the next day for a possible job opportunity. Jaime arrives and finds Jenny, who gives him a Big Belly Burger takeaway box telling him to keep it safe, not look inside, and urges him to leave the building.

Back home, a confused Jaime and his family stare at the box, before opening it to see a mysterious beetle-shaped artefact with a side of fries. His sister and uncle play around with it before Jaime retrieves it, and it suddenly begins fusing with him. He and the family panic trying to get it off him, but not before it completely encases him in a black and blue suit before sending him flying into the sky. Freaking out over discovering his newfound powers, Jaime attempts to find Jenny again for some answers, but also attracts some unwanted attention that could put him, and his loved ones, in serious danger.

Despite being part of the DC Extended Universe, which is mostly known for its underwhelming films and pales in comparison to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Blue Beetle easily stands out as one of its very best. It’s bright, colourful, and exuding with personality, as opposed to the dark and grim atmosphere set by some of its predecessors. A huge part of that is thanks to its largely Latin American casting, making them the real stars of the show, and having Ángel Manuel Soto in the director’s chair helps audiences see his visions through a Hispanic lens.

Xolo Maridueña is best known for his role as Miguel Diaz in the hugely successful series Cobra Kai, which continued the story of The Karate Kid films. Currently, in his early 20s, Xolo has already shown a wide range of acting talents and can only get better. There is never a moment where he looks out of place or doesn’t belong.

The actor and the character share a lot of similar personality traits, so his being cast as Jaime Reyes couldn’t be more perfect, bringing that same charm, comedic relief, and raw emotion to the titular character, both in or out of the suit. Xolo’s portrayal of Blue Beetle is one that many can relate to and could very well be one that defines his career.

Of course, Xolo’s incredible performance wouldn’t mean anything without the rest of the cast, which features an ensemble of Latin American stars. His sister, Milagro, played by Belissa Escobedo, has a rebellious attitude, often cracking jokes, and she sees a lot of development throughout the film.

His parents, Alberto and Rocio, portrayed by Damián Alcázar and Elpidia Carrillo respectively, are hardworking and show a lot of love and support for their kids with some really heartfelt moments. Adriana Barraza plays his grandmother who’s loving and sweet, though she might also have an interesting past as implied in a trailer that sees her armed with an oversized machine gun.

The biggest standout in his family no doubt goes to his uncle Rudy, brought to life by prolific stand-up comedian, George Lopez, who seems like he was born for this role. Rudy is the token crazy family member who’s paranoid about being spied on and is full of conspiracy theories, but he’s actually more talented than people realise.

As dysfunctional, overbearing, and embarrassing as the family can be, the film does a great job of also showing how much they love and care for each other, with certain moments bringing them even closer together. The fact that Blue Beetle’s secret identity isn’t really a secret to the family also creates a whole new dynamic knowing they’re related to a superhero.

Bruna Marquezine, as Jenny Kord, starts off as the least interesting of all the characters, feeling like her main purpose was to be a possible love interest for Jaime. The romance between them does feel cliche and unoriginal, but isn’t necessarily bad and certainly has its place in the film.

Her story does get more interesting later on, especially due to her last name. Her Aunty, Victoria, is portrayed by the award-winning Susan Sarandon, who looks like she’s actually having a lot of fun serving as the main villain. Her bodyguard, Ignacio Carapax, played by Raoul Trujillo, is a brute with cybernetic enhancements, barely says a word, and is the biggest physical threat to Blue Beetle, but becomes more than a one-dimensional as more of his backstory comes to light.

The action scenes have a good balance of going all out without overdoing it. They are exciting, exhilarating, and adrenaline-pumping, showcasing the wide variety of powers and weaponry in Blue Beetle’s arsenal. They are done so well that audiences will feel what Jaime feels when experiencing these weapons for the first time and when he wreaks havoc.

The film really is a wild ride anytime the Blue Beetle suit is on, which is amazing to look at up close, with plenty of detail and taking a lot of inspiration from the comics, and it’s one of the best-looking suits out of any superhero film. The film includes plenty of fan service and easter eggs that honour the past, which comic book readers will appreciate, while also creating intrigue for those not familiar with the franchise and may want to learn more.

Almost the entire soundtrack was composed by Bobby Krlic, and it includes the main theme “Blue Beetle Suite,” which is a really catchy tune. Some licensed songs are also included and perfectly complement their respective scenes. One song however, “Kickstart My Heart” by Mötley Crüe, feels it’s a little too soon and could’ve been timed a little better considering what happened not long before it, but it does fit its scene perfectly and get you pumped up for the mayhem that’s about to unfold.

While the DC Extended Universe appears to be coming to an end, Blue Beetle will, and should always be, remembered as a diamond in the rough. The way it was made will easily move it over to the new and upcoming DC Universe brand of movies, as announced by James Gunn, who alongside Peter Safran will be leading the brand going forward.

The film does change certain things from the source material and add new characters, but in this case, it’s done really well and doesn’t take anything away that makes this Hispanic superhero special. Movie-goers with a so-called ‘superhero fatigue’ bugging them should not overlook Blue Beetle. It’s a fantastic representation of Latin American culture, a real fan service for comic fans, and overall, just a highly entertaining film of a coming-of-age story full of action, comedy, triumphs, tragedy, and plenty of mayhem. No matter if people have never heard of him or are sick of superhero movies, Blue Beetle is an absolute must-see and should not be missed.

Written by: Sammy Hanson