Movies

What Are Critics And Fans Saying About Blue Beetle?

Blue Beetle movie suit Warner Bros.
By Ryan Scott/

The DC Universe is about to have a brand new superhero in the form of "Blue Beetle." The latest DC Comics adaptation has been a long time coming, with the film originally produced for HBO Max before Warner Bros. decided to give it a theatrical release. "Blue Beetle" represents the first time this character has appeared in a live-action movie, and the film is also giving a Latino superhero the spotlight, which is a big deal. But did director Angel Manuel Soto manage to make a satisfying film?

Critics and fans have seen DC's latest, which features "Cobra Kai" star Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes, aka Blue Beetle. It's been an admittedly rough year for WB and DC, with both "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" and "The Flash" bombing in a big way. Is this movie poised to break the bad streak? Based on the early word from those who have seen the film, it very much seems like "Blue Beetle" is going to be a late summer charmer. Even though there are some caveats, the overwhelming consensus has, thus far, been positive.

What is /Film saying?

Blue Beetle movie scarab Warner Bros.

Several members of the /Film team saw the film and had thoughts on the cinematic debut of Jaime Reyes. "#BlueBeetle absolutely rules!" said Rafael Motamayor, adding that "George Lopez steals every scene he's in, the cultural specificity made me cry several times, and there is a reference to the biggest Mexican superhero that made me extremely happy. Can't wait to see it again!"

Our own Ethan Anderton also saw Soto's DC Comics adaptation and had more mixed things to say about it. "#BlueBeetle is best when leaning into the Reyes family dynamic and Mexican culture, but the superhero stuff feels undercooked and cliche," he said. "There is a charm that comes from feeling like a mid-90s comic book movie, though, and the Reyes ensemble is fantastic. Villains? Not so much."

Witney Seibold wrote /Film's official review of the film. He called it a "fun but frustratingly shabby and rushed superhero movie" and gave the film a 5.5 out of 10. Seibold added that "'Blue Beetle' races breathlessly through its paces, hopped up on Jarritos, chattering through plot points that would have been dazzling in 2008, but now feel like the final lap of a marathon" but also suggested, "Give it a few more drafts and 'Blue Beetle' may have emerged as something extraordinary."

What are critics saying?

Blue Beetle movie suit Warner Bros.

Other critics have been mostly kind to the movie as well, with Pop Culture Planet founder Kristen Maldonado praising its heart. "#BlueBeetle has plenty of action and humor, but the heart of this film is its celebration of the strength, love, and resilience of a Latino family. I wish the set up and villains were a little tighter, but a fun introduction to the DC hero!" Malonado said before adding, "It reminded me of Shazam meets Ms. Marvel with a touch of Robert Rodriguez's vibe." Criticism of the film's villains, played by Susan Sarandon and Raoul Max Trujillo, is a common theme in these early reactions.

Nerdist staff writer Eric Ansley Diaz mixed together a whole cocktail of comparisons, throwing in everything from "Shazam!" to "Venom" in distilling it down. "#BlueBeetle doesn't reinvent any wheels; it's a bit of Spider-Man, with a good helping of Shazam, a dash of Iron Man, & pinch of Venom," Diaz said. "But Jaime & his whole family are so charming it'll win you over. And It'll be most kids favorite superhero movie. Susan Sarandon got a paycheck." 

Many of these early reactions share praise for the Reyes family dynamic.

Matt Neglia, the Editor-In-Chief of Next Best Picture, praised Maridueña's performance in sharing his thoughts, which were varied. "BLUE BEETLE overcomes much of its contrived, silly humor to deliver a better-than-average superhero origin story defined by its Latino identity with an cultural emphasis on family," Neglia said while adding that it "can feel uneven but the action & emotion hit hard. Xolo Maridueña gives a star-making performance."

What are fans saying?

Blue Beetle outer space scene Warner Bros.

As for how fans are feeling about it, I'm Just Ren was effusive in praising the film, calling it DC's best of the year. "It's always been DC's color... and DAMN does it look great on #BLUEBEETLE," Ren said. "A punk-rock coming of age tale with infectiously charming characters, heartfelt themes & dazzling visuals/choreography! A universal origin story on forging one's own path. DC's best of the year."

– I'm Just Ren

Twitter user Iron Spine kept it quite simple in sharing their reaction saying, "Hot take: Blue Beetle is the best dcu movie." Twitter user Kochiya Mochiya was less enthusiastic calling it "a super generic superhero movie" that has "Kamen Raider vibes" before adding that they "love the family relation in the movie."

Lastly, artist Yerikjan looked at the bigger picture a bit. If this does turn out to be the first entry in James Gunn and Peter Safran's new DC Universe, he feels the future looks bright. "Blue Beetle was amazing guys. If this is DCU's first entry, it's up to a good start," he said.

"Blue Beetle" hits theaters on August 18, 2023.

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