MOVIE REVIEW – Blue Beetle feels like a blatant rehash of past superhero films, akin to a remixed song where only the tune is familiar and the lyrics lose their essence. The movie brings no fresh perspective, and its tiresome, overused narrative and characters only accentuate the fatigue surrounding the superhero genre. The repetitive themes and borrowed elements give viewers a feeling of déjà vu. Even its introduction as the first Latin-American comic adaptation doesn’t save the production from its slew of clichés. Instead of a breath of fresh air, we get a tired gust from the DC universe.

The fatigue with superhero movies is accentuated with Blue Beetle’s debut. It feels like a second-tier film, originally planned for HBO Max and perhaps best suited there, devoid of energy and depth. Despite being the inaugural Latin-American comic adaptation, it still manages to become one of the most clichéd in the genre. It borrows so much from its predecessors that it feels like a cookie-cutter project. If this is Warner Bros.’ attempt to close out the early DC era (before the rejuvenation by James Gunn and Peter Safran), then it is fittingly lackluster and loud.

It’s Like an Episode of Friends

After being the first in his family to graduate college, Jaime Reyes (known from the Cobra Kai series, Xolo Maridueña) returns to his hometown of Palmera City. It’s an average metropolis where the wealthy reside in the dazzling downtown skyscrapers and the less fortunate in the working-class district of Edge Keys. Warmly welcomed by his family, Jaime quickly becomes the butt of two successive jokes about his college loan debts.

This is the sort of “contemporary” humor that runs through “Blue Beetle”, much of it provided by Jaime’s uncle, Rudy (George Lopez). His quips never end, with everyone loudly voicing comedic lines, desperately trying to paint the family as uproariously fun.

Here Comes the Drama!

As Jaime reconnects with loved ones, he gets hit with a series of setbacks: his father had a recent heart attack, their auto repair shop is going under, and they may lose their home due to skyrocketing rent. This clichéd twist prompts Jaime to take on a menial job – scraping gum from beneath tables at luxury resorts. This turns out to be serendipitous as he defends the honor of beauty Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine) from an older woman, Jenny’s aunt Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon) – the mogul behind Kord Industries. As thanks, Jenny sets up a rendezvous. Upon arrival, Jaime finds her in distress, handing him a fast-food package with mysterious contents he must protect at all costs.

Then, Jaime Goes “Buggy”…

Peer pressured by his family, Jaime checks the package and discovers a blue-gold scarab which immediately grafts onto him, transforming him into Blue Beetle, a multi-armed superhero. With powers reminiscent of Green Lantern – being able to materialize anything he imagines – the digital display through which he sees makes him akin to Iron Man. Except, due to his insectoid nature, he’s more like Spider-Man from Spider-Man: Homecoming.

He learns of his newfound healing abilities, reminiscent of Wolverine, and trains his symbiotic scarab armor to restrain its killing instincts, Terminator 2 style. Jaime later discovers he’s not the first Blue Beetle; his predecessor Ted Kord (Jenny’s missing father), was a scientific genius, and Jaime confronts a rival wanting his own scarab armor. He uncovers a secret lair filled with gadgets and an airship reminiscent of the Watchmen series, his version of Batman’s Batcave. Rudy finds it thrilling but also bluntly states, “Batman is a fascist.”

It’s got Fast and Furious and Telenovela Vibes…

With nods to Superman and Flash, plus a spoiler scene echoing Black Panther, Blue Beetle feels like a mash-up of elements from the past 15 years. Added to this are recurring family themes reminiscent of Fast and Furious’s atmosphere. Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer’s script is the laziest genre blend, only distinguished by its nods to Mexican telenovelas and kids’ shows, paralleled by its aim to depict a conflict between hardworking, undocumented immigrants and white corporate racists. Villains intentionally mispronounce Spanish names, employ SWAT tactics to evict families, and exploit Hispanic workers. This is epitomized by Conrad Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo), Victoria’s former military bodyguard, cybernetically enhanced and leading scarab-driven mecha-troops.

Clichéd or kitschy? Take your pick!

Under the competent direction of Ángel Manuel Soto, Blue Beetle oscillates between the clichéd and the kitschy. The latter is embodied by every member of the Reyes family participating in combat, from Rocio piloting an airplane to the ex-revolutionary Nana firing away with a high-tech machine gun.

Despite the efforts, Blue Beetle has been in the superhero genre for too long to bring anything new to the table. Perhaps it would’ve been better off staying on HBO Max, where on a boring evening, sipping a beer and half-watching in 4K might have been more enjoyable…

-BadSector-