Title: Blue Beetle
MPA Rating: PG-13
Director: Angel Manuel Soto
Starring: Xolo Maridueña, Bruna Marquezine, Susan Sarandon
Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins

What It Is: Jaime Reyes (Maridueña) is just your normal run of the mill guy. That is until an alien scarab decides it wants to use him as a host. Why would it pick him? Well because he was nosy enough to poke around in something that he didn’t know about. Regardless now Victoria Kord (Sarandon) wants HER specimen back no matter the cost to herself or anyone else. But with his new alien amigo Jaime becomes the Blue Beetle and he’s bound and determined to save whats most precious to him.

What We Think: This is a helluva good time. Xolo Maridueña IS Jaime Reyes. He’s wonderfully cast. My favorite part of this film though is the framing. This is a film about family. About loving your family and what that means. About the limits you can push and the strength you can gain strictly by the love of your family. The trailer illustrates it best. It is certainly something that permeates as a latino person. This is a film about the strength we gain from those we love. Such a cool film even if it is narratively a bit too…easy. It’s goes where you think it does and it never gets to that third gear you need it to to leave an everlasting effect on you.

Our Grade: B+, Honestly. I would highly recommend you check this film out it is such a fun experience and something DC can certainly build on organically (pending they get out of their own way). Xolo Maridueña will be a star across cinema soon hopefully. The guy has charisma and he can act. Let him cook and I’m certain he’ll crush whatever he’s given. Seek this one out immediately.