After the announcement that Xolo Maridueña will officially be returning as Jaime Reyes in Superman: Man of Tomorrow, it felt like the perfect time to revisit Blue Beetle. When this movie originally released in 2023, it found itself in a really strange position. It was one of the final films to release before the current DCU officially began with 2025’s Superman, and while James Gunn had already confirmed that this version of Jaime Reyes would continue moving forward, it wasn’t entirely clear how important this film would end up being. Now that we know Blue Beetle is returning alongside Superman, this movie suddenly feels much more significant. Instead of simply being one of the last remnants of the old DC era, it now serves as the introduction to a character whose story is just getting started.
This was a movie that, when I first found out it was being made, I was incredibly excited for. Blue Beetle is a character that I’ve been reading in the comics for many years. He’s appeared in animation and a handful of live action projects over the years, although not always in the best ways, but he’s always been one of those characters that I’ve really enjoyed. When I heard the movie was finally coming to fruition, I couldn’t wait to see what they would do with him.
If I remember correctly, this was originally supposed to be an HBO Max exclusive before eventually getting upgraded to a theatrical release, which honestly made me even more excited. Then they announced that Xolo Maridueña from Cobra Kai would be playing Jaime Reyes, and as somebody who’s really enjoyed him on that show, I thought he was a fantastic choice for the role. As more trailers released, I became more excited to finally see Blue Beetle get his own movie.
Going into the film, I had a feeling it was going to be a pretty straightforward superhero movie. I expected plenty of familiar comic book movie tropes, some predictability, and hopefully just a really fun time at the movies. I’m happy to say that’s pretty much exactly what I got.
While Blue Beetle is definitely filled with familiar superhero storytelling and a lot of moments that feel comfortable rather than groundbreaking, I ultimately found it to be a really charming, feel good comic book movie with entertaining action, a lot of great humor, and most importantly, an incredibly strong family dynamic at its center.
As a Hispanic myself, even though this story focuses on a Mexican family while mine is Cuban and Puerto Rican, it was really nice seeing those family interactions represented on screen. The conversations, the jokes, the way everybody talks over one another, the unconditional support even when they’re driving each other crazy, all of that felt incredibly authentic. I thought they captured that dynamic really well, and it became the emotional backbone of the movie.
The cast across the board does a fantastic job bringing that family to life. Even during moments where the narrative becomes a little convenient or falls back on some very traditional comic book movie storytelling, I always stayed invested because I genuinely cared about these characters. That family element was what kept me completely hooked from beginning to end.
For people who may not be familiar with Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes is actually the third major Blue Beetle in DC Comics. Similar to what Marvel did with Ant-Man by introducing Scott Lang while acknowledging Hank Pym came before him, this movie focuses on the modern Blue Beetle while still paying respect to the legacy of the characters who came before him. As a longtime fan of the comics, I appreciated that they took the time to acknowledge that history instead of pretending Jaime was the first.
The story follows Jaime Reyes after graduating from college. He comes home excited to finally help his family financially, only to realize things have actually gotten worse while he was away. They’re on the verge of losing their home, and Jaime quickly learns something that unfortunately a lot of people can relate to. Simply having a college degree doesn’t automatically guarantee the career or financial stability you were hoping for.
While trying to find work, Jaime crosses paths with Jenny Kord, who entrusts him with a mysterious piece of alien technology known as the Scarab. She simply tells him to protect it without fully explaining why. Once Jaime takes it home, the Scarab chooses him as its host, bonds with his body, and transforms him into the Blue Beetle. From that moment on, Jaime and his entire family become targets of Kord Industries, who want to weaponize the Scarab’s technology for military purposes.
The basic premise is honestly pretty straightforward, and at times it reminded me of a mixture of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Iron Man, and even Ant-Man. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It just means you’ve probably seen a lot of these story beats before.
Susan Sarandon plays Victoria Kord, the head of Kord Industries, while Bruna Marquezine plays Jenny Kord, who wants to honor her father’s original vision for the company instead of turning it into a weapons manufacturer. Alongside Victoria is Carapax, also known in the comics as the Indestructible Man, played by Raoul Max Trujillo.
I actually think both Susan Sarandon and Raoul Max Trujillo do a really solid job with what they’re given. The problem isn’t the performances. The problem is the script.
Without a doubt, the villains are the weakest part of the movie.
Victoria Kord falls into that very familiar comic book movie formula of the corrupt corporate executive who wants unlimited power and unlimited weaponry, while Carapax serves as the enhanced henchman who eventually becomes the physical threat for the hero to overcome. We’ve seen this dynamic so many times before that it never really feels fresh. It’s predictable, it’s safe, and honestly it’s probably the biggest reason why Blue Beetle never fully reaches that next level.
Even with that criticism, though, I never found myself bored. The charm of the characters consistently outweighed the familiarity of the story. I knew where a lot of the narrative was heading, but I was still enjoying the ride because the movie simply has a lot of heart.
That’s really the best way I can describe Blue Beetle. It’s not trying to reinvent the superhero genre. It’s trying to tell a heartfelt origin story centered around a genuinely likable family, and for the most part, I think it succeeds.
One thing I also have to give the movie a lot of credit for is the presentation. I really liked the visual style of the Blue Beetle suit. It’s very faithful to the comics, and while there is obviously a good amount of CGI used throughout the action sequences, I thought they balanced it really well with the practical suit that Xolo Maridueña was actually wearing. I remember seeing a lot of the set photos before the movie came out, and every time I saw that costume I became more excited because it looked like they genuinely wanted to bring the comic book design to life instead of completely reinventing it.
There are some cool cinematic moments throughout the film that I think any comic book fan will appreciate. Whether you’re a longtime Blue Beetle fan or you’re simply somebody who enjoys superhero movies in general, there are several shots where the suit is fully formed that just look awesome. I found myself smiling quite a bit throughout those moments because it finally felt like this character was getting the big screen treatment he deserved.
The visual effects as a whole were also much more consistent than some of DC’s previous releases. If you had issues with the visual effects in The Flash, I think you’ll probably find Blue Beetle to be a noticeable improvement. The action is easy to follow, the suit looks great in motion, and there are some fun sequences where the Scarab is still learning alongside Jaime as they figure out how to work together. It adds another layer of personality to the action that I really enjoyed.
The humor also landed for me much more often than it didn’t. George Lopez as Rudy absolutely stole the show. Every time he was on screen, he managed to get a laugh out of me, but what I appreciated was that he never felt like he existed just to tell jokes. Underneath all of the comedy, he still felt like a genuine member of this family, and I think that’s why so much of the humor actually works.
That’s really what keeps bringing me back to the family dynamic. Every member of the Reyes family feels important. They don’t simply exist to motivate Jaime. They actively participate in the story, they’re constantly supporting one another, and they each get moments to shine. That’s something I don’t think enough superhero origin stories do. So often the supporting cast fades into the background after the hero gets their powers, but here the family remains at the center of everything, and I think the movie is much stronger because of it.
At the same time, I can’t ignore the fact that the overall story is still pretty generic. The villain storyline is easily the weakest aspect of the movie, and there are several narrative conveniences that happen simply because the plot needs them to happen. If you’re somebody who’s constantly looking for comic book movies to completely reinvent the genre, I don’t think Blue Beetle is going to blow you away.
But if you’re simply looking for an entertaining superhero movie with a lot of heart, some enjoyable action, and characters that are easy to root for, I think this movie absolutely succeeds.
What’s interesting now is that the conversation surrounding Blue Beetle has completely changed because of the announcement that Xolo Maridueña will officially return in Superman: Man of Tomorrow. Back when this movie first released, James Gunn had said that Jaime Reyes would continue into the new DCU even though Blue Beetle itself wasn’t considered the official beginning of that universe. It created this strange situation where the character was canon, but nobody really knew how much of the movie would actually matter moving forward.
Now we have a much clearer picture.
Instead of looking at this movie as one of the final chapters of the old DC era, it almost feels like a prologue for what’s coming next. That’s honestly exciting because there is so much material from the comics that could naturally fit into where the DCU appears to be heading.
One thing I’d love to see is Superman taking on somewhat of a mentor role for Jaime. Throughout several Justice League stories, Jaime has always been portrayed as one of the younger heroes who’s still learning what it means to carry this kind of responsibility, while Superman represents the ideal that younger heroes strive toward. I think Xolo already captures Jaime’s optimism and heart incredibly well, and putting that personality alongside David Corenswet’s Superman feels like a natural fit.
I’m also hoping they dive deeper into the mythology surrounding the Scarab itself. One of the most interesting parts of Jaime’s comic history is learning more about the Reach, the alien civilization responsible for creating the Scarabs in the first place. The 2023 film introduces some of those ideas, but there’s still so much more they could explore if they decide to lean further into the cosmic side of the DC Universe.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if they continue exploring the idea of legacy. One of Jaime’s defining characteristics in the comics is that he inherits the mantle of Blue Beetle while still trying to figure out what kind of hero he wants to become. Even though this movie already establishes him as a capable hero, there’s still plenty of room to watch him grow alongside characters like Superman and eventually become one of the next generation of DC’s biggest heroes.
Revisiting the movie now honestly makes me appreciate it a little more than I did back in 2023. My biggest criticisms are still there. The villains are underdeveloped, the story follows a lot of familiar superhero formulas, and there isn’t much here that completely surprises you from a narrative standpoint.
But what continues to make the movie work is its heart.
The Reyes family remains one of my favorite superhero families we’ve gotten in quite some time. Xolo Maridueña proves he was the perfect casting choice for Jaime Reyes. The action is fun, the visuals hold up well, and the movie understands that sometimes a superhero film doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel if it can simply make you care about its characters.
Looking back, Blue Beetle feels like a movie that deserved a little more appreciation than it received when it first released. It’s an easy movie to throw on, it’s got a ton of rewatchability for me, and now that we know Jaime Reyes has a future in the DCU, I’m even more excited to see where this character goes next.
Hopefully Superman: Man of Tomorrow is only the beginning because Blue Beetle has some fantastic comic stories that deserve to be brought to the big screen, and I think Xolo Maridueña has already shown he can carry that future.
Overall, Blue Beetle is a fun, heartfelt superhero movie that doesn’t necessarily reinvent the genre, but it absolutely succeeds at introducing one of DC’s most likable young heroes. Now that we know this isn’t the end of Jaime Reyes’ story, I think this movie has become an even stronger starting point than it originally seemed.
Rating: 8/10