I went to a movie theatre for the first time since February of 2020 (when a friend and I went to a broadcast of the Met's amazing production of Agrippina with Joyce Di Donato). We went to see Blue Beetle during a Monday matinee in an almost completely empty theatre (there was one man in the very back). It was my first superhero film since the Spiderman with Mysterio unless we're counting the werewolf thing which I know I wrote some words about and it's my first DC film since.
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Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker?
Man, Batman Beyond was a good time.
I had a lovely time. I came out of it wondering why comic book fans are so surly and defensive about what critics say about their movies because can you imagine going into a movie made about a thing you already like and it's big and fun and colourful and you get to enjoy an adaptation of a thing you like; that's a treat! Perhaps too many treats have spoiled the Marvel fans. The only time I've gone into a movie adapting something I loved was the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie that came out when I was in university (and maybe Takashi Miike's Ace Attorney movie). This was my first time getting to see one of these superhero movies about a character I knew and liked.
Who was a Blue Beetle movie for? It was for me and the two friends I went to see the movie with; we are the Blue Beetle fans. Lady-type people in their late 30s and early 40s and we all enjoyed ourselves. It was just fun and sweet and if it seemed heavy at times with making sure its themes were driven home, it's a comic book family movie for kids and part of it was drawing strong parallels between violent imperialism/colonialism and soft imperialism/colonialism which as far as themes in a superhero movie go -- good choice.
It was fun. I've always liked Jaime and his sentai-inspired suit translates well to the screen. Xolo Maridueña is great casting. His hair is fluffy. Adriana Barraza as Jaime's Nana is a powerful presence in scenes even during the first act when she's mostly quiet. Damián Alcázar and Elpidia Carrillo as Jaime's parents are warm and frustrating in equal measures. George Lopez s Uncle Rudy is incredibly charming. Bruna Marquezine is Jaime's love interest, Jenny Kord, and the biggest suspension of disbelief the movie asks of us is believing Ted Kord got married and reproduced. She's got good vibes and costuming lets her be taller than Maridueña, pretty much always wearing heels. Belissa Escobedo is Milagro, Jaime's younger sister, who is the perfect trolling, cynical younger sibling just subtly under Jaime's shadow. There is one white person in this movie and it's Susan Sarandon as smilingly kind and evil industrialist Victoria Kord. There's no token good white ally.
Also Sarandon is bringing big Piper Laurie as Catherine Martell energy and we have to appreciate it.
It's an origin story ande a hero's journey story and very standard stuff but it's colourful and the hero's family are involved at every point instead of being background emotional gravitas for his character. Much like Jaime's comic book origins, an under-represented demographic is given a chance in the spotlight and has the added advantage of being created by people who are able to bring their own experiences and a sense of authenticity to what might otherwise be route.
OMAC's there. What a choice.
I don't need dozens of these movies. I don't need every DC hero dug up and given this treatment. But this was fun and an unexpected surprise. A superhero movie can just be a story about a guy and his family dealing with some wild shit.
I hope creators Keith Giffin, John Rogers, and Cully Hamner got some money from it.
Imagine, Infinite Crisis having a positive impact after all these years.