Xolo Maridueña in “Blue Beetle”.Photo: Warner Bros.
Blue Beetleis a breath of fresh air in the superhero genre, according to many critics.
The new DC Studios movie starsXolo Maridueñaas Jaime Reyes, a recent college grad who inadvertently becomes the human host for a bug-shaped alien suit that gives him flashy superpowers.
His Uncle Rudy (George Lopez) and the rest of the close-knit Reyes family get in on the action to stop an evil billionaire (Susan Sarandon) from weaponizing the tech.
As of Wednesday afternoon when the review embargo lifted,Blue Beetleheld an 87 percent onRotten Tomatoeswith over 60 reviews logged.
Robert Daniels wrote forRogerEbert.comthatBlue Beetleis a “heartwarming, crowd-pleasing comic book flick” that’s “less serious and more colorful than the tonally dour mood of many contemporary superhero films.” Daniels added that the film “might not break the mold, but it does break expectations.”
The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney said the film puts Maridueña “on the map as a captivating young actor with the right spark to carry a new offshoot of the DC Extended Universe.”
“Maridueña plays the emotional rollercoaster of Jaime’s newfound alternate identity with all the requisite shading, from fear and confusion to wonder and delight to burning rage,” wrote Rooney. “But he never loses sight of the character’s underlying humanity and devotion to his family.”
Yolanda Machado, in a review forEntertainment Weekly, praisedBlue Beetlefor its long-overdue authentic representation in the genre.
“Blue Beetlenever loses sight of the community it seeks to honor, not once pandering nor offering surface-level representation of what it means to be Latino,” said Machado.
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Director Angel Manuel Soto said at an event Tuesday, perThe Hollywood Reporter, “We put our hearts and souls into it because we wanted you guys to feel welcome to our stories. There’s no fear. Don’t fear Spanish, don’t fear Mexican heritage, don’t fear Latino heritage. We want you guys to join the party with us.”
Blue Beetleis in theaters Friday.
source: people.com
