“Only Family Lasts Forever…”: Blue Beetle Hits Theaters as a Beacon to The Resilience of Familial Love
By: Connor Wiley
DC’s new superhero movie “Blue Beetle” made its way to theaters this past weekend, and it has so far been met with mixed reviews.
The film has plenty of charm, but ultimately falls into a pattern of predictability and winds up feeling a bit contrived at times. Despite all this though, the shining light throughout “Blue Beetle” is its attention toward the value of family and the strength that we draw from those we love.
Unlike most superhero movies, where the protagonist hides their crime-stopping double life from their family, “Blue Beetle” deliberately diverts from this trope by inviting the family into the story. From the moment that our protagonist Jaime Reyes gets his superpowers, his parents, sister, uncle, and grandmother are all there by his side, with him through the entire experience, for better or for worse. This generates some obviously hilarious scenes, but it also provides an honest portrayal of what it means to fight for family, and the lengths that we go to protect the people we care about.
“Blue Beetle” also distinguishes itself by portraying a Mexican American hero, and by featuring a predominantly Latino cast and crew. The film’s director, Ángel Manuel Soto, is Puerto Rican, and the primary members of the cast, including Xolo Maridueña, Adriana Barraza, and George Lopez, are of Mexican descent. George Lopez plays the lovable and eccentric Uncle Rudy, and, naturally, brings some of the most life and authenticity to the movie.
Another strength of “Blue Beetle” lies in its appreciation for Mexican pop culture history and in the homage that it pays to various elements of Mexican culture. References to TV shows like “Maria la del Barrio” and “El Chapulín Colorado” are elegantly sprinkled into “Blue Beetle’s” plot, and playfully demonstrate the admiration and appreciation it has for its predecessors. The film’s diegesis is built around these cultural callbacks, so they come across as genuine and authentic rather than heavy-handed or forced.
Despite a bit of a predictable storyline which adheres to some slightly worn-out themes, “Blue Beetle” efficaciously stands out as being a movie about the importance of family, emphatically boasting that one’s strength as an individual comes from those who love them. More than a superhero movie, really, “Blue Beetle” is about the resilience of family and the courage that can be accessed through familial bonds. If you’re looking for a straightforward action movie with a powerful, grounded message, and you don’t mind a moderately cliched plot, look no further than “Blue Beetle.”
