While the new DC movie universe is starting to take shape, Warner Bros. still has a few movies left over from the old regime it’s releasing this year. One of the more interesting ones is Blue Beetle, whose promotion has been fairly minimal since its first trailer hit a few months ago. But with the film just over a month away and The Flash now out of the gate, it’s time for Xolo Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes to get the spotlight.
Having just had an alien scarab fused to his spine, Jaime’s still trying to figure out what all it’s capable of and how he can fit it into his life after recently graduating from college. But his crash course in being a superhero gets even more complicated when Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon) comes looking for the scarab and sends her goons—including Raoul Trujillo’s similarly armored up Indestructible Man—to get it. The setup feels like a mix of Venom and the original Iron Man, but considerably more destructive since Jaime has no real control over the alien war machine that grants him armor, flight, and other sorts of powers.
Director Angel Manuel Soto previously said this movie was a highlight reel of what makes the character cool, and you can definitely see that in how his powers manifest and the way he summons a big anime sword. But what also makes Blue Beetle worth checking out is how charming Jaime and the rest of the Reyes family are, and the film continually highlighting how aware they are of the double life he’s eventually going to lead. That family focus isn’t really in other movies of this type, so seeing it here helps it stand out from the crowded pack.
Also starring George Lopez, Harvey Guillén, and Bruna Marquezine, Blue Beetle releases in theaters August 18.
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