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Blue Beetle movie – At first glance, the deepest abyss of comic-book obscurity might appear to be scraped by the latest DC superhero movie. However, it is revealed that Blue Beetle boasts a distinguished pedigree — the original strip made its appearance as far back as 1939 (only a few months behind Batman) and was drawn in the mid-1960s by Steve Ditko, the hyper-stylist behind Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. The character of Blue Beetle in the movie follows a recent incarnation, portrayed by Xolo Mariduena, named Jaime Reyes, a young Latino. The backdrop is the futuristic metropolis Palmera City, where the Latino community finds themselves literally marginalized due to the ruthless expansionism of industrialist Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon, delivering a top-quality sneer). Through an insect-shaped alien artifact, Jaime gains a metallic exoskeleton and superpowers that are not entirely controllable. At the helm of the film is Angel Manuel Soto, an indie director from Puerto Rico known for his feature “Charm City Kings” and shorts with titles such as “Inside Trump’s America” and “Rethinking Cuba.” The reason for his involvement in a superhero movie is to inject a certain political thrust. Scripted by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, the movie has a distinctly Latino centric focus, boasting a predominantly Hispanic cast, substantial Spanish dialogue, and nods to Mexican pop culture. The movie is heavily centered on the concept of “la Familia,” as Jaime is surrounded by his supportive and humorous Mexican family. This includes his radical techno-hippie uncle Rudy (portrayed by comedian George Lopez) and his eccentric telenovela-loving grandmother (played by Adriana Barraza of “Babel”), who is revealed to be a former revolutionary guerrilla (“Down with the imperialists!”). “Blue Beetle” seems to target a younger audience compared to much of the superhero genre, featuring a genuinely likable teen-idol protagonist and an uncomplicated approach. It avoids DC’s usual complex character crossover narratives, instead offering a wealth of lightness and straightforward action involving chunky-bad-roboman-versus-skinny-nice-roboman clashes. The visuals are also captivating, with a striking purple leitmotif woven into the futuristic design and cinematography. Naturally, the conclusion sets the stage for a sequel, although filming during the ongoing Hollywood strikes would presumably require the use of scarab labor. warner bros movies