this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2023
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BLUE BEETLE Discussion Megapost 2023-08-18 🪲🦸 (lemmy.film)
submitted 1 year ago by kingmongoose7877@lemmy.film to c/moviesandtv@lemmy.film
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| Title | Blue Beetle | |

|

| | Genre: | Comedy | | MPAA Rating: | PG-13 | | Runtime | 02:07:00 | | Release Date (USA): | August 18, 2023 | | Director: | Angel Manuel Soto | | Main Cast: | Xolo Maridueña, Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, George Lopez | | Summary: | After Jaime Reyes graduates from college and returns to his hometown Palmera City, he is chosen to become a symbiotic host to the Scarab, an ancient alien biotechnological relic that grants him a powerful exoskeleton armor, turning him into the superhero Blue Beetle. |

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[–] moipe@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I only remember Blue Beetle from Batman: The Brave and the Bold. The only thing I remember about the character as it was portrayed in the show was that it was blue. I hope that helps if anyone was having trouble understanding the character.

[–] ivanafterall@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

Also pretty sure he dresses like a beetle.

[–] maegul@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago (3 children)

So, without knowing anything about the source material, I have no interesting in seeing this film and the trailer didn’t do anything to change my mind.

But that’s me … if you’ve seen it, what was it that drew you in?

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.one 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm an old school Blue Beetle fan from the 70s. Loved every minute of it.

[–] maegul@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

That's cool! That sounds like the true experience fans are after in this comic movie era ... see, for the first time, their fav character brought to life.

[–] June@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

I like the character and the actor, so I saw it today and was very pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it a lot.

[–] Hyperi0n@lemmy.film -2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Haven't watched it, the trailer or read anything about it.

I will pirate it once available to see if Booster Gold is in it. About it.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.one 1 points 1 year ago

Booster is not in it. Wrong B.B. But he is going to have a TV show and there is room for Ted Kord to pop up in it.

https://dcextendeduniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Booster_Gold_(TV_series)

[–] SgtSilverLining@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Y'ALL. It seems like nobody here has read a blue beetle comic or seen the movie, and you're already shitting on it? Come on. This is the beginning of the new DCU, and any blue beetle fan can see from the trailer they're going to be doing some interesting stuff in this movie. Be nice.

[–] Moobythegoldensock@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No, it’s the second to last film of the DCEU. If it does well a sequel may find its way into DCU, but DCU does not officially begin until 2025.

[–] eevee@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

James Gunn has said it’s part of the DCU but does not consider it the first DCU film.

[–] HellAwaits@lemm.ee 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

BB also has references to Man of Steel, so no, it's the second to last film of the DCEU

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.one 3 points 1 year ago

Gunn has confirmed that BB is the first character of the rebooted universe, for which Superman will be the first film.

https://www.cbr.com/james-gunn-blue-beetle-part-of-new-dcu/

I can see why, it's well done, fun, and has multiple deep cuts to comics history.

[–] Microw@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

And from the reviewers I usually follow, the film has consistently received "it's fun and better than some other super hero movies" reviews.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.one 3 points 1 year ago

I was surprised at the oblique Dan Garret references and the EXTENSIVE Ted Kord references, complete with a Ted Kord mid credit stinger.

I did NOT expect OMAC. That's a deep fucking cut out of left field. I can see why James Gunn wants to keep this

[–] Discussionperversion@discuss.online 3 points 1 year ago

Username checks out

[–] Aussiemandeus@aussie.zone 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

So they took from the disney cover art school then?

[–] rgb3x3@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago

Yeah, this poster is absolutely horrible. It looks like a mid-2000s B-movie.

[–] kratoz29@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

I have only seen the trailer and I legit thought this was a Marvel movie... So I'd say it is safe to assume that is what happened.

[–] Star@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I plan on seeing this tomorrow! Blue beetle has some great writing in its comics.

[–] JasSmith@kbin.social 8 points 1 year ago (5 children)

This looks so dumb. B grade schlock. Anyone want to bet on the budget of this train wreck? $120M.

[–] Skua@kbin.social 14 points 1 year ago

I feel like I just watched the entire movie in three minutes. There was even a final fight where the hero is on the brink of losing and uncovers a new well of power through desperate determination. And I still feel like I wasted my time.

[–] PipedLinkBot@feddit.rocks 7 points 1 year ago

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[–] altima_neo@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 year ago

That does look tacky. The suit having a genetic monotone computer voice, calling out all that typical computer stuff is cliche as hell.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.one 3 points 1 year ago

It's the 2nd best live action comic book movie this year after Guardians of the Galaxy 3, but granted that's a low bar compared to Shazam 2 and Quantumania.

[–] Deftdrummer@lemmy.world -2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

A monumental flop that craters the entire "superhero" genre. As if there wasn't enough fatigue as it is. Nail meet coffin.

[–] June@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

I just got out and really enjoyed it.

[–] ChrisLicht@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

I wish, but unless I am a PR victim, I read this thing is getting good early response from test-viewings.

[–] madcaesar@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That poster is so busy 😂 Jesus....

[–] altima_neo@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 year ago

No it's Jaime

[–] CoralMask146@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Very pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this. Had very low expectations considering that it's probably going to be irrelevant to the new DCU, but it's refreshing seeing a normal superhero film with very little references to a tie-in universe

Plus, the family aspect was done well!

[–] June@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

I was excited about this movie and ready to be let down, but it met my expectations and in some ways exceeded them. Yea, it falls into a lot of super hero tropes and some scenes were awkwardly set up (dad dying, the family didn’t run and was like 20 feet away, Jenny walking up to them from stage left saying ‘I can help’, among others, all felt a bit a bit unnatural), but the humor was excellent (the old man on the escalator swiping on tinder, George Lopez was hilarious, Nana), the story moved along quite well, and it was visually quite good, no moments where I was annoyed at noticing CGI).

All in all, I hope to see more blue beetle in the DCU.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.one 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So I'm an old school Blue Beetle fan from back in the 70s. I was getting the Modern Comics reprints of the Charleton stuff from the 60s:

https://box01.comicbookplus.com/viewer/29/29befccc2cde787632eaee5aa35ca696/0.jpg

Up through the 80s when he was knocked off for Nite Owl in the Watchmen, his own book at DC, getting shot in the head by Maxwell Lord (Wonder Woman 84 Maxwell Lord).

I even remember the Xaime Reyes reboot...

So let me just say, +1 - No notes. Everything about this movie is wonderful. Yeah, there was little too much of this:

https://youtu.be/n42PunZ3Xno#t=1m30s

But... once the bugs are worked out... yeah, it's all good. There's a lot to like here. You might think Rudy is the new breakout character... no, surprise! It's Nana.

A full on Bug sequence set to Kickstart My Heart? Yeah, I'm down for that. 80's Kord Tech built on a Nintendo Power Glove? Sure, why not?

Early mid credits sequence teasing a sequel, end credits sequence featuring a TV show gag used earlier in the movie.

[–] PipedLinkBot@feddit.rocks 2 points 1 year ago

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[–] etchinghillside@reddthat.com 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

So, Ant Man?

[–] Hyperi0n@lemmy.film 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Blue Beetle is closer to Cyborg from Tean Titans than Ant Man. At least it looks like this iteration anyway, which would be based on the third version of the character.

He gets his suit via a Scarab in his spine that sheilds him in nanotechnology.

He has the ability to neturalize magic, which is a prevalent power in the DC universe.

Flies with wings.

Can use electromagnetic abilities from the nanotechnology. Can also create sheilds.

I much prefer the second Blue Beetle; Ted Kord, who is more like Batman.

[–] Crankpork@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ted Kord and Booster Gold are one of my favourite DC pairings.

[–] Hyperi0n@lemmy.film 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Now that we have this version it will be quite some time before we get any other version sadly.

Booster Gold and Blue Beetle could easily have thier own TV show from their point of view of being outsiders in the Justice League.

While the heavy hitters are dealing with the big bad the lower members are always cleaning up the mess or fighting henchmen.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.one 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It may be sooner than you think...

Gunn has stated that this Blue Beetle is the first character in the rebooted universe, there is a stinger in the credits hinting at the return of Ted Kord and a Booster Gold HBO Max show is on the list.

[–] Hyperi0n@lemmy.film 2 points 1 year ago

I won't get my hopes up. But nice if true

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.one 2 points 1 year ago

No. Ant Man can shrink while maintaining his original mass. Fun with Pym Particles.

This Blue Beetle, the 3rd, merges with an alien super weapon in the form of a scarab. The scarab uses nanites to give him super powers, flight, strength, minor invulnerability, and the power to craft weapons on an as needed basis.

The previous Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, ran around with Batman style tech maybe 20 years before, only not as good. LOL. He also had a flying beetle ship called the Bug. This version of the character was the basis for Nite Owl in Watchmen.

The other previous Blue Beetle, Dan Garrett, discovered the scarab in an arcaeological dig and it gave him mild invulnerability, flight and energy blasts.

[–] UrLogicFails@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago

Overall, I thought it was a cute enough movie.

The CGI and costume looked rough to my eyes, but I gave it more slack afterwards when I found out this was originally slated to be an HBOmax release. The superhero aspects also felt a little played out and dragged a little, but nothing that was an active detriment to the movie

Where the movie really shines, though, is the family. They are the heart of the movie and have phenomenal chemistry. I'm glad they're carrying over to the James Gunn universe, as it would have been a waste of elephantine proportion to lose this cast. As a quick aside, I wish we got a little more of the dad and a little less of a George Lopez, but their overall dynamic was still great.

My biggest issue with the movie, though: not enough Harvey Guillén! He's great in What We Do in the Shadows and when I saw him on screen, I was anticipating him to steal the show in Blue Beetle. Unfortunately, he did not get nearly as much attention as I'd hoped; but I pray he'll somehow return for the next one (though I doubt it).

[–] Javish@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Went in knowing very little about it.

Thoroughly enjoyed it. A wonderfully cast family-centered origin story with the right amount of humor and action. George Lopes stole every scene he was in.

As a Latino, you can feel the influence of having a director and key cast members being Hispanic throughout. I don't know that it's ever been done as well or genuinely, for a film in this genre.