BLUE BEETLE’ trailer released and it’s looking like FIRE

[MinistroRaven]

https://youtu.be/Shmvk5M-NV8

[King Postwhore]

That looks like a fun movie to see!

[Adami]

Looks fine if not uninspired. Would've been a huge hit 15 years ago.

Gonna pass on this one. Just doesn't look like it has anything new to say.

[hefdaddy42]

Looks terrible to me.  Looks like they are ripping off both Iron Man and Yellowjacket from the MCU.

They should have went with an adaptation of the Ted Kord version of Blue Beetle.  At least it wouldn't have been an armored hero, or a kid.  And would have been hilarious to boot.

The DCEU is going out with a whimper.

[King Postwhore]

Looks terrible to me.  Looks like they are ripping off both Iron Man and Yellowjacket from the MCU.

They should have went with an adaptation of the Ted Kord version of Blue Beetle.  At least it wouldn't have been an armored hero, or a kid.  And would have been hilarious to boot.

The DCEU is going out with a whimper.

This movie is from the old regime.  I'll reserve judgement when I see a few movies from the Gunn lead DC.

[hefdaddy42]

Looks terrible to me.  Looks like they are ripping off both Iron Man and Yellowjacket from the MCU.

They should have went with an adaptation of the Ted Kord version of Blue Beetle.  At least it wouldn't have been an armored hero, or a kid.  And would have been hilarious to boot.

The DCEU is going out with a whimper.

This movie is from the old regime.  I'll reserve judgement when I see a few movies from the Gunn lead DC.

I'm talking about the old regime.

[King Postwhore]

Ah. Gotcha.  It's looks like a simple fun movie. I know most want more but it does look like in the same vein as Black Adam which wasn't bad at all.

[hefdaddy42]

Ah. Gotcha.  It's looks like a simple fun movie. I know most want more but it does look like in the same vein as Black Adam which wasn't bad at all.

I don't know man.  I didn't think Black Adam was very good at all.

But hey, if you liked it, then good on you.

[King Postwhore]

I'm OK with mindless fun movies. It's like music. Depends on my mood.

[The Letter M]

About to start my showing soon. I'll come back in a couple hours with a spoiler-free review!

Edit- Blue Beetle is the most refreshing DC film since, uhmmmm... Wonder Woman? Mayyyyyybe The Suicide Squad? Either way, it's one of the best DC films in the last decade, but that isn't saying much given its company.

There might be some obvious comparisons to other films in the genre but I think Blue Beetle sets itself apart from the rest by offering a unique familial dynamic with its main cast and lead hero, who gives an exceptional performance as the reluctant hero Jaime Reyes.

Was it perfect? Not really, but as a fast-paced, action-packed superhero origin story, it does a more-than-decent job at what it set out to do, even if it succumbs to blatant tropes and clichés from time to time.

If you're at all interested in seeing it and enjoy the theatrical experience for action films, catch it in a weekday matinee (don't pay more than you need to lolol). I hope when Gunn/Safran unveil their new DCU, Jaime returns and continues to be a leading hero. I hope he kicks off the kind of cultural response that heroes like Black Panther and Shang-Chi have had within their respective ethnic groups, but Blue Beetle is fun for everyone.

Also there are two credits scenes so stick around foe those!

-Marc.

[Samsara]

We had tickets for last night, but after a long day we got a credit/refund and will wait to see it another day.

I know nothing about Blue Beetle, but recognized the lead actor from Cobra Kai, and the trailer looked fun. I've since read up a bit on the origin. Looks cool. So, we'll see it at some point.

For me, I am getting tired of these films that are meant to spotlight a culture and rally ethnic groups. I enjoyed both Black Panther and Shang-Chi. And I am sure I will enjoy Blue Beetle. But at some point you get the feeling a film is being made just to check that box in these days and times, and I think it's a tad insulting to those ethnic groups.

You look at a director like Christopher Nolan, and how he cast John David Washington -- he cast him not because he was Black, but because he was the right guy for the part, ethnic group be damned. And that's how it should be. Circling back to Blue Beetle, I've been to a lot of movies this summer, and Blue Beetle was constantly marketed as this triumph for Latinx people in the pre-film bumpers and ads, etc. Is that really needed? If the film is great, it is great. If it's not, it's not. I get the business and social reasons to try and do what the studio is doing, the hardcore latinx push. But if the movie flops, guess what will be blamed? Not the writing. Not the director. Not the actor. The ethnic group will be blamed. It won't be said publicly of course. But there will be a undercurrent narrative that people are not interested in a latino actor playing a superhero character. And that sets the culture back significantly.

Instead, they should just market Blue Beetle as a great superhero story and fun summer blockbuster with an up and coming actor. Shelve the "box checking" and just celebrate a performance. Because the more you try to spotlight a culture, the more that culture will get degraded if the film is a bust. And that isn't fair.

Anyway, looking forward to seeing it at some point, but man, the promotion for it really annoyed me.

[ZirconBlue]

For me, I am getting tired of these films that are meant to spotlight a culture and rally ethnic groups. I enjoyed both Black Panther and Shang-Chi. And I am sure I will enjoy Blue Beetle. But at some point you get the feeling a film is being made just to check that box in these days and times, and I think it's a tad insulting to those ethnic groups.

I'm sure they're really insulted by having their culture appear in a major motion picture. 


It's funny how movies featuring a bunch of white people doing white people things isn't considered "box-checking".  Like white is the default and every other culture has to justify their existence.

[jingle.boy]

Edit- Blue Beetle is the most refreshing DC film since, uhmmmm... Wonder Woman? Mayyyyyybe The Suicide Squad? Either way, it's one of the best DC films in the last decade, but that isn't saying much given its company.

It's easy to clear a low bar.   

[Samsara]

I'm sure they're really insulted by having their culture appear in a major motion picture. 


It's funny how movies featuring a bunch of white people doing white people things isn't considered "box-checking".  Like white is the default and every other culture has to justify their existence.

Wow. That was aggressive. That wasn't what I meant at all, had you taken the time to actually read what I said. Last I checked latinx people are represented in most properties these days, as are all those of color, as the world is not lily-white. My point was using a culture as marketing to make money, and then if it fails, the fallout from that failure wrongly falling on that culture, instead of other, more appropriate reasons.

Sorry you didn't understand what I meant.

[Metro]

Well can you name an example of a movie failing because of that? I can’t think of one. You named Shang Chi and Black Panther (presumably the most recent one) and while those are both just OK at best, I don’t see how they failed at all and certainly not because of appealing to or spotlighting a culture.

Forgive me, if I’m misunderstanding you, but I’m just not seeing what the problem is here.

[The Letter M]

In the case of (this incarnation of) Blue Beetle, he is a Mexican-American character, created back in 2006, so it's not just that the actor is Mexican actor playing any superhero, it's a Mexican actor playing a Mexican superhero, of which there haven't been many to hit mainstream media. So if people are excited for it, they have every right to be.

And I can't really think of any film in recent history that "spotlights a culture" that has failed, either critically or at the box office, and even so, I do not think people would "blame an entire culture" for a film being bad.(which sounds ridiculous). Most films these days will often be very careful how cultures are represented to give a fair and accurate view of how they really live and act. If it's a poor representation, then the directors, writers, and studio will be blamed. If the film is bad, people blame the ones who made it, not the people it was made for.

At any rate, at my showing last night, we had families of all cultures watching, including a Mexican/Hispanic family of three with a young boy, and it warmed my heart to see them come out to watch the film because that little boy got to see a hero that represents his culture, and that kind of stuff is what makes movies great.

-Marc.

[Samsara]

Clearly, what I was trying to say has been misunderstood. I don't want to be further misunderstood by deleting it, or continuing to try and restate things. No offense was intended and my post was meant to support those of color, not the opposite.

Looking forward to seeing it soon.

[TAC]

Clearly, what I was trying to say has been misunderstood. I don't want to be further misunderstood by deleting it, or continuing to try and restate things. No offense was intended and my post was meant to support those of color, not the opposite.

I got you, Sam. I'd never see these movies anyway, but art is not about checking boxes.

[ZirconBlue]

Clearly, what I was trying to say has been misunderstood. I don't want to be further misunderstood by deleting it, or continuing to try and restate things. No offense was intended and my post was meant to support those of color, not the opposite.

I got you, Sam. I'd never see these movies anyway, but art is not about checking boxes.

But every mainstream movie that features a minority cast is accused of "checking boxes". 

[King Postwhore]

Why is this even an issue?  Who cares. Is the movie good or not?  That's what matters.

[TAC]

Why is this even an issue?  Who cares. Is the movie good or not?  That's what matters.

That was Sam's point, I think. They're making it an issue beforehand.

Clearly, what I was trying to say has been misunderstood. I don't want to be further misunderstood by deleting it, or continuing to try and restate things. No offense was intended and my post was meant to support those of color, not the opposite.

I got you, Sam. I'd never see these movies anyway, but art is not about checking boxes.

But every mainstream movie that features a minority cast is accused of "checking boxes". 

Yeah, I guess. Whether it's true or not. If you're selling something to the mainstream, don't you have to check boxes?

[Samsara]

Why is this even an issue?  Who cares. Is the movie good or not?  That's what matters.

That was Sam's point, I think. They're making it an issue beforehand.

Yes, that was my point.