Blue Beetle Early Buzz: The DC Film Earns Praise For Being 'Unique' And 'Emotional'

It's a bit of an understatement to say that fans of the DC Universe haven't exactly enjoyed the smoothest or most consistent path to seeing their favorite comic book heroes translated to the big screen in recent years. The Zack Snyder era is well and truly in the rearview mirror, that weird in-between phase with no real guiding force to speak of is drawing to an end, and the James Gunn and Peter Safran regime is just about set to take over. All that turnover behind the scenes of Warner Bros. Discovery has left a serious amount of uncertainty in its wake, leading to a spate of severely underperforming blockbusters in a row and all sorts of chaos over which A-list actors will be returning in their iconic roles or not. Add in the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes and it seemed as if DC's newest effort, "Blue Beetle," might be doomed before it even got off the ground.

Or is it? As a rule, early reactions on upcoming tentpoles typically tend to skew positive. But could there still be hope for one of the more underappreciated superheroes for an underserved demographic? If it's even possible for a big-budget superhero film to feel like an underdog, then "Blue Beetle" would be it. Without any real big stars attached, bearing the pressure of representing Latinos, and set to release at a time when the cast can't even help market the film, everything would seem to be working against the success of this franchise offering. But as early reactions have begun to pour in today on social media, perhaps the narrative is about to change in a big way.

Check out all the most notable reactions below!

Start believing the hype? It sure seems like Warner Bros. has a crowd-pleaser on their hands with "Blue Beetle," the origin story of how young Jaime Reyes is chosen by an ancient object of extraterrestrial origins to become a new superhero unlike any other. Directed by Angel Manuel Soto and led by "Cobra Kai" star Xolo Maridueña, the early buzz is full of praise for what they've managed to accomplish.

The Wrap's Umberto Gonzalez was among the first to chime in on Twitter, praising the film for its much-needed representation factor and giving some love to Maridueña as a star in the making: "Latinos FINALLY have a superhero of their own reflected on the big screen. The film is so incredibly good, so unique & delivers on all fronts giving the superhero genre much needed sazón! The film's Tangerine Dream inspired synthwave score also rocks!" He goes on to say that he was "profoundly moved" by its cultural nuances and that Maridueña deserves to remain a part of the DC Universe for years to come.

According to Brandon Davis of ComicBook.com, the film is "mostly a blast." His mixed-positive response notes that some of the film feels a little "too silly or childish" for his tastes, but the heart and humor ultimately won him over. Ultimately, he found it worthwhile thanks to "the family-centric stakes, solid action beats. Overall, it's fun."

Elsewhere, the popular Big Screen Leaks account associated with One Take News weighed in, calling it "a fun, self-contained, emotional story about family" featuring a pitch-perfect Maridueña and a strong supporting ensemble backed by actors George Lopez and Bruna Marquezine. Alluding to the fact that Gunn and Safran have promised to maintain "Blue Beetle" in continuity with their future plans, BSL hypes up the fact that Blue Beetle is now "the first DCU character."

Critic Griffin Schiller continues the seemingly overwhelming amount of love for "Blue Beetle," crowning it as "a MASSIVE win for DC & an electric introduction to the first hero of the DCU. Xolo Maridueña's charismatic star making performance confidently anchors this intimate synthwave journey of family, heritage, & purpose. A fresh and endearing spin on the origin story!" Intriguingly, he also calls attention to some "Injustice" influences in a follow-up tweet, suggesting that fans of the video game ought to pay attention to the various action sequences.

Steven Weintraub of Collider was pleasantly surprised, saying the film was "better than I expected" and complimenting director Angel Manuel Soto for adding "his own flavor to the superhero genre by having the film focus on a tight-knit family and Latino culture. It's fun, extremely funny, and he got away with a few jokes that floored me." The Atom Review lauds the film for its "creative, hilarious & emotional" story with a number of "cool cameos" sprinkled into Jamie Reyes' journey. Similarly, Matt Harris of Get Your Comic On describes "Blue Beetle" as a "solid debut" full of "heart and action from start to finish. Blue Beetle is a brave, bold new hero for a new generation to look up to!"

Critic Fico Cangiano calls special attention to the movie's humor, action, and visual effects, though he also says it's a "love letter to the Latino culture, that focuses on family as its foundation." Echoing the praise of a few others, he also notes that the actual suit "looks/feels amazing" and that the soundtrack stands out as a highlight alongside the cast. And finally, Ben Rolph of Discussing Film also weighs in and describes it as "an electric and thrilling ride, Xolo Maridueña was born to play Jaime Reyes!"

"Blue Beetle" flies into theaters on August 18, 2023.