Loving family, intense scenes in DC's Latino superhero tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
No blood or gore, but visuals can be intense and scary. When the ancient alien biotechnology connects to a host, it's somewhat terrifying, looking sort of like a demon possession, with eyes turning red, bulges visibly moving around inside the host's body, the body writhing, and the host screaming in agony. Deaths of parents and sympathetic characters. Harmless characters are targeted by a SWAT team that violently invades their home and shoots at them. Sci-fi fantasy action fights (mostly in mech suits), with bodies thrown around and hitting big objects, punches, and kicks. Use of fantasy weapons that look electrified, like a giant hatchet, sword, and fist. Hail of bullets from assault weapons. Explosions. Constant peril. Brief images of war from the point of view of a child forced into serving, including shooting a gun.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Frequent language, including "s--t," "ass," "a--hole," "brat," "bulls--t," "d--k," "goddammit," "hell," "piss," "stupid," and "what the fuuuuhhhh..." A woman is called "cupcake." White boss continually calls a Latino employee the same wrong last name in a way that's condescending and racist.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Part of the DCEU franchise, which has a lot of tie-in merchandise available.
Diverse Representations
a lot
Blue Beetle (played by actor Xolo Maridueña, who's of Mexican and Cuban descent) is the first Latino superhero in Warner Bros.' DC Extended Cinematic Universe. Director, writer, producers, and majority of main cast are Latino. Set in a fictional city (kind of a Miami-El Paso hybrid) where many of the residents are Latino. Main characters are Mexican American, and Mexican culture is prominently featured. Characters frequently speak in Spanish. Difficulties of the Mexican/Central American immigrant experience are woven into the story, including someone not reporting being the victim of a crime for fear of deportation, and a late-night raid that includes use of phrase "round them up." Female lead character is Brazilian (played by Brazilian actor). While this is Jaime's story, female characters are fully realized and are depicted as intelligent, brave, independently capable. Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon) is a White woman over 70 who has impressive business acumen; her accomplishments and efforts over decades to build her empire have been continually thwarted by sexism. White boss continually calls a Latino employee the same wrong last name in a way that's condescending and racist.
Your family is your superpower; find your strength in them. Everyone has a purpose, and if you don't find your purpose, your purpose may find you.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Jaime Reyes is humble and dedicated to his family, doing his part to support them now, as they've supported him in the past. Jenny Kord is on the board of her family's corporation, taking action when necessary to prioritize ethical business practices, putting people over profits. Nana shows that grandmas can be both sweet, loving cooks and caretakers and a force to be reckoned with. Central family is aspirational, showing the value of a strong, supportive family.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Blue Beetle centers on the first Latino superhero in the DC Extended Universe: recent college graduate Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña), who unwittingly finds himself infused with superpowers when he comes into contact with an ancient alien relic. Expect lots of fantasy action violence, including fighting (pushing, shoving, kicking) in mech suits and/or with helmeted (thus, faceless) minions. While there are plenty of laughs, there are also several moments that may scare younger or more sensitive viewers. When the relic pairs with its host, it looks like what you might expect from a cinematic demon possession: screams of agony, red eyes, and something large zipping around under the host's skin. Also potentially upsetting is a scene of a late-night invasion that's akin to an ICE raid, with a team of armored agents with assault weapons "rounding up" a family of immigrants and opening fire. There are images of war from the point of view of a child, and sympathetic characters die. Strong language is frequent ("d--k," "goddammit," "s--t") but doesn't stray into full F-bomb territory (just "what the f--"). Characters kiss, and one drinks beer and makes a reference to weed. Themes include compassion, courage, and the importance of family, and the fact that the filmmakers and main actors are largely Latino helps ensure authentic representation. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Good character and visual style but not suitable for children.
I took my 11 year old and we left halfway through as he found the swearing and adult content too much (characters refer to genetalia several times, there's an overt drug taking reference, and constant use of swear words). There's a quite disturbing transformation scene also which he didn't like, and he's not the type of kid that gets scared or disturbed easily.
Overall the story was good, but I could see how the family unit could also be overwhelming for children as they talked fast in and out of Spanish and English, all loud and quite volatile.
For an example of a film that did this family dynamic and adult themes better but still suitable for families, go check out Transformers Rise of the Beasts.
There was more swearing, which I expect in a DC movie, but it was more than I thought was necessary. And I am not a prude. Overall the film was very good for the non-epic story where a character gets introduced to us.
What's the Story?
When Kord Industries board member Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine) gives recent college graduate Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) the responsibility of protecting a mysterious package, he thinks he's on his way to getting a job where he can use his degree and help his family during a financially uncertain time. But the package turns out to contains the Scarab, a symbiotic alien biotechnology that transfers its powers to Jaime, transforming him into BLUE BEETLE -- whether he wants it or not.
A Latino superhero is long overdue in the DCEU, and this warm, funny adventure makes it worth the wait. Blue Beetle's plot points are pretty familiar -- Jaime Reyes' (Maridueña) origin story has a lot in common with that of Marvel's insect-powered character, Spider-Man. But there's a distinct difference for Reyes: He's not a lone wolf. While Peter Parker keeps his alter ego a secret, Reyes' family is 100% with him from the get-go. Jaime may be the Blue Beetle, but the Reyes family members are the legs that hold him up and allow him to run.
Other elements also help make Blue Beetle's story feel like a breath of fresh air in a packed superhero market. For starters, the location: Palmera City is to Miami as Gotham City is to New York, and, true to Miami, most of its residents are Latino. Soto uses the Reyes' story to illustrate the challenges of being a Mexican or Central American immigrant in the United States, from the fears that come with having undocumented family members, to the perseverance and bravery of those who risk it all to try to give their family a better life, to the love of a supportive extended family. Jaime's family is simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary: Sister Milagro (Belissa Escobedo) goads him relentlessly but is his ride-or-die, Uncle Rudy (George Lopez, like you've never seen him before) is off-color and wacky but always comes through in a pinch, and Nana (Adriana Barraza) has a certain set of skills beyond cooking. Bottom line? Reyes isn't just the first DC film superhero who's Latino -- he's also the first movie superhero to show that while his physical power comes from his super-enhancements, his fortitude comes from a loving family.
Director Angel Manuel Soto describes the movie's setting, Palmera City, as "a mixed salad of Latino cultures around the world." What elements of Latino culture or experiences are brought to light?
Compare Blue Beetle's origin story to that of other superheroes. What's similar? What's different?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
