Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) returns home having graduated from Gotham University to find his family have hit hard times. They have lost their business, are close to being evicted from their home and Jaime’s father Alberto (Damian Alcazar) has recently suffered a heart attack. 

Luckily for Jaime a chance encounter with Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine), daughter of the missing businessman Ted Kord gives him a job opportunity. Instead though she gives him a mysterious blue metal scarab that melds to his body and gives him superpowers. 

Blue Beetle is one of the last films to be released in DC’s film universe before the upcoming takeover by James Gunn. And possibly one of the most interesting facets of the film for me is how this got released when the Batgirl film, despite being finished was cancelled for not being of high enough quality. Because Blue Beetle is remarkably average and mostly dull. 

As a huge DC comics fan it is a little odd to be coming to a DC film having never read the comics or having any idea of what to expect. Blue Beetle’s suit is essentially a Power Ranger / Green Lantern affair that can conjure up any weapon the bearer wants. There is one hilarious moment where Jaime, holding two swords realises this and makes… a bigger sword! Great imagination there kid. The suit is also a sentient being so talks to Jaime – think Iron Man’s Jarvis (he also has an arc reactor energy blast). There is an underground lair in a mansion with lots of cool gadgets – think Batman. And there is a history of two other Blue Beetle’s and a bit of a lineage hinted at – think Ant-Man. Ultimately just think a lower budget amalgam of many other things. 

Tonally it is wildly off kilter. There is a lot of talk about family – no they do not drink Corona Fast & Furious fans. There is a lot of humour mostly from Jaime’s sister Milagro (Belissa Escobedo), his nana (Adriana Barraza) and his uncle Rudy (George Lopez). But the action is slightly more violent. Just like Batman Jaime does not want to kill anyone but hilariously his family do not seem to give a hoot about that. 

And then most disappointingly Susan Sarandon does not get to ham it up as the villain anywhere near as much as she should. I wanted Enchanted levels of villainy. But here she is fairly level headed for a billionaire weapons dealer. 

So if your kids like Power Ranger’s then they will probably be happy. Personally I got pretty bored. 

There are a mid credits and end credits scenes also.