Superhero movies are a modern version of Westerns. With Marvel and DC as the biggest studios behind these types of films, most share certain conditions that make them belong to the genre. The most obvious and common ones are, for example, the hero’s transformation, the supervillain, and the action-packed moments, to mention a few. In other words, every time viewers choose to watch a superhero movie, they mostly know what to expect, even when there are surprises along the way.
The fact that superhero movies have a certain level of predictability doesn’t mean that there is no room for innovation. In fact,Blue Beetlehas recently challenged the concept with some original ideas. Curiously enough, the movie has defied the core of the genre, with its protagonist reshaping heroism throughout the film. In many ways, Jaime Reyes (Xolo Madriueña) is not the real hero, shifting the focus of the film in fun new ways, making the movie a not-so-superheroic one.
How Blue Beetle Differs From the Typical Superhero Movie
In all fairness,Blue Beetleresembles many other movies from the DCU or even the MCU. It’s still the story of the unlikely hero from a diverse background who obtains superpowers by accident. Jaime, a Mexican living in the US with his family, struggles to make a living until his path crosses with Victoria Kord’s mission to sabotage her aunt’s plans to make the family business a threat to mankind by producing weapons of mass destruction. In other words, the archetypical elements from the genre are there to catalog it as a superhero movie.
Related:Blue Beetle: How the Character Differs From the Rest of DC’s Superheroes
Now, what makesBlue Beetlestand out from the crowd is how the hero is not necessarily the one who drives the action throughout the film. Despite his superpowers, it’s not Jaime who saves the day but the whole Reyes family. In the past, there have been many relevant allies to superheroes, yet Blue Beetle would be no one without the support of his parents, sister, and grandma. The Reyes drive the story to the point of rescuing Jaime when he’s kidnapped by Victoria Kord, setting up the film’s conclusion and resolving most of the conflict. He still takes the lead in the action scene, a fundamental element of the genre, but the plot would hardly work without the intervention of his relatives.
As a result, Jaime’s transformation intoBlue Beetle (whose powers still need development), while still part of the film, plays a much smaller role in the movie. The two most important conflicts that actually lead the story are Reyes' struggle to overcome their complicated economic situation and Jenny Kord’s fight against her aunt to prevent her from corrupting Kord Industries' original mission.
Jaime’s transition is an accident that results from the collision of these two conflicts. In other words, it’s not a superhero movie: it’s a dramatic comedy about two families and their troubles, with a superhero in it, and even thoughWB is not confident about this decision, it might be exactly what these kinds of films need.
Ultimately,Blue Beetlemanages to shuffle the usual elements of superhero movies, reorder them, and change the tone of the film into a much more heart-warming and choral one, in contrast to elevating superheroes to demi-god figures with dramatic actions. The innovation comes not from kicking the board but from rearranging the pieces to alter expectations and outcomes.
What Future Superhero Films Can Learn From Blue Beetle
Withsuperheroes' momentum gone, films likeBlue Beetlework like a breath of fresh air that extends the life of the genre. While not revolutionary, the movie stands out from its predecessors (both from the DCU and MCU) by changing the focus of the story. With so many movies resembling each other, these small changes can transform the genre, as viewers still expect a hero, but he or she might not need to be at the frontline.
For so long, the big franchises have told stories of worlds being threatened by super-powerful beings, and their personal development has taken the back seat. It’s precisely these narratives that help audiences identify themselves with what they are watching, andBlue Beetleis a strong move in that direction. Ironically, superheroes need to take a step back to potentiate their own genre.
Related:Is Blue Beetle Enough to Redeem DC’s Past?
In addition, even if the film’s box office doesn’t lean in its favor, it’s still important to seeBlue Beetletry something different. For a while now, DC and Marvel’s productions have become too frequent and too similar to everything fans have already seen, so experimentation should be their next big bet.Blue Beetlemight not be the goal, but it is a step on the right path. Crossovers and inter-references still work and attract viewers, but it’s the narrative that needs tochange to overcome creative fatigue.
For the next couple of years, Marvel and DC will probably continue to struggle to make superhero movies great again, butDC is clearly on to somethingwithBlue Beetle. Ángel Manuel Soto gave them a clue with a superhero-ish story about families overcoming their problems. Time will tell how this concept evolves and how it will impact viewership.
