Xolo Maridueña. © 2023 Warner Bros Pictures, DC Studios, and The Safran Company.
Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto.
Watched it in IMAX @ AMC Theaters
A New Superhero Rises, In The New DC Universe A new DC universe is now set and the foundation begins with Blue Beetle. The first Latino lead superhero film is finally here and watching this film was an emotional rollercoaster. As a first-generation Latino, this film not only really hits with its representation but also its family themes and the direction of this film. This is easily the most underrated superhero film of the year and I'll tell you why this film should deserve more recognition. Let's visit Palmera City and enjoy the breeze of fresh air until Kord Industries takes over the city. Story: When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Blue Beetle. Jaime's journey throughout this film is full of emotions, action, and excitement because of the struggles that he battles way through. Not just as a superhero, but as a young kid who is trying to make it out alive with his family. Jamie keeps getting in dangerous situations where he thinks he may die or doesn't have the capacity to become the superhero he was promised. This is the center of his story. His personal and superhero struggles. We see that a lot in superhero origin films but this feels like a breath of fresh air with the Latino representation and his character being a young adult, trying to live life. We haven't seen this being portrayed up until Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and we get to see it again but for a DC superhero flick. What makes this one even more special is his family's relationship battling it out with his new superhero life. The family dynamic is strong and authentic with the cast's performances. The chemistry between each character works very well and it adds emotional stakes between one another. Alberto Reyes, the father of Jaime, played by Damián Alcázar, is the strongest and most compelling character in the film. I really loved his chemistry between father and son with Jaime and his important scene with Jamie got me in emotional tears. In other films, it would have been weak if it wasn't the prime focus within the dynamic but the script allows both the father and son's relationship to be at the forefront of Jaime's personal journey. Plus, Alcázar 's performance rose the emotional stakes in the film which made me care about their relationship even more. That is the strongest component within the storytelling and while it feels familiar, with Ángel Manuel Soto's directing, it makes it strongly compelling. As for the other characters in the family, their dynamic with Jamie is also very solid but the father always steals the scene and it helps strengthen the core emotional stake for Jaime's journey. As for the other characters outside of Jamie's family, they are good with their performances but Bruna Marquezine's character, Jenny Kord is easily another great stand-out.
Her character and performance were very solid and her love relationship with Jaime felt natural instead of being forced. I'm surprised that they get enough screen time for their relationship to grow and it helps the emotional stake for Jaime's love interest and his family. I like the balance of those relationships and it didn't ruin the overall pacing of the film. The overall story is also solid and while the actual origin story of this character isn't different from other comic-book films with their origin story, the directing made the story unique. The plot can be predictable and straightforward, but I was still engaged with some of the unexpected twists, especially in the final act. The pacing of the story was surprisingly fast. Even though the film was two hours long, it felt like ninety minutes and it didn't waste its time. Plus, with the action in the film, it felt like a breeze and it was fun. There were a lot of action sequences which surprised me for a superhero origin story but it felt well-balanced. Well-choreographed, creative, and grounded which is somewhat of a rarity in comic book films now these days. Through Soto's direction, I liked his creative vision for the character and he delivered a lot of emotional stakes throughout the film. You can clearly see that his style is present and there is a level of creativeness throughout, unlike Marvel who are gatekeeping their directors. Soto delivered a solid origin story that is packed with good old superhero fun. Through its technical elements, with a somewhat mid-budget for a superhero film, it looks very solid on the big screen.
Originally, this film was going to debut on HBO Max (now Max) but later on, it was given a theatrical release, and production kept going as usual. With this being an original streaming movie that has been released in theaters, the film will look a bit different on the big screen. Yet, it still looks good with some clear VFX changes, color grading, sound design, and more. In terms of elements being captured on-screen, the costume design of Blue Beetle is fantastic. Probably one of the best comic book suits in film. With its blend of practical and visual effects, it looks very smooth and it does not look completely CGI compared to the Spider-Man suit in the MCU. In terms of CGI and VFX, it looks good for its budget. It is a well-shot film with interesting camera shots and coloring. Surprisingly, there is a lot of film grain but it didn't ruin the visual quality that much. The production design inside Jaime's home is very lived in with lots of unique and authentic props, art design, and homage to Latino culture, especially Mexican culture. Outside of that, there isn't much to praise except that Blue Beetle spaceship which looks pretty dope. From what the film offered originally through its technical production, it looks well-made with care behind the scenes. However, like every other comic book film, there will be flaws and this film has some of those common flaws. One of the biggest flaws that is common within some comic book films is the villain. The villain Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon) was weak and unfortunately, uncompelling. I didn't like her character and while her performance was good, I wasn't digging her character that much. As for the other villain character, OMAC (Raoul Trujillo) wasn't that strong until the very end. He was just a one-side-off villain character until the last minute. I'll give credit for that but if that didn't happen, I wouldn't care what would happen to him in the end. This film unfortunately falls flat on its villains but it also falls flat on playing it safe. The film outside of its Latino representation, doesn't add much to the story. It's the typical origin story that you have seen multiple times. Nothing new, nothing crazy. It falls into some of the cliches and tropes that have been stretched out like it's nothing which numbs the film. One more flaw that not a lot of people haven't noticed is the visual clarity of the film and the VFX. It is clear by some of the night visuals and VFX visuals, it makes out that it was a streaming movie in the first place. Even with the film grain as I mentioned earlier, it makes the film look low res in some shots. I saw this in IMAX and it looks clear, night and day on screen. Even with those technical and story flaws, I still enjoyed Blue Beetle with its unique direction and Xolo Maridueña's wonderful performance of this iconic DC character. Blue Beetle is a simple superhero origin film that takes its own spin on the character and makes it as fresh as possible. It has charm, excitement, and emotional stakes that strengthen the story. Maridueña's portrayal of the character is excellent with the father-son relationship being the strongest element. Even though the villains are weak with the story being the same old origin superhero film, it still has that creative flare that makes this film unique and I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope we get more adventures and stronger stories from this character and the director as well!
Now Streaming on Max and on VOD!
Vizeit Score: "A-"
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Copyright © 2024 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
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Ezra Miller. © 2023 Warner Bros Pictures, DC Studios, Double Dream, and The Disco Factory. Directed by Andy Muschietti.
Watched it in IMAX @ AMC Theaters
Worlds Collide Quick Review: We arrived at the last stop in the DCEU and it's not that bad. In terms of story, it's solid but my god, poor visual effects workers. This was an interesting trip of a film and it did deliver in certain areas but not all of them. Besides the controversy and troubled production surrounding this film, the directing of this film is solid and you can see that this is a Andy Muschietti film. However, there are certain scenes that are studio interference which killed the momentum of its emotional story. However, it's not just about cameos or the multiverse. It's about letting go of the past and moving on to a better future. The scenes with Barry and his mom are the strongest scenes in the film. Especially during their final conversation which brought a tear to my eye. The recast of Barry's father wasn't that noticeable for me but I prefer the original actor from the Snyder films. Barry's story with his parents is very crucial in the film and I'm happy they didn't stir away from that main focus. Even though the film is marketed as a huge multiverse event, it's still a story about family and love. However, there are points where they push the multiverse a little too bit but I did enjoy the two duo of two Barry Allen's'. Seeing Michael Keaton's Batman is always a joy and I hope they keep Sasha Calle as Supergirl in the future because she killed it. Besides the characters and story, the ending is a mixed bag not because of the main story but because this is where the DCEU ends. It's a weird sendoff but it will divide audiences on how they treated this old universe with this being the final film. The biggest complaint for me would be the CGI/VFX but even with that, I was still hooked on the main story and in the end, it's time to send the DCEU away for good. Overall, a solid comic book film with a good story, solid characters, and interesting directing from Andy. Even with all the controversy surrounding this film, I'm happy it got to see the light of day. Except Batgirl...why Zaslav. Now Playing in Theaters and on VOD. Vizeit Score: "B+" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for continuing supporting my indie film website.) Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
Dwayne Johnson. © 2022. Warner Bros Pictures, New Line Cinema, DC and Seven Bucks Productions. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra.
Earth Got A New Hero, But He Isn't Exactly A Hero.
Quick Review: If you went into this film expecting dumb fun action, a cliché plot, and overall a good time, you will leave the film quite enjoyed. This feels like a modern 2000s superhero film filled with every check mark of every element in a superhero film. The characters are meh but they do their job. The JSA is fun in this film but I felt like they were like the Justice League but for temporary use. The kid however is low-key cringe. There could've been better direction but I didn't feel the energy of the kid. But I did feel the energy from Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam. I really liked his performance in this film and he goes full in non-stop killing. The violence is pretty strong in this film, especially for a superhero film but what really made this film just enjoyable are the action sequences and the rock himself. Plus the JSA and the post-credit scene. I was surprised by one scene in the film which worked but besides that, it's just another superhero film filled with action and forced humor. But not a Marvel-forced humor situation. This film feels like its own thing and I like it when they can do whatever they want in terms of production and character. It's mid at best but fun. Now Playing in Theaters. Vizeit Score: "C+" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2022. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, and Diego Luna. © 2022. Warner Bros Pictures, Warner Animation Group, DC Entertainment, and Seven Bucks Productions. Directed By Jared Stern. Watched it at AMC Theaters (Cinema Day 2022 Edition)
All Pets Have Secrets, Theirs Are Super. If the Justice League owned pets, well here's their origin story. And no it's not live-action and not directed by Zack Snyder. Actually, that would be kind of cool but this is from the Rock. All of these pets come together to defeat one villain and it all goes sideways. But you know, friendship helps and this film really goes into friendship and troubled past. But it comes with a sweetness of animation and this film is legit perfect for kids. Adults will have a lot of fun watching this film because Warner Bros can't get a sequel already for Justice League. Join me in the city of Metropolis and let's fight some bad guys with your pet turtle or your dog. Whatever pet you like. Plot: It tells the story of Superman's pet dog Krypto and shelter dog Ace who work with other animals to rescue the captured superheroes from Lex Luthor and his pet, Lulu. This film had charm and it delivered it. This film is obviously aimed toward kids but parents and DC fans can enjoy this film like a normal DC movie. It has the Justice League and it has the Rock voice acting as Krypto. What more could you ask for? The characters in this film are funny and adorable. Krypto is very charming in this film and his story arc is pretty good. I really liked how his character was trying to be a superhero dog but he couldn't fit in like a normal dog. With this relationship with the other dogs, the chemistry between Krypto and Ace played by Kevin Hart, was also hilarious as well. It's the dynamic duo because The Rock and Kevin Hart are always hating and being bros together. Their chemistry was natural and seeing them as pets were freaking hilarious. The other pet characters were also pretty good as well. Diego Luna as Chip was so adorable and funny. The turtle played by Natasha Lyonne was hilarious. Her character got away with a lot of swearing and adult jokes. The jokes in this film are hilarious for all ages. But the animal jokes and adult jokes were more hilarious. It's pretty funny that this film got away with a lot of jokes that could've landed a PG-13 rating because of Dwayne Johnson and that turtle. But they still got away with it. Disney would never. The other characters are pretty good as well including the Justice League. I can't believe that one day, Keanu Reeves would be playing as Batman. Now that's perfect casting! I really liked how they made fun of superhero tropes and I loved the many references from the DC universe. The pet villain was definitely cliché but funny as well. The story and plot were pretty good. The story is simple and the plot is well developed within the main pet characters. The hall of justice scene was probably my favorite scene because it was serious and it connected so well with the pets and the overall story. It was heartwarming and many families will enjoy it. The animation is also pretty great as well. While it's not Pixar-level, it is still smooth and it has that good old cartoon vibe. Plus, it respects the classic DC suits and this feels like a comic-book film ripped straight out from the comics. I really enjoyed the presentation of this film and the comedy works well, alongside the characters and voice acting. But this film tripped onto some flaws that still managed to be a good animated film but not up to Pixar standards. The film is obviously meant to aim at kids so you will hear fart jokes and other kids' jokes that will make you cringe or not find it funny. This film is directed toward kids so many general audiences will have some mixed reactions to it unless you're a parent or a DC fan. Some of the characters were pretty underwhelming including the villain. I thought the villain was too cliché even though the pet villain was pretty funny. Lex Luthor was under-used in the film and I wished we could've got more of his character. The Justice League were too easy to be beaten in the film by pets which gave me a mixed reaction. The plot could've used a little bit of work by potentially adding more personal stories about the other pets. Plus, after watching the end credit scene, this is not a spoiler since the Rock already posted it on his socials, this film was an obvious setup for Black Adam in animated form. It felt like a promotional film for his live-action Black Adam film and it definitely was. But it was still a cool end-credit scene. While this film isn't like a Pixar story-level film or a DC serious film, it was still a great animated film just to please kids and DC fans as well because DC really needs to step up with their films. By the looks of it, it looks like this film really helped get DC back on the spot with the majority of the help from The Batman. Plus, DC is great with their animation stories than Marvel which is a plus. This DC animated film was very charming and fun from beginning to end. Funny performances from the iconic duo, The Rock and Kevin Hart. A good story with great voice acting and interesting characters. The animation is smooth and it's basically a film made for kids but with the spice of DC. This will please all ages and if you are desperate for DC content, well this is the film for you. I really enjoyed this film and I can't wait for the future of this new franchise. For the next film, please bring in Mark Wahlberg. Now Playing in Theaters and on VOD. Vizeit Score: "B" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2022. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Robert Pattinson and Jeffrey Wright. © 2022. Warner Bros and 6th & Idaho. Directed by Matt Reeves. I'm Vengeance. AVEEEE MARIAAA
After waiting for 10 years since "The Dark Knight Rises" for a solo batman film, we finally got one. The result, it's the best batman film to date. A lot of passion and hard work behind this project and every single aspect of this film work amazing or perfectly. It's a slow wild ride from start to finish. DC is officially back on the menu. The film sees Batman, who has been fighting crime in Gotham City for two years, uncover corruption while pursuing the Riddler (Paul Dano), a serial killer who targets Gotham's elite. Just by the intro credits alone, I knew that DC ain't fucking around. They went straight into the movie with the Riddler watching the mayor from the hills. A fantastic scene with the "Ave Maria" song playing in the background. Later, he uses the same song to fuck Batman's mind. The opening sequence was well executed and dramatic as hell. It showcases that the Riddler ain't fucking around with Gotham and we get to see his point of view during this scene. This leads into the characters of this film, I'll go back to the story later. The characters in this film did a fantastic job and they each have their purpose in the story, including the smaller characters like Alfred. The batman himself was fantastic and we get to see a lot of batman doing his detective work. His character shows how brutal he really is and we get to see his emotions through the mask. Bruce Wayne is very different in this film. The way Robert Pattison portrays Bruce was unique and better for this film alone. Since it's year 2 for the story, Bruce is still trying to maintain balance between both worlds and people. He's both batman and Bruce Wayne during the film. But his scenes as Bruce Wayne were interesting and pretty great. Robert Pattison played very well as Batman and I can say, he's my second favorite Batman behind Christian Bale. For the rest of the cast, everyone did a fantastic job. Catwoman played by Zoe Kravitz did a great job and her storyline was well connected to the Batman's story with the conspiracy of his past. Their chemistry is well focused and I can say that her portrayal as Catwoman is my favorite live action Catwoman yet. Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon felt very Jim Gordon from the comics and he did a amazing job in the role. I liked the buddy cop relationship with the Batman and whenever they work on screen together, it's pretty fun and engaging. Alfred played by Andy Serkis did a great job in the role. While he didn't do much, he did affect the relationship between him and Batman and I liked how he acted like his father in some scenes. The villains' in the film were outstanding. Besides the amazing performance from the Riddler and his schemes which worked out perfectly and menacing, the other characters helped a lot in the story. Carmine Falcon played by John Turturro played a huge part in the film. While he didn't have a lot of screen time, his presence to the story and character of Bruce Wayne played a major role into this film. Turturro did a amazing job in the role. The Penguin played by Colin Farrell was just amazing and whenever he's on screen, his performance just outshines the other cast members. Farrell went crazy onto this role and the makeup on his character is just screaming "Oscar" and they better give the makeup people their Oscar. Just fantastic. Even the smaller character in the police force did a great job and they served some part of the story, even the tiniest bit that will help the Batman to save Gotham. The characters in this film were just amazing to fantastic and I'm glad no character was under utilized or averagely written. Thank you Matt Reeves. Now back to the story. The story is straightforward. But it goes deep into the rabbit hole between villain's like Falcone, the Penguin, and crooked cops. The Batman gets dragged into this situation and every time he finds a clue, the story expands into un-territory ways that it leads to the final battle. The storyline is well executed and the story is mostly about The Batman learning his true mistakes and past history to become the Batman everyone wants to know. The ending comes in full circle with the story and it pays off very well. The story is very mature and while there's some funny moments, it doesn't ruin the whole mood and tone of the film. The actions sequences and investigations were top notch. The violence in the film was very extreme due to the Riddler's actions. Each action sequence felt rewarding after investigating for clues and leads into fun territory. The car chase sequence was outstanding and most of the scenes, especially the car flip was practical. No CGI except the truck that contains gas. The fight sequences were well filmed as well and there wasn't a single camera shake and all the camera movement was smooth. The final battle was very fun and felt very climatic in which it did. The car chase sequence was my favorite part of the film but the drama sequences in between were outstanding in storytelling and characters. The editing in this film was well smoothed out and it clicked every time with the cut and thank god there weren't many cuts. It's pretty slow in terms of it's pacing and almost three hour runtime, but the editing was well suited because we want to experience each character's feelings and emotions and give the actors their standout performance. The audio design was fucking amazing. The footsteps of Batman just speaks to the character and his surroundings. Every tiny sound element to a huge explosion was just perfection. The audio design and sound mixing were very well done and hearing it through IMAX speakers were made for the theater experience. The IMAX experience was very great. While there was no IMAX scenes, the big screen and the IMAX sound speakers helped in making the experience standout. Makeup and costumes in the film were outstanding and the production design was fantastic. The cinematography was outstanding and beautiful. Every shot felt alive and real and the city of Gotham itself was just disgusting yet beautiful. It's the modern Gotham that people imagine and it was so unreal seeing a new version of Gotham that doesn't look like Chicago. While there are some shots that are from Chicago, especially the park shot, It feels like Gotham was actually real. Just beautiful. After Greg Fraser's work on Dune, I can say he's going to become the next Roger Deakins. His camera work and cinematography felt real and breathtaking. Even the simplest shots from Batman's eyes to Batman walking towards Penguin after a car chase walking behind the fire, I knew this film was going to become a masterpiece. In which it did because of the outstanding cinematography and the color pallet fitting for this film. Matt Reeves direction in this film was out of the radar and I was floored. His vision of Batman really came to life and with his screenplay and producing the film, he gets a lot of freedom control. His vision of Batman was riveting, dark, brutal, and grounded. He wanted to focus on the Batman character itself rather than the villians because people are here to see the Batman. He wants the audience to engage with the characters not just through action but slow paced drama. His vision was clear right from the beginning and I'm glad Warner Brothers didn't butcher his vision. Everything from the acting to the story to the screenplay to the production itself was fantastic. Every did a great job and after leaving the theater, my emotions were through the roof. While "The Dark Knight" will be a better film overall and still be my favorite film of all time, "The Batman" is now my favorite batman film of all time. I had a fantastic time with this film and I can't wait to watch it at home. Now Playing in Theaters. Vizeit Score: "A+" Copyright © 2022. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. |
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