‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ Review – Morbidly Hilarious And Tailor-Made For True Fans

Synopsis: After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

Life’s one certainty is that death is nothing short of inevitable. However, that doesn’t make losing people you love or loved ones losing you any easier. Dying isn’t the bummer that it thinks it is and it’s undeniably terrible, but it’s the uncertainty of when it will happen that is the true scourge of existence. We don’t all make it to old age or pass of natural causes as death is a cruel bully with a sense of humor darker than the videos you share in your group chat. Sure, the unknown can make life’s little moments more beautiful. However, there’s nothing beautiful about being yeeted from the dimension by a bug the size of a grain of rice or being bombed in your sleep for simply existing. Furthermore, it’s difficult to recognize those little moments when life constantly consists of bills and hardships. This is a reminder to be as present as possible, laugh more than you should, and be as weird as humanly possible because it could all be over with one wrong snake purchase.

“I haven’t been to a funeral since Dad’s.”

At any time since 1988 have you been curious as to what our dark debutante, Lydia Deetz has been up to? Well, curiosity may have killed the cat but it also conjured up a sequel that no one asked for. Fortunately for us all, it’s an entertaining and nostalgic experience. Directed by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is morbidly hilarious and tailor-made for true fans. In my experience, Beetlejuice is a film that people either love or hate and its successor will be no different. Burton’s films tend to have a certain tone, humor, delivery, and aesthetic that doesn’t quite jive those who prefer the lighter side of life. He prefers the unconventional, the macabre, and the darkness, and respectfully underplays what some deem incredibly serious. Successfully merging comedy, death, and light-hearted chills is no easy feat yet he does it repeatedly. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has all the ingredients to make another satisfying ghoulish gumbo, but is the temperature right and is it being served too late?

If you’re not already a fan of the first film, this sequel is not your ticket to the bandwagon. Everything just isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. That being said, those with a particular funny bone, an affinity for year Halloween aesthetics, and more black clothes in your closet than Hot Topic has on its walls, you’re in for a treat. Oh, and if you’re a normie Tim Burton fan as well. Like its predecessor, this film is what I like to call a loss-and-found story. The narrative revolves around dealing with and processing loss and grief and along the journey truths are discovered and realizations are had. In this case, the only way to find the finish line is to call upon the one demon who has remained a secret for decades, Beetlejuice.

Lydia is now the host of a successful supernatural television show and single mother to a moody and disdain-fueled teenage daughter named Astrid. The angsty well-read teen not only thinks her mother’s ability to see ghosts is a complete crock but she also isn’t a fan of her manager/boyfriend who circles her mother like a vulture eyeing a carcass. Once tragedy brings them back home to Winter River, the Neitherworld and the land of the living begin to bleed into each other as a handful of plots simultaneously unfold. After being tricked, a life must be saved, an ex-wife wants the ultimate revenge, a dead actor turned dead cop wants justice, a reluctant wife-to-be has two suitors, mother-daughter relationships attempt to be mended, and the search for family rounds it out. Therein lies my biggest gripe, there is too much going on. It’s not that it’s hard to follow or doesn’t make sense, it’s merely unnecessary, pulls focus, spreads itself thin in areas, and ultimately wastes some interesting characters. It results in the story feeling somewhat episodic.

“I only believe in things I can see.”

Nevertheless, the film has more positives than negatives. Firstly, it looks fantastic. When it comes to aesthetics and visuals, Burton does not disappoint. The soundtrack and Danny Elfman score are great with some unexpected and comical musical numbers to go with it. The performances are superb. Jenna Ortega shines in a role that fits her like a glove, Catherine O’Hara is perfectly over-the-top, and I don’t think anyone could play Beetlejuice but Michael Keaton. The tone differs slightly from the first movie as it opts for more comedy. It’s heavy on nostalgia but in a visual sense. It doesn’t fall into the trappings of forcing flashbacks or constant callbacks. The story does explain what is necessary from the past, but if you haven’t seen Beetlejuice, I suggest you take a gander before seeing this one. While it is almost impossible to match, let alone top a cult classic, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will come close for some fans as we learn more about our titular character and the underworld he resides in than ever before. However, while it is a fun ride, it doesn’t quite capture that same magic. Now, for the big question. Is this worth your money? In short, yes. This is a fun time at the theater and a great way to usher in the spooky season with the family. You’ll laugh and may even jump a little, but most importantly, you’ll have a good time. Its rewatchability is medium.

Pace & Pop

With so many subplots battling for screen time, the pace feels clunky at times. We could do without at least one of them allowing others more breathing room and the film would flow like a roller coaster. What popped for me was a subplot that got wasted but had so much potential, the revenge-driven ex-wife, Delores played by Monica Bellucci. She begins on an unstoppable violent tear through Neithworld only to be taken out by a lack of creativity or runtime.

Characters & Chemistry

Starring: MICHAEL KEATON, WINONA RYDER, CATHERINE O’HARA, JENNA ORTEGA, JUSTIN THEROUX, WILLEM DAFOE, MONICA BELLUCCI, ARTHUR CONTI, NICK KELLINGTON, SANTIAGO CABRERA, BURN GORMAN, DANNY DEVITO

It’s no surprise that the cast works incredibly well together. The chemistry between Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, and Michael Keaton that thrived in the 80s is still alive and well. The addition of Jenna Ortega gives the film a kick and relevancy as she steals every scene. Justin Theroux brings the cringe hilarity and plays a character that’s easy to hate. As I mentioned previously, Monica Bellucci is wasted, but so is Willem Dafoe. They both made the most of their characters and screen time but deserved better. I’m curious as to if any kind of spinoff comes from this.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice releases in theaters on September 8, 2024. Stay safe and talk to ghosts.

Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 1h 44m Director: Tim Burton Screenplay: Alfred Gough & Miles Millar Story: Alfred Gough & Miles Millar and Seth Grahame-Smith Characters by: Michael McDowell & Larry Wilson Producers: Marc Toberoff, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Tommy Harper, Tim Burton Executive Producers: Sara Desmond, Katterli Frauenfelder, Gough, Millar, Larry Wilson, Laurence Senelick and Brad Pitt Director of Photography: Haris Zambarloukos Production Designer: Mark Scruton Editor: Jay Prychidny Costume Designer: Colleen Atwood Composer: Danny Elfman Visual Effects Supervisor: Angus Bickerton Animatronic & Special Makeup Effects Supervisor: Neal Scanlan Makeup & Hair Designer: Christine Blundell