Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is Tim Burton’s newest movie and the sequel to the 1988 classic Beetlejuice. The film stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, and Justin Theroux. In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, we see Lydia Deetz hosting a show on seeing ghosts and returning to Winter River with her stepmother and estranged daughter when her father passes away. During all of this, Beetlejuice’s first wife Delores is looking for Beetlejuice in the afterlife, and at some point, he reunites with Lydia.
For many years Tim Burton has been trying to make a sequel to his hit classic. Since 1990, Burton and his team have been trying to make this movie. At one point, Warner Bros. shelved the project and when it was announced, Burton almost didn’t return. At a time when legacy sequels are popular and can be either great like Top Gun: Maverick or bad like Space Jam: A New Legacy, people were excited and nervous about a new Beetlejuice movie. Some of Burton’s movies lately haven’t been promising, so there was a question as to whether or not Burton still got it. After watching Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Burton showed he still has it and hopefully, he returns to this style of filmmaking.
Michael Keaton is once again incredible as Beetlejuice. He’s more of an anti-hero in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, helping Lydia save her daughter and escaping his first wife while at the same time trying to marry Lydia again. Besides Batman, Beetlejuice is Keaton’s most iconic role, and even in his 70s, Keaton shows the same energy and craziness he did in 1988. Similar to the first movie, his screen time is limited, but it honestly felt like he was in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice more than the original Beetlejuice. There is never a dull moment in this movie.
Returning with Keaton are Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz. Ryder is great again as Lydia, showing how the character is 36 years later and still haunted by Beetlejuice. Her relationship with her daughter Astrid, played by Jenna Ortega is strained because Astrid does not believe her mom can see ghosts since Lydia can’t see Astrid’s father. Lydia also has this boyfriend Rory played by Justin Theroux who is sort of annoying and pushy for Lydia to marry him. Catherine O’Hara is more likable this time around as Delia Deetz, dealing with the death of her husband Charles and having a better relationship with Lydia.
With the new cast, Willem Dafoe as this detective in the afterlife tracking down Beetlejuice’s wife was the best new addition. He was funny and fit into the over-the-top world of Beetlejuice. Jenna Ortega was fine as Astrid, but a couple of times seemed a bit dull in her performance. Monica Bellucci as Delores was good and had a great introduction, but deserved more screen time.
Burton goes back to his roots with stop-motion and practical work and it doesn’t disappoint. In a time where movies are heavily CGI and nothing that game-changing, it’s nice to see practical effects that for the most part look good in 2024. The costumes and makeup look great, from Beetlejuice and Lydia’s classic looks returning to the costumes and designs of Delores and other characters in the afterlife. There are some Burton Easter Eggs that were fun to pick out. Danny Elfman puts together a great music score as well.
The issue with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is it has many plotlines in comparison to Beetlejuice from 1988. The plots are fine and work, but some of them could have been explored more if unnecessary plotlines were cut or the movie maybe added an extra 10 to 15 minutes. For example, the plot of Delores going after Beetlejuice should have been longer than it turned out to be. Some people might complain that the beginning takes a while to get started, but it works to reintroduce us to the characters returning and set up the new characters being introduced. The third act is the best part and is crazy funny. Also, with the exception of Beetlejuice wanting to marry Lydia again, most of the plot feels fresh and doesn’t repeat the plot of the first movie.
Overall, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a solid legacy sequel that entertains and is Tim Burton’s best movie in over a decade. The humor is hilarious and Keaton hasn’t lost a step as the title character. The movie could have cut out one story arc and expanded on a couple in return. My final grade for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a B+. The returning cast once again shines and it feels like Burton is returning to his classic roots. What are your thoughts on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice? Let us know in the comments below.
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