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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice built on the anticipation for over 30 years before making its way back to the land of the living, on Friday, September 6, 2024. It continued the story from Tim Burton's near avant-garde pop-culture sensation, Beetlejuice (1988), finally concluding a long-drawn saga of a proposed sequel.
As fun and nostalgic as this sequel is, there is a constant feeling throughout the near-two-hour runtime that the movie is just a recreation of its hit original. It also felt like it had the bare minimum material to offer in terms of a movie. Despite this, it is thoroughly enjoyable, and the new cast members are exceptional in their respective roles.
All in all, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will perhaps appeal to every movie fan who grew up watching the Tim Burton original. However, on its own, it has very little to offer, and if viewers were to sever its ties from the prequel, it doesn't have the ground to stay relevant or provocative in any manner.
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Read on for a detailed review of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
*Warning: There may be major spoilers for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ahead.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is more than enjoyable in more than one way but was it really necessary?
The first film, Beetlejuice, is perhaps the kind of movie that does not need to be a franchise to be relevant. It has passed the test of time and has remained relevant both in popular culture as well as in the history books of cinema.
The shocking, macabre Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton), his obsession with the young Winona Ryder, and the gothic imagery in all its glory were enough to cement its place among generations of fans.
The first problem with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is that none of it is as surprising or exciting anymore, instead, all of it is simply nostalgic. Burton does not try to make this film visually different or thematically modern. It follows the footsteps of the original in a commendable way.
Every bit of the movie seems to play from a point of nostalgia, reusing elements that had worked, and not trying too hard to change things that do not need changing. This is a lesson many other franchise-based works could potentially follow.
The sequel is more than enjoyable in more than a single way but the thing that constantly bothers in the movie is the question of whether it was really necessary.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is more fun with its new characters
There are things that do not really work as well in the sequel as one would have hoped, for instance, the story, but the new cast has worked wonders.
Monica Belluci is excellent in the role of Beetlejuice's ex-wife Delores, who was cut into pieces and now bears the marks of her death. Despite the conviction of the character, Belluci feels largely underused due to her limited screen time. The same can be said about Willem Dafoe, who is also delightful in his role.
Jenna Ortega, in her role that resembles the younger version of her on-screen mother Lydia (Winona Ryder), is also quite well cast. However, the mother-daughter dynamic, which should have been the primary focus of this gothic tale, also feels a little inconsequential.
That being said, the cast additions work wonders to give it the slight freshness that separates it from its predecessor.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice does not fail to deliver
There may be many criticisms of this sequel, but it is important to remember that these come from a point of high expectations. As one of the most original filmmakers of all time, the expectations from Tim Burton are always higher than from any other filmmaker.
In that sense, Burton does manage to deliver in full form. Despite what may seem rusty and overused, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice does not have a single dull moment. It is fun, nostalgic, and a ride down memory lane in a way few could have achieved.
Despite its problems, it is an excellent watch and will not disappoint Tim Burton fans, perhaps only the ones who were expecting the world from this sequel.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is now playing in theatres across the United States.
