Just over 36 years after the original movie came out, the next installment of the 1988 movie Beetlejuice directed by Tim Burton hit theaters on Sept. 6. The sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, is a continuation of all of the well loved characters from the original’s stories, along with some new characters and juicy backstories.
The standout of this movie was the cast. It is headed by Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz) and Micheal Keaton (Beetlejuice) who, just like in the original, do an incredible job and are hilarious and engaging throughout the entire movie. Keaton is a joy to watch, taking over every scene he is in and phenomenally slipping back into the skin of Beetlejuice. Ryder similarly takes back the role of Lydia flawlessly and is able to show that while Lydia has grown-up, she is still the same snarky, dead-to-the-world teenager we all know and love.
The supporting cast of the movie also shines. Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz is absolutely delightful, with her incredible comedic timing and amazing physical acting. Jenna Ortega (Astrid Deetz) and Justin Theroux (Rory) were also wonderful additions to the cast, both bringing along interesting storylines and adding layers to already beloved characters.
Tim Burton does a wonderful job encapsulating the vibes of the original movie, even 30 years later. He perfectly mixes CGI, practical effects, and claymation to make the movie have that ‘80s feel while still seeming current and modern. They also use color to their advantage, with dark dreary tones while in the land of the dead and brighter more lively tones in the land of the living, which really immerses you into the movie.
The major issue with the movie was that it seemed like it was meant to be longer. There were about eight different storylines going on all at the same time, which would have worked out perfectly if the movie had an extra hour. There is a storyline about Beetlejuice’s ex-wife and it never really had a payout (Spoiler: she shows up at the final fight for about two minutes before she is killed off), this is the case for a lot of characters. We see the beginnings of a very interesting plotline but we never actually get to see the follow through.
It is still an entertaining and enjoyable movie, especially with the use of music. The original Beetlejuice has its iconic scene at the dinner table with “Banana Boat (Day-O)” by Harry Belafonte and the sequel has its fair share of fun scenes with the same type of energy. There are many scenes where the music really makes its mark and you can clearly envision the scene just from hearing some music.
Overall it is a fun movie, it does a great job paying homage to the original while also establishing itself as its own movie and not feeling like it was just a cash grab. If you enjoy horror/comedy and loved the original movie, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is definitely something to check out. The movie will be streaming on HBO Max on Nov. 25, but until then it will only be available in theaters.
