Tim Burton and Michael Keaton return to the franchise that made them genre icons with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Terrific puppetry, ageless performances by Winona Ryder, Keaton and Catherine O’Hara and Danny Elfman‘s best score in 20 years, results in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice being Burton’s best film since 2003’s Big Fish.
The story follows Lydia Deetz (Ryder), her stepmom Delia Deetz (O’Hara), and Lydia’s estranged daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega). Lydia starts the film as a sellout. She uses her gift to communicate with the dead as a TV parlor trick. However, her stepmom calls Lydia, Astrid, Delia and Lydia’s boyfriend Rory ( Justin Theroux) to return to Winter River. Astrid wants little to do with her weirdo of a Mom. However, when a cute boy tricks Astrid, Lydia is forced to utter the three words she never thought she’d say again.
Meanwhile, the afterlife is going through turmoil. Betelgeuse’s ex-wife, Delores (Monica Belucci), is on a rampage searching for her former lover. Her soul-sucking ways run her afoul of ghost detective Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe).
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Some 30 years later, Keaton, Ryder, and O’Hara easily sink back into these roles, while Ortega shines as the morbidly curious but not dour Astrid. Like with Keaton, every scene between these three women is terrific, but Burton and screenwriters Alfred Gough and Miles Millar move so fervently that the quiet moments are few and far between.
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice retains one of the only flaws from the first film. There’s not enough of Keaton’s Betelgeuse. The film’s chaotic best whenever he’s on screen.
Theroux plays up Rory’s vanity for a few laughs but is ultimately an unnecessary character.
The romance between Astrid and Jeremy moves too fast. Unfortunately, this relationship runs the risk of making Astrid gullible. However, Astrid’s motivation for going along with Jeremy’s plan fits the character well.
There are creative flourishes all over the place in the afterlife. However, the depiction of purgatory feels claustrophobic.
Overall, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a fun return to Winter River. It doesn’t quite match the heights of this year’s Twisters or Top Gun: Maverick in the battle of long-gestating sequels. However, if you enjoyed the first film, there’s a lot to love in this bizarre world.
After the overview and rating of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 7 out of 10 (Good), let’s explore marriages from hell, the return to Winter River and Astrid’s journey. You can watch the first Beetlejuice film on Max.
Marriages from Hell in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice unleashes two marriages in which one member of each wedding isn’t that into their betrothed.
The film opens with Lydia’s TV show, where she helps audience members communicate with the dead. Lydia is in a relationship with the show’s producer, Rory. When Lydia, Delia and Astrid head back to Winter River, Rory joins them for a funeral. He uses the funeral as an opportunity to propose—an unenthused Lydia accepts.
Meanwhile, Betelgeuse’s unholy union with Delores forcibly comes apart in the afterlife. Like Betelgeuse’s constant pursuit of Lydia, Delores will stop at nothing to find Betelgeuse.
Betelgeuse and Lydia’s lukewarm reception to their respective spouses leads to a fun finale.
Astrid’s Dance with Death
Astrid wants nothing to do with Lydia to start the film. She views Lydia’s supposed gift as a hoax. However, she does share her Mom’s interest in the dead, although it’s a specific person she’s trying to reach.
Lydia does seem to want to be a good mother. However, the trauma eating away at Lydia leads to her pushing Astrid away. For instance, when Astrid discovers the model of the town and the Beetlejuice flyer, Lydia flips her lid and forbids Astrid from speaking about he who must not be named.
Like mother, like daughter. Astrid discovers the ability to connect with the dead. She meets a nice boy who happens to die tragically. He offers to help Astrid track down the person she’s searching for if he can help with an incantation.
Astrid heads to the afterlife. With nowhere else to turn, Lydia turns to Betelgeuse for help finding her daughter. In exchange for helping her, Lydia agrees to marry Betelgeuse. Delia also joins in on the adventure.
While watching Ortega and Ryder react to their weird, hellish surroundings is fun, something is missing from the adventure. The absence of Betelgeuse dampens the amount of chaos. Grouping him with the mother-daughter duo could add more lunacy to the proceedings. The other option would have been slowing down and diving into their issues.
Fortunately, the movie’s climax is chaotic perfection. It has excellent trickster demon hijinks and a fantastic, creepy dance sequence that helps Burton end the film on a nice note.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Final Thoughts
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a fun sequel that mostly plays the greatest hits. Some of the new additions, like Dafoe, Bellucci, and Ortega, capture the odd tone perfectly. Others, like Theroux’s Rory, feel superfluous. Keaton is sublime. Burton finds the right mix of comedy and horror.
The Review
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
PROS
- Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara and Tim Burton recapture the magic.
- Jenna Ortega is terrific.
- The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice score is the best Danny Elfman score since Spider-Man 2.
- Amazing effects.
CONS
- Too many unnecessary characters.
- Hectic pace gets in the way of estranged mother-daughter story at times.
- The afterlife feels oddly constrained.
