Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Back and Deader Than Ever!
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (which will inevitably followed by a third installment titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) is the latest legacy sequel that picks up the narrative decades after its predecessor. Hey, it worked for Top Gun with Maverick and for The Karate Kid with the Netflix series Cobra Kai, so why not resurrect another dormant ‘80s property?
The results this time? They’re pretty good. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is exactly what I expected it to be. It rehashes many of the original elements and features enhanced special effects, a mix of old and new characters, and an increased examination of Beetlejuice’s quirky afterlife world.
Winona Ryder returns as Lydia Deetz, who is now a paranormal performer who can speak to ghosts. Many people think she’s a fraud, even her daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega). Meanwhile, her shady manager/boyfriend has proposed marriage.
Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her mother Delia (Catherine O’ Hara) informs her that her dad Charles was killed in a shark attack. Jeffrey Jones, who played Charles, did not return due to his legal problems. The movie cleverly gets around this. He is sometimes portrayed in animated form and, in one sequence, appears without a head!
After Astrid is manipulated by a boy who turns out to be a malicious ghost, Lydia reluctantly summons Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) so that she can save her daughter. Beetlejuice agrees to help as long as Lydia accepts his marriage proposal.
A Colorful Romp
Jenna Ortega’s Astrid is similar to her interpretation of Wednesday Addams in the Netflix show. Astrid is a bit more naive and a tad less sarcastic than Wednesday. I hope Ortega isn’t getting typecast as the snarky outsider girl. She plays this type of role well, but she has shown plenty of versatility in her career. I hate to see performers get pigeonholed in a narrow niche.
Michael Keaton seamlessly reprises Beetlejuice. It’s remarkable to me how some actors can easily get back into a character that they haven’t played for decades. Beetlejuice hasn’t changed a bit since the first movie. He’s still strangely charming, in spite of himself.
Tim Burton is back as the director. If there’s one thing you can count on with Burton’s movies, it’s that they are always interesting to look at. Burton has always had a distinct visual style, and this movie is no exception.
Nostalgia always plays a significant role in legacy sequels. It’s fun to see the returning actors, although it would have been nice if they could have gotten Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin involved somehow.
Ultimately, your enjoyment for this movie is going to come down to whether you liked the original. If you’re looking for essentially an updated and modernized version of the same thing, you’re in luck. If you’re searching for something wholly original, keep looking. I’ve never been a hardcore fan of the first movie, but I find it enjoyable enough. The same goes for this sequel.
Rating
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a silly, fun rehash with entertaining performances, especially from Keaton and Ortega. If you liked the first one, you’ll probably enjoy this, too.
Rating from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 10 (masterpiece): 7
