“The juice is loose,” and the sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is destined to be an annual classic that is rewatched year after year, despite its shortcomings.
The newly released film follows the familiar Lydia Deetz and her family into the world of the dead and the living. It features quite a few storylines connected with, of course, Beetlejuice and a new character, Astrid Deetz, who is Lydia’s daughter.
The film was hilarious, very Tim Burton-esque and an overall enjoyable watch. However, for a movie based around the peculiar tendencies of one singular character, Beetlejuice, I wanted more dazzling moments from the beloved persona.
While the original “Beetlejuice” also featured multiple characters and multiple storylines within the film, the adventure aspect of the original was not quite carried and fully executed in the sequel.
That being said, the nostalgia factor from this movie, even 36 years after the original, creates this fulfilling and satisfying movie experience that individuals of all ages can enjoy.
What worked
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” has this incredible nostalgia factor to it that is unmatched. When I first heard that there was going to be a second “Beetlejuice” movie, I was genuinely excited and looking forward to it. It wasn’t just another remake in my mind. It was something that I immediately knew I would want to see.
There are obvious nods to the original, like the iconic red bridge, the shrunken head men and the sandworms. My personal favorite is during a funeral scene, where “Banana Boat (Day-O)” is being sung. My most beloved moment from the original is the dinner scene when the characters sing “Day-O.” So that was iconic to see in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”
The fact that Tim Burton came back to create and direct it, literally takes all the downsides of the film and makes up for those negative aspects. Burton has such a creative vision for all his projects, and it shows. Every little dark, creepy and ironic aspect works well in this film.
The collaborations between Burton and film composer Danny Elfman are iconic. From “The Nightmare Before Christmas” to “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the music stands out. Immediately once the movie started, I knew I was listening to a creation by Elfman. The music fits in every single scene and assists in creating the eerie or humorous energy I wanted to feel.
The original characters that are present, like Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz and obviously, Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice himself, create this familiar dynamic that I love from the original movie. I adore that these original characters have carried on into the sequel.
I really like the addition of Jenna Ortega to the cast because that also gave me the Burton aura. Ortega, who starred in “Wednesday,” also directed by Burton, basically had her own storyline, which I ended up really enjoying. It was one of my favorite storylines from the film.
While some characters stand out more than others, O’Hara as Delia Deetz shines. O’Hara is able to bring to life this quirky and hilarious character. I found myself laughing the most when she was on screen.
While O’Hara made me laugh every time I saw her, the movie as a whole was incredibly funny. I was laughing most of the movie, and the few times that Beetlejuice was on screen too. Yet, there were a few heartfelt moments between the family dynamic of Ryder and Ortega and even Ryder’s late husband in the film played by Santiago Cabrera.
While a lot of the solutions to problems in the film felt too simplistic, the ending was very Burton-esque. I respect, and even find really entertaining, the crazy, random and weirdness that is guaranteed to be in any Burton film.
While there were downsides to “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” Burton really does have this magic to his craft, and he was able to tie everything together at the end.
What didn’t work
While “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” as a whole was an amusing watch, there are some aspects that I can’t let go of. One unnecessary storyline includes Beetlejuice’s ex-wife. This aspect is incredibly unnecessary and doesn’t have any long-lasting effect in the movie. It felt very pointless and not all the way thought through.
While characters like O’Hara’s Delia Deetz shine, the one character that I wanted to see more from was the man himself, Beetlejuice. He took the back burner for this film. While he isn’t the main character or the main storyline in the original, he is who I wanted to see. I wanted to be laughing at his chaoticness, yet I was wondering when I would get more screen time from him.
Because there were a few different storylines in this film, there were simple solutions to complex problems. The climax felt very anti-climatic. It felt like the story wasn’t finished and was almost rushed through. While the ending was satisfying, I left thinking, “Was that really it? Was that everything?”
I was almost confused by how simple it was. I mean we’re talking about big conflicts, HUGE. Like living people in the world of the dead and dead people in the world of the living, and that’s just one aspect, one problem.
I wanted more from the climax. I wanted craziness and wildness, but I didn’t exactly get that. I wanted intensity, but I didn’t get that either.
The verdict
Overall, I give “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” a three and a half out of five stars. I’d say you need to watch it in theaters because it is a momentous occasion. It’s special for its nostalgia and hilarious moments, and watching it in theaters assists in creating that amusing atmosphere. You can’t get that kind of special connection from a sequel streaming it at home months later. This is the kind of film you have to watch in the theater to get the full experience of how iconic it is.
While it was anti-climatic at a lot of different points in the movie, I went knowing that sequels are not the same as their originals. Of course, the original “Beetlejuice” is going to always be special and always be the best version. I know that.
Even though I wanted more from the plot, I can however look past that and appreciate that 36 years later, we have the same director and most of the same cast together, which is incredible. That itself, is a success and something I’m proud of. I have pride that something like “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” can be made so many years later, draw in crowds of all ages and still have me laughing throughout the entirety of the movie. It is, and will always be, a timeless film.
