After 36 years, the sequel to Tim Burton’s iconic 1988 classic, “Beetlejuice,” finally hit the screen on Friday, Sept. 6. Did “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” live up to the hype?
The sequel finds both Lydia and Delia Deetz (played by Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara respectfully) returning to their home in Winter River, Connecticut following a sudden death in the family. Although she has found much success in her professional life as a psychic, Lydia has a very strained relationship with her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega), who is all too similar to the doom-and-gloom teenage Lydia from the first film.
Believing her mother to be a fraud, Astrid’s relationship with Lydia is put to the test when she is forced to accompany the Deetz family and Lydia’s new boyfriend, Rory (Justin Theroux), to a family funeral. Trying to avoid her mother as much as possible, Astrid meets a mysterious boy named Jeremy (Arthur Conti) and discovers an entrance to the underworld. Meanwhile, Beetlejuice himself (Michael Keaton) is having his own afterlife problems, as his ex-wife Dolores (Monica Bellucci) has returned.
If not made clear by that summary, the primary issue with this film is the sheer amount of plot lines that they attempted to cram into a 104-minute film. While all of the stories that were presented in the film were intriguing, there was simply not enough time to do them justice. This made the pacing of the film feel rushed, with too many characters to keep track of.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” however, did a lot of great things to please long-time fans of the original. The trademark Tim Burton eeriness was written in every scene, from the lighting and sets to the costumes and makeup. With Danny Elfman returning for the score, it was evident that you were viewing a “Beetlejuice” sequel, whether the grotesque titular character was on screen or not. The film even brought in a couple of great hits to parallel the original’s well-known “Day-O” dinner party, with some new flavor.
The film was absolutely laugh-out-loud throughout, with O’Hara in particular delivering hysterical lines. Of course, Keaton recreated his iconic role to a T, including some notable callbacks for devoted fans. Even Willem Defoe’s new character, Wolf Jackson (a deceased actor known for his role in a famous detective franchise), added many great comedic moments, despite his limited screen time.
The sequel also adds a layer of emotional depth that went relatively untouched in the original movie. The topic of grief is explored throughout the film with Delia’s comedic coping mechanisms, as well as with Astrid’s much more serious grief surrounding her deceased father.
Whether you are a new or old fan of “Beetlejuice,” this sequel is definitely worth the watch. While it may not exactly live up to the original, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” masterfully blends the old with the new, creating something both reminiscent and refreshing at the same time.
