Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a risky proposition that pays off
Theatrical Movie Review - Horror/Comedy
Because Michael Keaton was a local boy, my usually strict parents would allow us to watch his movies. I was already a huge Keaton fan from films like “Gung Ho” and “Mr. Mom” when the original “Beetlejuice” came out in 1988. But despite my love of Keaton and the original film, I am wary of nostalgia bait movies and approached Tim Burton’s sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” with some trepidation.
Years after her family left their house in Winter River, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) is working as a medium and still seeing flashes of the demon Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) who tortured her family. When her stepmother Delia (Catherine O’Hara) shares that Lydia’s father died, Lydia must bring her estranged daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) back to the house where her psychic powers were first realized. When Astrid finds herself in trouble with the underworld, and Beetlejuice finds himself in trouble with his ex-wife Delores (Monica Belluci), Lydia finds herself teaming up with her greatest tormentor so that she can save her daughter.
While the fear was that “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” would just be a retread of the original movie, this film has plenty of unique moments that allow it to be its own film with plenty of nods to the first. It is a fun trip down memory lane, but there should be plenty for new viewers to enjoy.
Like the original film, the plot of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is relatively thin. Belluci bursts onto the screen with a lot of promise for her character but feels quickly forgotten in the midst of the Deetz family drama. Fortunately, Ortega fills the role of the brooding daughter nicely, though with a bit less humor than we had with Ryder.
The cast for this film looked like they had a blast making it. Among the new characters, Willem Dafoe gives an utterly delightful performance as a television cop turned underworld investigator. And Justin Theroux is hilarious as the effusive fiance to Lydia. But the alum cast of Ryder, O’Hara, and Keaton do not slouch in their return to Winter River. We can see that most clearly in a fantastic callback to the “Day-O” scene of the original, this time to the bizarre 60’s hit, “MacArthur Park.”
Burton’s work can sometimes get into the weeds of style over substance, but for the most part, this movie strikes a good balance. The time spent in the underworld is just as weird and fun as it was in 1988, with plenty of ghouls that make this a place that you almost want to visit. Like its predecessor, it has just enough scary elements to make this a perfect introduction for future horror fans. Danny Elfman’s updated score maintains the manic energy of the original and perfectly reflects the world.
If literature has taught us anything, it’s that bringing back the dead is always a risky proposition. I can’t help but think that saying Beetlejuice a third time might be a little risky. Fortunately for Lydia Deetz, her second interaction with Beetlejuice had a happy ending. And for audiences, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” provides a fun trip to the cinema.