As Halloween approaches, the time for horror movies is once again upon us. In the last few years, the genre has been plagued by legacy sequels and as the trend continues, “Beetlejuice” now joins the fray.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” follows up 36 years after the original 1988 installment of “Beetlejuice,” ” with some of the original cast returning. Both films maintain the creepy aesthetic that one expects from director Tim Burton, who is also known for his films like “Corpse Bride” and “Edward Scissorhands.” His newest outing is a scary, fun time for new and old fans — however, occasionally falls flat due to an overstuffed plot.
The sequel delves further into the story of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) as she struggles with being a renowned psychic and maintaining a healthy relationship with her estranged daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega). Matters only become worse when Betelgeuse’s (Michael Keaton’s) hijinks create chaos and trouble starts to ensue in the bizarre Neitherworld.
Burton’s typical motifs shine throughout this film, as the production does a phenomenal job of immersing the audience in the world of the living and undead. The film stays faithful to its source material by limiting the amount of CGI and relying on practical effects — a choice that works in the film’s favor by invoking the nostalgic silliness of the original and a shocking amount of gore. Everything in the world of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” feels cohesive, from its costume design to set pieces, because of how much it leans into the strange and unusual.
However, the story of the film suffered from weak side plots that allowed interesting supporting characters to go underused. The film’s narrative seemingly bounced between the main plot and the side plots: Newly introduced characters like Dolores (Monica Belluci), Rory (Justin Theroux), and Jeremy (Arthur Conti) had little time to shine.
The film had a hard time deciding who was going to be the antagonist compared to the original which had Keaton’s performance making him seem zany and malicious. Now, Betelgeuse’s antagonistic perspective has been swapped with him becoming a meddler, acting more indifferent compared to his debut. Losing what makes him antagonistic, makes the stakes low and the new antagonists seem more like a “villain of the week.”
Regardless, the main struggle between Lydia trying to reconnect with Astrid is exceptionally heartfelt, as it builds upon the fears of motherhood and the effects of grief, themes reminiscent of the original. The bizarre ending attempts to solidify these fears, even though it leaves its viewers confused and with a poor open ending.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” will leave fans of the original content and those who are looking for a start to the Halloween season excited. Yet, for all of its scares, the film leaves one not wanting to say Betelgeuse for the third time.
