In Tim Burton’s Winter River, Connecticut, everyone is frantically hushed if they say “Beetlejuice” more than once. Thankfully, no one stopped director and producer Burton from calling his classic characters back for this film’s sequel.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” releases Friday, bringing depth to the beloved characters of the 1988 original while gifting fans with new, characters and an extended view of the afterlife. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” serves as more than a character reunion.
The sequel opens with a bouncy, spooky soundtrack and introduces the gelled-bangs-clad Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) in the present day. She seems gloomier than ever while profiting off of her ghost-seeing abilities through her ghost-chasing TV show. An exploitative boyfriend, an estranged teenage daughter and unhandled trauma from Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) pile on Lydia’s recent loss of her father.
Lydia buries her father near her old haunted house in Winter River alongside her stepmother Delia (Catherine O’Hara) and daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega). The funeral pays homage to the original film with a children’s chorus singing “Banana Boat (Day-O)” over Charles Deetz’s grave and cocktail shrimp served at his wake. From there on, the Deetz family navigates their trauma while psychotic ghosts run wild and Beetlejuice continues his schemes.
Although “Beetlejuice” is known for colorfully painting the afterlife, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” explores the emotional complexity of grief. Astrid harbors resentment over her father’s passing from years prior, Lydia struggles to not fixate on death and Delia distresses irrationally over losing her husband. This creates a more serious and realistic layer for the story, making it satisfying to see the women’s development and triumph throughout the movie.
This darker element balances out the afterlife’s lighthearted imagination, which fans see more of in the sequel — such as a funky 1960s-inspired “Soul Train” for spirits and a ghost police force. The vibrance of “neitherworld” paired with the gothic aesthetic of the Deetz family makes the movie as visually entertaining as it is humorous at times.
Balancing the serious tone of the movie, O’Hara as Delia, Keaton as Beetlejuice and Justin Theroux as Lydia’s boyfriend, Rory, each deliver delightful comedic performances throughout the film. Delia’s character is somehow more eccentric and funny the second time around. Beetlejuice is classically unhinged, with Keaton never missing a theatrical beat, and Rory proves a goofy, unserious addition to the cast.
Perhaps the only flaw of the sequel is its side story involving Beetlejuice’s ex-wife Delores (Monica Bellucci). Though the inclusion of Delores offers interesting context to Beetlejuice’s life, her storyline did not feel developed enough the ending felt rushed. Although having a cool character concept, more screen time with the main characters could have made Delores a more meaningful addition to the film.
Nevertheless, Delores’ special effects, along with the cleanliness of other tricks in the film, emphasized advancements in technology since 1988. Although not straying too far from the original style, such as by keeping the sandworms cartoon-like, the slight visual improvements were exciting.
Overall, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” provides the perfect closure to the classic film and might carry enough originality to become a spooky classic on its own.
4 out of 5 wedding cakes left out in the rain
