Finally, the renowned 1988 Halloween film “Beetlejuice” got its long awaited sequel: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” This thrilling sequel brings everything you love about the first film into the second.
This movie is equally funny and spooky, picking up after a couple of years. The story follows Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) and her stepmother Delia Deetz (Catherine O’Hara). Beside the two returning characters joins Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) who, much like Delia and Lydia, has not forgotten what happened in Winter River years prior.
This movie starts out with Lydia, Delia and Lydia’s daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega), returning home to Winter River after an unexpected family tragedy. With Lydia still blessed with her powers of seeing the dead, she comes across Beetlejuice once again.
Lydia’s rebellious daughter, despite hearing her mother’s warnings about the dead, unknowingly opens a portal to the afterlife. In order to save Astrid, Lydia must do the one thing she will live to regret and looks to Beetlejuice for help, even if it means sacrificing herself. All you have to do is say “Beetlejuice” three times and he will be at your service, as well as releasing mayhem on the world as we know it.
With big names like Danny DeVito, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe, Jenna Ortega, Catherine O’Hara, Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, it is not a surprise that the acting is phenomenal. Despite years in between the two films, returning actors like Keaton, O’Hara and Ryder are just as amazing in their roles, if not better this time around.
Much like other Tim Burton films such as “Alice in Wonderland,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Dark Shadows” and many more, he brings a sense of darkness to the screen that draws you in and keeps you in your seat. However, this is not to say it is a dark movie, because it isn’t – it has more comedic relief and light-hearted spooky aspects rather than darkness.
In addition to bringing back a few of the main characters, Burton added some elements from the first one into the movie as little cameos for the audience who are fans of the older film, like the model in the attic, the handbook for the recently deceased and the Lydia’s red wedding dress, along with many others in the original. If you are a fan of the first “Beetlejuice” film, keep your eyes peeled and ready for any easter eggs, I promise you there are a lot to look out for.
I will say, I usually do not go out of my way to see sequels of movies but this one has changed my mind. “Beetlejuice” is one of my all-time favorite Halloween movies and one that I hoped there would be a sequel for. When this movie was announced, I could not wait to watch it and it did not disappoint. I liked everything about it: the banter, the plot twists, the style of bringing the old and new together and most of all, I loved being able to go back into the world of Beetlejuice.
This film had an air of nostalgia and brought a sense of old time movies back into the present. It had good music from now and even some from the 80’s that brought the movie series full circle. The music fit perfectly with the film and brought the scenes to life and immersed the audience in the plot.
The only thing that I would change about this movie was the amount of side plots that occurred. I found myself losing what was going on, and tended to focus on one plot and forget what was happening in another. Even though everything got solved in the end, there was a little bit too much going on at once. Focusing on a single plot would have been easier to follow, but that is just me.
If you are a fan of “Beetlejuice,” or if you are looking for a new Halloween movie to watch, you should give “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” a try. I promise you will not regret it, and remember do not say Beetlejuice three times, unless you’re ready to let the juice loose.
4/5 stars
rbleich@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @beetlejuicemovie, Instagram
