The Wasteland Reviewer

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) Written Review

The juice is loose, isn’t it? There have been more than a few decades in between the release of Tim Burton’s original horror comedy and his new sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. There have been different forms of this long gestating sequel, but it is exciting to see that Burton finally made his way back to this macabre world of the living and the dead. A lot can happen in over thirty years and that is certainly true for the Deetz family. Lydia is absorbed in her ghost visions, a campy show, and an obsessive manager/romantic partner. Her daughter is at a distance after the death of her father. But the whole Deetz clan is drawn together back in Winter River after the death of Charles Deetz (there was no way Jeffrey Jones was returning for this one). 

But does this long-awaited sequel recapture the magic of Burton’s early works? After quite a few years of missing that macabre charm, Burton can muster it again in full force for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. From the opening credits, we get the camera flying through the model of Winter River with Danny Elfman’s familiar but joyously quirky score setting the stage for a weird, creepy, and campy romp at the movies. The cinematography does feel less dynamic from the visual perspective due to the digital and bright sheen to it all but that does stop the film from having some bold framing and movement choices that help set the tone. The practical effects include some great stop motion animation, grotesque make-up, and wild hair styles. The vibe is right, and this film is full of bonkers moments that are endlessly entertaining. This sequel is best when it is leaning into its great music choices and full-blown camp. Reanimation montages, creepy Universal horror homages, and a soulful gag that would make Don Cornelius smile. 

The vibe might be right but does the story hold up? The tone and atmosphere are wild, but the story is even wilder. The film takes about half of its runtime to set up a bouquet of plot threads. Most of them feel rushed or conveniently dealt with. You might even say some of them turn out to be anti-climactic. The heart and soul of the film is the mother/daughter relationship between Lydia and her daughter Astrid. Lydia will go to great lengths to make sure she reconnects and saves her daughter…even by connecting with Beetlejuice once again. But each of these characters have their own romantic subplots with varying degrees of effectiveness. The film feels like it is taking too long to get going and once it does, it feels stuffed to the gills. The pacing of the third act is nonstop, and threads get wrapped up so quickly. 

But what makes all these characters and threads work as well as they do? The cast. He is sparingly utilized throughout this wild romp but when Beetlejuice is on-screen, he is an absolute delight to watch. Michael Keaton slides right back into his crazy clothes and grotesque make-up effortlessly. This is one despicable character, but Keaton makes him so much fun to watch and enjoy. The energy he has meshes perfectly with what Burton brings to the table. Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega are at their best when they are using their overly expressive faces to sell all the wild world building and mishaps along the way. Catherine O’Hara is a scene stealer is there ever one as she makes every line of dialogue feel like it is both the most important thing being said as well as bitingly hilarious. Justin Theroux is a ham as he gets to go full camp and over-the-top as the overly emotional and devious partner of Lydia. Monica Bellucci is heavily under-utilized and is basically eye candy…in a strange kinky way. Willem Dafoe’s character does not have much bearing on the overall plot, but Wolf Jackson is a revelation every time he is on screen. If you need a talented actor to go headlong into a wild bit, Dafoe shows once again that he is up for the task. 

Was Beetlejuice Beetlejuice worth the wait? After two decades of fleeting moments of inspiration, Tim Burton finally feels like himself again. This film might be overstuffed and messy but a messy campy romp is exactly what we could ask for from a Beetlejuice sequel over 30 years later. This film made it feel so good to jump back into Winter River and the afterlife. Maybe it won’t be so long before we visit again with this talented crew of characters.