Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: Film Review
I did not like the original Beetlejuice when I saw it as a teenager (thought it was way too weird) but I watched it recently and enjoyed it a lot so I was cautiously optimistic for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Set 36 years after the original, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) is the host of the TV show Ghost House and dating her manager Rory (Justin Theroux). When her dad passes away, Lydia returns to the Winter River house with her stepmother Delia (Catherine O’Hara) and estranged daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega). Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) has been waiting for years to be reunited with Lydia and now is the time for him to seize his chance!
Fans of the original should be delighted by this follow-up. The sequel may not be quite as good as its predecessor but it is very loyal to the established visuals, rules of that world and just the general weirdness. There are plenty of callbacks to enjoy but it doesn’t lean too hard on fan service. This is very wacky and offbeat, particularly for a studio film, and probably won’t appeal to newcomers (although I strongly suggest watching the original first).
My biggest problem is that the story is way too overstuffed. There are too many plotlines and characters and it cannot serve them all comprehensively. The first film was very simple whereas this one has way too much going on and is messy and all over the place. Also, the constant cutting back and forth between storylines kills the momentum and it feels like it doesn’t go anywhere for ages.
Despite being totally unnecessary, my favourite character was Willem Dafoe as an actor-turned-afterlife police cop Wolf Jackson. He speaks like a noir detective and it made me chuckle every time. O’Hara also cracked me up with her kooky line delivery and Keaton was once again a devilish delight as Beetlejuice. He fully commits to the bio-exorcist role but lacks a certain something compared to his earlier performance.
On the negative front, Monica Bellucci is utterly wasted as Beetlejuice’s ex and has no real impact on the plot. I liked Ortega but Astrid was essentially Wednesday Addams, and Theroux’s wet blanket character gave me the ick. That’s not Theroux’s fault but he was so annoying and I could have done with less of him.
It may be excessive and the emotional beats may not truly resonate, but this sequel is still a lot of fun. It has a wicked sense of humour and the hair, make-up, costumes and practical effects are spectacular. Embrace the madness and you’ll have a great time!
In cinemas from Friday 6th September