Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: Far From Perfect, but a Worthy Follow-Up to its Predecessor

I’d just turned 9 years old when ‘Beetlejuice’ hit theaters in 1988. For reasons never provided, my mom

wouldn’t let me watch it in the theater. Or rent it on VHS. And that ban continued when it made its way much later to our cable box – HBO, probably. It was perplexing considering the R-rated ‘Commando’ was deemed OK, ‘Spies Like Us’ was fine, and ‘Caddyshack’ was dandy.

Fortunately for me, my mom worked a second job at night, TVs didn’t yet have parental controls, and my morals when it came to listening to her about what I should and I shouldn’t be watching/listening to were loose. I watched with the blinds closed and lights off, remote at the ready in case she got home early. The imagery blew me away, the story captured my attention, and the crass humor was right up my alley (despite some of it being over my head).

A fan was born that night and my adoration for the movie continues to this day. And, as my Monday night rewatch reminded me, it’s aged well and raised my excitement level for its three decades in the making sequel.

Picking up well after the events of the original, ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ finds Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) with a successful career as a paranormal medium, which just so happens to come with a large side of medication and occasional visions of ex-fiancé Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton).

Visions, however, are not the only problems facing Lydia. She’s estranged from her teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega); her stepmother, Delia (Catherine O’Hara), remains as eccentric as ever; and her fiancé/manager, Rory (Justin Theroux), is a new age weirdo whose intentions feel as sketchy as his ponytail.

And to top it off, the whole crew must return to Winter River to mourn and celebrate the life of family patriarch Charles (not played by persona non grata Jeffrey Jones).

But the extended Deetz clan aren’t the only ones with eyes on Winter River. With a psychotic ex (Monica Belluci) hot on his tail, the Juice is determined to finally make Lydia his bride and escape the afterlife.

Without question, the cast is the strongest piece of the movie’s equation (at least those that returned). Ryder, O’Hara, and Keaton slide seamlessly back into their old personas, with Lydia remaining the original “emo girl,” Delia becoming even more over-the-top (albeit with a bit more humanity and occasional Moira Rose impersonations), and Beetlejuice being as crude and delightful as you remember. Ortega, arguably Hollywood’s new “emo girl” plays the role of the angsty teen to perfection, and Theroux (not sure if it’s to his credit or discredit) plays an unlikeable d-bag remarkably well. There’s also a fun cameo at the beginning of the movie and an odd performance from Willem Dafoe (shocking, I know) that feels a bit forced and out of place, but still entertaining.

There are some issues, however. While Jones doesn’t physically appear in the movie, his likeness makes an appearance, which, given his legal issues over the past 2+ decades, is questionable. Equally annoying, but nowhere near as problematic, is the handling of the first film’s leading couple, Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis). If you remember, the pair had to spend 125 years in their Winter River home. When Lydia and crew return, they’re no longer there and are explained away with one word: “loophole.” I’m not saying they needed to return, either in large or small roles, but a little more creativity to explain their non-appearance doesn’t seem to be asking too much.

Cast aside, ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ has director Tim Burton’s fingerprints all over it – from the visuals to the tone to the inclusion of a Danny Elfman score. It all feels very comfortable, very familiar, and, honestly, a little formulaic. There’s obviously been some technological advances in the past 35+ years that make the movie’s visuals pop a bit more, but it feels like in a fantastical world like this, even more could have been done. Additionally, there are slew of new characters played by strong actors that could’ve been leaned on a bit more to further the story. But knowing how fandoms work, experimentation probably wasn’t best for business.

‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ is nowhere near as creative or fun as the original, and a lot of the jokes and visuals feel recycled, but I enjoyed it for the same reason I enjoyed ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ – it’s nostalgic and familiar, it doesn’t taint the memory of its predecessor(s), and there’s just enough new twists to not make it feel like a waste of a couple hours.

I wouldn’t wait in line or go to a late-night screening to see it right away, but if you’re a Beetlejuice/Burton fan, I think you’ll see the value in this newest installment.

★★★½ of ★★★★★