Review: ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ understands its nostalgic assignment
‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ brings the living back into the Afterlife, which is filled with unusual characters.
In 1988, Tim Burton brought his fantastical feature, Beetlejuice, to the big screen. The spooky spectacle that lifted the veil between the living and the dead was a family-friendly horror comedy, which garnered loyal fans who couldn’t get enough of “the ghost with the most.” The following year, Michael Keaton would once again work with Burton on Batman, but this was the start of their ground-breaking collaborations. The special effects work was remarkable, manipulating facial features, recreating the aftermaths of horrific deaths and conceiving some of the most memorable movie moments. Now, most of the gang is back together to tell a new story in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Harnessing her ability to see dead people, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) became the host of a supernatural reality show in which she investigates “ghost houses” across the United States. Her career choice is the bane of her teenage daughter, Astrid’s (Jenna Ortega), existence — a relationship doubly strained by the sudden death of her father. But when a tragedy forces a family reunion, they gather at the house in Winter River that started it all with Lydia’s stepmother, Delia (Catherine O’Hara), who hasn’t changed, which is a welcome constant and endless annoyance. Unfortunately, Beetlejuice (Keaton) is also trying to crash the party… with a soul-sucking murderer of the dead (Monica Bellucci) in tow.
The many failed sequels in recent years have made it difficult to be optimistic about any new announcements. Nevertheless, the return of Beetlejuice’s creator and core members of the original cast did allow for a glimmer of hope — and fans will not be disappointed. There are so many Easter eggs and homages to the first picture, from a choral rendition of “Day-O” to a tour of the town’s miniature accompanied by the film’s theme song. With more than 30 years between films, it’s difficult to pick up where they left off, yet it retains a similar aesthetic with “The Handbook of the Recently Deceased” continuing to stir up trouble. Moreover, the returning characters still feel like the same people. O’Hara and Keaton in particular re-immerse themselves in such big personalities, never missing a beat or chance to intentionally upstage their castmates.
Meanwhile, Willem Dafoe brings a new character to the narrative who doesn’t hesitate to steal scenes, portraying a recently deceased actor still playing a cop in the Afterlife. In addition, the beloved shrunken head character from the eternal waiting room has now multiplied to several administrative desk jockeys, led by Bob. Bellucci is unfortunately limited in her screen time, though even staples and seams cannot detract from her beauty. Ortega, in the meantime, delivers an angsty teen with limited facial expressions as expected. Then there’s the teenage love interest, played by newcomer Arthur Conti, who looks eerily like Penn Badgley and matches his Joe Goldberg (You) vibe, and Lydia’s manager/boyfriend, played by a nauseating Justin Theroux.
Unfolding to an excellent soundtrack that seamlessly weaves classic songs with Danny Elfman’s original score, the film maintains a spirited pace. And there’s no shortage of interesting-looking dead people, from shark bites to impalings, though there are fewer exaggerated, ghostly pranks — save for the show-stopping nuptials. That said, the key shortcoming is the overall lack of Beetlejuice in the picture, which focuses more on Lydia and Astrid’s relationship than the mischievous poltergeist, who could have also featured in the disappointingly absent post-credit sequence.
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara
