Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. Beetle-…
We all know what happens next. Tim Burton’s iconic 1988 comedy-horror film has been lodged into the film world’s consciousness for decades. Its ingenious use of practical effects creates a wholly unique and entrancing world of deadly sandworms, shrunken heads and never-ending checkered hallways, which has made “Beetlejuice” an enduring Halloween classic.
It’s just a way of life: every film gets brought back from the dead sooner or later. A lot has changed in 36 years, and while the original “Beetlejuice” was just a silly jaunt into the afterlife, its sequel seems cursed with a modern obligation to justify its existence.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is in the interesting position of being both a sequel and a remake — a phenomenon that has been coined as the “legacy sequel.” Other recent examples include “Alien: Romulus” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”
The recent revival of “Beetlejuice” comes as no surprise. With more than enough time having passed for viewers to grow sentimental about it, and with Burton directing again, it’s almost more surprising that it didn’t happen sooner. Set in the present day, it follows the return of three generations of Deetzes to Winter River, Conn., after a death in the family.
The film’s standout performances come from its veteran stars. Michael Keaton is just as foul-mouthed and chaotic as the titular bio-exorcist Beetlejuice. Catherine O’Hara brings her comedic abilities to high-maintenance avant-garde artist Delia Deetz. Winona Ryder also reprises her role as goth-girl legend Lydia Deetz — now using her ghost-seeing abilities to host a supernatural talk show.
As Lydia’s daughter, Astrid, Jenna Ortega plays her familiar angsty teen character, skeptical of her mother’s abilities and coping with the loss of her father. Another newcomer to the franchise is Justin Theroux as Rory, Lydia’s boyfriend and manager, who brings a dose of unwanted therapy-speak to every situation.
The hook of seeing all these talented performers act together is exciting, but when they’re stranded in subplots about fraudulent weddings and murder theories, the excitement tends to drop dead rather quickly.
Although the film makes use of the best parts of its original cast, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” packs in too much within its one-hour, 45-minute runtime. Most notably lacking in character development and screen time was a subplot featuring Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s soul-sucking femme fatale ex-wife and Willem Dafoe as an actor-turned detective investigating her case.
Don’t get us wrong, we love Dafoe just as much as the next people, but we were left with mixed feelings about his inclusion in the movie. We wish his storyline could have either been further developed, or simply nixed from the script.
Part of what made the original “Beetlejuice” so remarkable was how it made its brazen approach to death and what lies beyond feel so natural. The sequel, on the other hand, tends to focus on characters talking in circles about grief and trauma — sometimes as a punchline, but far too often as a grasp at thematic relevance.
By shrouding itself with irony and introspection, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” lacks the ghoulish confidence that made its predecessor stand out. It almost reads as though Burton became concerned that today’s audiences wouldn’t be willing to buy into his trademark gothic style anymore, adding a level of self-importance to this film that wasn’t necessary.
Whenever the film manages to exorcize itself of those lulls, however, the results are delightfully macabre. Burton still finds new ways to make this world exciting to explore, including a few outrageous gore effects and creature designs.
The film is chock-full of both subtle and not-so-subtle references to the original. From the reappearance of Lydia’s red wedding dress to Astrid’s bike ride through the covered bridge where the Maitlands met their demise, the filmmakers made sure to pay homage to the memorable details of the classic.
Still, don’t expect to be wowed by the innovation and creativity that Burton brought to the original over three decades ago. However, for a fun Friday the 13th experience this week, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” will keep you entertained and will fly by quicker than you can say “Beetlejuice” three times.
