By Kolin Kriner
Coming after only 36 years since its predecessor, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” directed by Tim Burton, hit theaters earlier last month. This movie is fun, yet leans heavily on nostalgia, only delivering a few new elements.
Although it isn’t a perfect film, it still holds success in having some of the same charm and flair the first film did.
Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara reprise their original roles as Beetlejuice, Lydia Deetz and Delia Deetz respectively. Past this, a majority of the cast are newcomers to the franchise, such as Jenna Ortega, who plays Astrid, Lydia’s daughter.
Keaton still delivers a role full of chaotic energy, crude humor and fourth-wall breaking. Ryder’s remains as odd and eccentric as she was in the first film, a nice continuity of her character. She and Keaton continue to have strong chemistry.
There are various new members of the Deetz family who get introduced, and although some are entertaining, they don’t leave as strong an impression as the first films cast of characters.
Visually, this film is beautifully gothic, in line with Burton’s signature aesthetic. The sets are surreal while the effects are cartoonish, making the bizarre world of “Beetlejuice” one of his most imaginative ever.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” although visually spectacular, suffers in terms of the plot. The plot isn’t terrible, but it is quite scattered. This film jumps around from one outrageous scene to another and lacks focus.
Additionally, many of the subplots of the film are underdeveloped, and the movie as a whole at times feels like it is too reliant on the first. Whereas the first film was simple, it was effective. The sequel was doing just a bit too much, which weakened the primary plot of the film as a whole.
All aspects of the film other than the plot’s shortcomings are spectacular. The humor, characters and visuals, in a sense, make up for where it falls flat and the film is overall enjoyable.
I can’t decide whether it was worth the 36-year wait viewers had to endure to continue the story of the beloved Beetlejuice and the Deetz family, but in the end it’s better than waiting in purgatory for your number to get called.
It may be because the first film was so iconic, but this sequel pales in comparison. For that I give it four stars out of five, because even though the plot was weak, it was still overall enjoyable and visually beautiful.
