“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”
Genre: Horror, Comedy
Released: September 6, 2024
Runtime: 1 hr 44 min
Streaming: In theaters 

Rating: 6 / 10 stars 

Stirring up mischief thirty-six years after the iconic film “Beetlejuice” rocked the industry, idiosyncratic Director Tim Burton’s highly anticipated sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” arrives to take fans into the afterlife once again. 

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was released on September 6, 2024. It follows actress Wynona Rider reprising her role as Lydia Deetz, who is now an adult with a daughter, returning to her hometown for her father’s funeral. The plot thickens when Deetz gets engaged at her father’s memorial to a peculiar new man named Rory, who is played by actor Justin Theroux. However, things swiftly take a dark turn for her daughter Astrid, played by Jenna Ortega. Deetz is then forced to seek the help of esteemed actor Michael Keaton, returning as the iconic bio exorcist named Beetlejuice.

With actress Monica Bellucci as his ex-wife Delores on a lethal hunt to find him, the juice decides to help. Always at a price, of course.

While the film was marginally interesting, the plot felt rushed and quickly became predictable. It featured subplots that crowded each other, when they could have been simplified to allow more embellishment of Beetlejuice and Delores. The film also vaguely explains what happened to the Maitland’s from the first film, leaving viewers with unanswerable questions that many had hoped would be answered. 

The acting of the cast overall was admirable. 

Ortega really steals the spotlight, as she perfectly melted into the Deetz family. Similarly, her character provides great comedic relief through a decent supply of funny and sarcastic quips. Keaton did a respectable job at reprising his role, although his character seemed to be targeting a more adult audience with increased profanity and adult themes. 

Dafoe provides some excellent comedic relief as the head of the afterlife police force. However, his overall character design was not portrayed well. He seemed like more of a filler character, sporting an unrealistic costume and a story that needed far more depth.

Bellucci, another notable actor, did a wonderful job portraying Delores. Her costume was beautiful, and her overall design was macabrely superb, but her story also lacked serious depth. Regrettably, the worst character design was Charles. His costume looked intentionally unreal, with a death that severely lacked originality. 

Several scenes did not work, with some unfortunately sporting below average special effects. Specifically, the animation of Charles’ death being very poorly done. Similarly, the animation of the briefly returning sandworm was arguably worse than the first film. Just as inadequate was the engagement scene. It displayed a dramatic overhaul to Deetz personality through a cringeworthy scene, showing her to be more submissive and tempestuous than the previous film.

Woefully, the ending was equally unfavorable. Right when viewers thought the plot had closed, the final scene leaves them confused. It left room for a sequel, completely contradicting the previous scene. 

On a more positive note, the cinematography was excellent. Returning fans and new viewers alike will enjoy the opening of the film, as the soaring camera angles glide through the fictional town of Winter River. The smooth cinematography also follows Astrid on her bike ride through town, resembling Deetz’ comparable scene in the first film. The traditional elements of the afterlife waiting room, the Deetz family home and the bridge where the Maitland’s had their accident in the first film were also impeccably captured.

This unique film features several themes, namely social media in modern popular culture. Burton pervades the plot with this concept, almost to the degree of vexing. 

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” eloquently embraces a few additional nostalgic elements from the first film, notably the old village in the attic where Beetlejuice lives which has been perfectly preserved as if no time had passed at all. 

The Handbook for the Recently Deceased also makes its grand appearance, albeit in a way that grants an insightful prediction into the plot that diminishes its mystery. 

Overall, this film did not live up to its expectations, earning a 6 out of 10. The story sounds great, but it could have been executed much better. It was mildly entertaining, needed more focus on Beetlejuice and Delores, better special effects and a more thoughtful ending. 

See for yourself how the juice got loose but keep your expectations low and prepare to walk away speechless, one way or another at least. Check out “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” at your local theaters, only if you dare…