Tim Burton’s original “Beetlejuice” is considered a cult classic among fans of horror and comedy, myself included. So, when the sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” was announced, I couldn’t contain my excitement. The movie premiered in the United States on Sept. 6, 2024. With the return of Tim Burton as director and Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, I entered the theater with my expectations high. Although I left my seat pleased, I was also slightly disappointed.
In the first scene, viewers are reunited with Lydia Deetz (played by Winona Ryder) who has since become the host of a talk show called “Ghost House.” She has returned to the real world and we see her exist in the modern era. I love when a sequel’s characters age in correlation with the passage of time in real life. It lets original audiences see the iconic characters from their childhood become adults. In this movie, Lydia is no longer a teenager struggling to get out of a forced marriage to a ghost. She has become a mother.
The introduction of Lydia’s daughter, Astrid Deetz (played by Jenna Ortega), is where my first contention with the movie comes up. Don’t get me wrong: I love Jenna Ortega. I think her work in the horror film genre makes her a perfect addition to this franchise. However, because of how her character was integrated into the film, the storylines of characters from the original film felt rushed and incomplete.
I also felt that her addition disrupted the plot that was seemingly set up in the beginning of the film: Lydia getting rid of her visions of Beetlejuice. Instead, the plot shifts with a partnership between the two forging to rescue Astrid from the Netherworld. Nevertheless, Ortega’s work in the film and portrayal of an uninterested teenage “outsider” is executed well.
In my opinion, the addition of other new faces to the franchise, including Arthur Conti who plays Jeremy Fraizer, harmed the film more than furthering its plot. I thought that Astrid’s relationship with him reinforced stereotypes about women being vulnerable as her being trapped in the Netherworld is the direct result of her trusting, and then being emotionally manipulated by, a man.
As expected, the best parts of the movie were the makeup and costumes. Beetlejuice kept his white skin, moss green hair and iconic black and white striped suit. Lydia’s spiky black bangs made their return, and her outfits maintained their goth aesthetic while still mirroring the fashion trends of today. These elements, while small, made the sequel even more authentic to the essence of the original film.
In the end, I thought the comedic tone of the movie, in combination with the return of iconic original cast members, made it very enjoyable. I would recommend this movie to anyone who was a fan of the original “Beetlejuice” or even the Broadway adaptation. If you haven’t seen the first film, it would be hard to follow, but still a good time.
