Halloween enthusiasts flock to theaters as Tim Burton strikes again. Exceeding box office expectations opening weekend, according to Collider, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is Burton’s biggest global box office hit within the past decade. Modern cinematic effects, actors new and old, and paranormal twists breathe 21st-century life into this classic.
The sequel brings back several familiar places and faces, which makes it nostalgic for old fans. Family plays a huge role in the movie’s plot line, and the writers gave recycled characters from the first movie realistic futures in the sequel. All the while, several of the characters, including the deceased couple from the first movie, were put on the back burner. Instead, we meet Astrid Deetz, Lydia’s daughter, as she navigates being the teenage daughter of a renowned psychic. Lydia put dollar signs on her ability to see ghosts since the first movie, and she now hosts a TV show, Ghost Talk. After a family tragedy, the whole family reunites at the old house, where differences collide and ghouls rise. The whole family must make amends not only with each other, but also with the other side.
While the movie keeps a fair share of its original plotline and characters, plenty of new faces and a deeper dive into the supernatural ponderings of the first movie makes it feel less like a sequel and more like a new story. Instead of making up some unnecessary and uncalled-for twist for the original cast and story, new characters explore familiar concepts established in the first film. This maintains the originality of the story without making it feel like a sloppy attempt to continue a plot that already ended.
The only thing that really felt off about the movie is the clash between Beetlejuice’s weird antics and the “cringe comedy” between characters. While awkward family tensions like trauma and teenage angst were prevalent throughout the film, the pauses and nervous ramblings of several characters, especially Lydia, played by Winona Ryder, and Delia, played by Catherine O’Harra, made it harder to enjoy Beetlejuice’s outlandish mannerisms without feeling the need to cringe at them as well. The tone of the movie would have been better off if the bizarre and uncomfortable was left to Beetlejuice and the afterlife.
Audience and critical reception of the movie was generally positive, leaning more towards the in-between: it received a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and an average of 3.3 out of 5 stars on 5115 Google reviews. While the film is upbeat and quirky, it’s still definitely an acquired taste and pretty hard to follow when one either hasn’t seen the first movie or isn’t familiar with Tim Burton horror.
Regardless, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is an eerie and light Halloween film, with dysfunctional family dynamics and bizarre twists that will surely make your skin crawl. While it may not be worth a trip to the theater, it’s definitely worth adding to your yearly Halloween watch list, especially if you’re a fan of the first film.
