On September 6, 2024, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice premiered in theaters all around. Featuring Michael Keaton returning to his iconic role as the prankster demon, this long-awaited sequel stays true to the eccentric spirit of the original, delivering a manic, hyper-stylized visual experience reminiscent of the 1988 film.
Keaton’s performance is once again a standout, embodying the chaotic bio-exorcist who scuttles through the film in his signature black-and-white striped suit, with the decaying DNA of the original clearly present throughout. However, the film teeters on the edge of falling into the same trap as the most recent Ghostbusters reboot—recycling old ideas with a new coat of paint. Burton’s distinctive style and idiosyncratic creativity manage to rescue it from feeling entirely derivative with both suffering from trying to cram too many ideas into one movie. However, unlike the aforementioned Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the movie manages to tie the different plotlines together.
A key moment in the film involves solving the issue of a non-returning original cast member with a lo-fi claymation sequence that culminates in a character’s face being chewed off by a shark, a typically Burton-esque way of sidestepping the problem. Winona Ryder returns as Lydia Deetz, now an adult, but still with the same Bauhaus-groupie haircut and haunted Victorian doll wardrobe. Her character, now a TV personality hosting a haunting show, has lost her rebellious edge, appearing brittle and vulnerable in the face of a manipulative boyfriend, played by Justin Theroux.
The plot centers around Lydia’s daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), taking on the role of the new rebellious goth teenager. A family tragedy brings the Deetz family back to the house from the original film, allowing Beetlejuice to plot his escape from the underworld in a bid to marry Lydia. The film also introduces new characters, including Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s ex-wife and Willem Dafoe as a deceased actor, playing a hard-boiled cop investigating afterlife violations. These playful, absurd scenes highlight the film’s liveliness and sense of humor.
Beetlejuice was a pivotal film for Burton, cementing his macabre, gothic aesthetic and forming lasting collaborations, most notably with composer Danny Elfman, who returns to score the sequel. Elfman’s music in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is familiar, with frenzied skeletons playing out the signature chaotic soundtrack. However, other musical choices are more hit-and-miss, with a kitschy Bee Gees’ Tragedy feeling out of place. Still, a possessed rendition of MacArthur Park adds a fun, deranged energy, capturing some of the original’s anarchic spirit.
While Beetlejuice Beetlejuice doesn’t quite reach the cult status of the original, it has a lot of fun trying, delivering moments of inspired silliness and macabre mischief that honor the 1988 classic.
