• Release year: 2024
• Director: Tim Burton.
• Producers: Tim Burton, Dede Gardner, Tommy Harper, Jeremy Kleiner and Marc Toberoff.
• Screenplay by: Alfred Gough and Miles Millar.
• Cinematography by: Haris Zambarloukos.
• Music by: Danny Elfman.

Shotgun Commentary: satisfactory sequel to the original, the story has adapted to modern times beautifully.

Review

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the perfect sequel to its predecessor. It doesn’t overshadow it much, but it doesn’t fall short either. It keeps the spirit of the film (see what I did there?) intact, and has the right amount of nostalgia to transport you to the first time you watched Beetlejuice, without all the awkward controversial moments and cast member that feel so uncomfortable to watch.

Out with the old (thankfully)

The Beetlejuice universe has evolved with time, adjusting to modern sensitivities flawlessly, yet still managing to keep its cheeky, goth style. Like most Burton films, you are transported to a parallel reality within a few seconds, a universe that looks like ours… but not quite. Lydia and Delia’s comebacks couldn’t be more in brand for their characters. During the time they’ve been away from our prying eyes, their lives have been exactly how any Beetlejuice fan will have imagined, and the adaptation of their overall aesthetic to an older age suits them perfectly.

Not all the original cast is featured in this movie, some with more reason than others. After all the drama surrounding Jeffrey Jones (look it up, this ain’t a gossip site), no one expected him to make a comeback. Most films kill off characters when a situation like this arises, which begs the question, how do you eliminate someone from a film where getting killed would only give him more screen time? The answer? Endless creativity and the most Burton-like animation insert ever, a tiny piece of content that is not only hilarious and original, but also ties up the whole issue nicely and with a gorgeous bow.

Excuses, excuses…

Sadly, Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin are also missing in this second instalment. Burton’s reasons for their absence is wanting to focus on the grandmother-mother-daughter relationship and the fact that ghost don’t age and actors do. Now, maybe you don’t, but any Marvel fan knows that CGI technology can do ANYTHING these days and, if we’ve seen baby RDJ in 2016 (Captain America: Civil War), we can sure as hell make convincing de-aging effects in 2024. At least good enough for a cameo.

As for the second reason, let’s be honest, a cameo is not going to take away from the family dynamics you want to showcase, which are not very innovative in the first place. While intergenerational connections between women of the same family are fascinating, none of the content brings anything new to the table. Astrid and her mother Lydia are exactly like all the other mothers with teenage daughters ever shown in American cinema. Delia and Lydia’s relationship is more compelling thanks to the background provided by the first film. Seeing their relationship grow and evolve into what it is in the present is endearing and heart-warming. Groundbreaking? Not so much.

New faces

Speaking of Astrid, she is one of the three big additions of this film. Danny DeVito’s cameo aside, the big new stars are Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe. Ortega is undoubtedly ideal for her role as Astrid. Mostly because it is essentially Netflix’s Wednesday with different clothes and hairstyle. Despite both being products of the same director, one naively expected something different from a talented actress such as Ortega. Regrettably, you get the same Wednesday (awkward dancing and all), only in a different family. Regardless, she does a great job portraying a role that is so familiar to her.

Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe’s performances don’t fall too far away from their usual, either. The Mirror Queen (The Brothers Grimm, 2005) vibes of Bellucci’s character Delores are undeniable, and Dafoe’s awkward, slightly cringy and physically deformed characters are already a staple in his career. Both of them are still delightful to watch, but their personalities don’t make up for their more-than-lazy storylines.

Welcome 2024!

Now for the main course: Beetlejuice. Once again, Keaton plays this creep from the beyond and manages to make him likeable. In fact, he is way more likeable than he was, sexual harassment is no longer seen as a joking matter in Burton’s pieces and it is probably the most welcomed update of the whole film. Is Beetlejuice good now? Not at all, he’s still a misogynist with way too much power on his hands, but at least now he’s more focused on terrorising than on being a slimy weirdo. He almost achieves a status of anti-hero, a change that makes you relived among the confusion of the ending.

Speaking of which, and don’t worry, there won’t be spoilers, the ending is so anticlimactic! It feels like Burton suddenly realised he had five more minutes before the studio was going to be closed forever. It is rushed, sloppy and way beneath a director of his standing. Had the rest not been so entertaining, such a careless ending could’ve broken the film completely.

All in all, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a very decent sequel for a film that has meant so much to so many people. Despite its messy, hurried ending, the story is captivating and fun, it features surprising twists and turns, and it taps into the nostalgia superbly. Big, big recommend for any Beetlejuice/Tim Burton fans.

Thanks to Warner Bros for big screen access! Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released the 6th of September in UK and US.

Advice to take from this movie:

• No matter how ugly, Lydia’s red dress will always be iconic.
• Never trust a guy, especially if you’ve known him for only three days.
• Animal trafficking is never a good idea.

What’s your take? Have you watched Beetlejuice Beetlejuice? What’s your favourite Tim Burton film? Did you miss anything from this movie?

Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀