“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” Movie Review by Rafy Mediavilla (@Rmediavilla)
Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.
What worked:
I understand that it is fair and necessary to highlight the visuals of the film right off the bat since of course, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a film by famed director Tim Burton. Where Burton definitely brought out all the spooky, creepy and really funny elements that made the 1988 Beetlejuice movie work. From it’s makeup and costumes, to all these crazy and bizarre scenarios that made that movie a hit, here in this sequel they are all very much present from start to finish. That means that if you remember this movie from the 88’s and you like this one, you’re going to love it just as much.
I also have to highlight the performance of actor Michael Keaton as the titular Beetlejuice where of course there is no better individual right now to bring this character to life than Keaton, and without a doubt Keaton shines in bringing to life the crazy, physical comedy that is so unique to this character as you would expect. If anything perhaps I should also mention is that, in this sequel unlike its original, Beetlejuice has more screen time and plays with the integral role of the story, which I’ll tell more about later in this review as there are elements of it that I really didn’t love.
All that said, its cast is no slouch, and truly a story that is all over the place worked because of the chemistry that was seen on screen by its main cast. Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, and Jenna Ortega carry the bulk of a story that feels a bit rushed by the various unnecessary twists and turns the story takes. Ryder returning to play Lydia Deetz, where in this sequel she is a distraught mother going through and trying to move on with her life, daughter Astrid Deetz played by Ortega who many a teenager incredulous of what is going on around her, and O’Hare dealing with a loss in the family, the film mostly shines when these three individuals share screen time as their story unfolds. Truly these three actresses and Keaton worked miracles with their performances to make this story work.
What did not work:
Their story is a total mess, and truly screenwriters Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Seth Grahame-Smith never agreed on which main line the story will be focusing on. Between Beetlejuice’s Ex played by actress Monica Bellucci, the crazy stepfather who only seeks recognition and fame, the loss of a close family member, and Astrid’s little boyfriend who takes her to hell, the writers gave Burton a tremendous task in trying to do something with a story that really makes no sense or direction.
Another issue was that the supporting cast really doesn’t make up anything. For example, the introduction of the arc of Beetlejuice’s Ex played by actress Monica Bellucci was great, but the final denouement ended up as nothing. Astrid’s stepfather played by actor Justin Theroux did not play a relevant role in the final outcome of the story. And the death in the family felt super forced since it didn’t play a major role in the story either. Not to mention the performances by big name actors like Danny DeVito, and Willem Dafoe who really just sat in the background at the end. All in all, a lot of talent wasted on nothing.
In conclusion:
This movie works because Warner Bros. gave the green light for Burton to be Burton, and Keaton to be Beetlejuice as it should be, with no restrictions whatsoever. The visuals that make a Burton movie are worthy of being seen in a movie theater, and the mega cast of actors that are part of this movie truly did wonders to give some north to this disorganized story. But I stress again if you liked the original 88’s film, you will love this one.
