Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Directed by Hollywood legend Tim Burton is a nostalgia-filled return to a classic world. But, does this modern rendition of these old characters stack up to the reputation of the original that preceded it, or does it fall short?
In the months leading up to the release of this film, there seemed to be a lot of mixed feelings among the Beetlejuice and Tim Burton fandom alike. Most of the worry seems to have centered around how much the movie industry has changed since the original, especially in the VFX and comedy fields, which the first movie was heavily dependent on. Another common concern was for Tim Burton. While he is a legendary director with a very specific style, the common consensus seems to be that he hasn’t really made a good movie since around 2007. All the concerns combined left the fanbase uncertain if this movie would be able to capture the magic of the original. However, after seeing this movie I can safely say that it absolutely does.
Starting with a major selling point of this movie: the VFX. Burton announced a few months before the release of this movie, that a majority if not all of the effects in this movie would be practical, like the original. What this means is essentially instead of anything computer generated, it was mostly claymation, forced perspectives, or other special effects trickery to achieve the same goal. This technique simultaneously grounds the movie in more of a reality, while making a connection and carrying on the spirit of the original.
Speaking of the original, this movie carries most of the original cast all reprising their roles, along with some brand new characters. In terms of performances, Michael Keaton (of course) shines as Beetlejuice, maybe even more so than in its predecessor. He brings genuine chaos to the character that is really fun to see on screen, and he consistently steals the show. Winona Ryder also reprises her role as Lydia Deets, but it feels like she may not be as familiar with the character as she once was. While she does give a pretty decent performance, it feels slightly different from the Lydia we saw in the original.
All of the new characters in this movie are fantastic, and no addition feels unnecessary. The two highlights for me were Justin Theroux as Rory and Jenna Ortega as Astrid. Rory provides excellent comedic relief throughout the movie and does a good job of being unlikable. For a new character who wasn’t crucial to the storyline, I was surprised at how much screen time he got, but I’m glad he did because each appearance was deserved and well-performed. Ortega plays the heart of this movie and does it really well. One thing I preferred about this movie was the emotional aspects. This movie felt a lot more emotionally heavy than the first, and most of this was done through Ortega’s performance. This is her second time acting in a “legacy sequel” (the first being Scream from 2022) and she is proving that she is, without fail, an excellent addition to these franchises.
The antagonist of this movie, Delores, was a cool addition and a fitting villain for a Beetlejuice movie; however, I wish that they had shown more of her character and gone a little deeper into it. The only scenes she has, seem to have been copied and pasted throughout the movie, and her only piece of dialogue is pretty much “Where is Beetlejuice”.
Finally, I want to talk about the comedy in this movie. Beetlejuice is a character that is traditionally very politically incorrect. So, in 2024, I can imagine it would’ve been hard to maintain his sense of humor overall, but they nailed it in this film. From visual gags, to word play, to very inappropriate one-liners, this movie is genuinely hilarious and fun. It carries the vibes from the original wonderfully and lets Michael Keaton once again show us his comedic chops.
All in all, I thought this movie was very well done. It was a cool way to scale up from the original while honoring where it came from and bringing back the characters we all know and love. As far as “nostalgia bait” goes this movie does have quite a bit, but it makes up for it with its inventive effects and expansion on the Beetlejuice universe. While the plot might be a little bit jumbled or ambitious at some points, it is still a very fun ride that captures the essence of the original. I would give this movie a 4 out of 5 and would totally recommend seeing it this weekend!
I’d also like to thank Allied Global Marketing for putting on this early press screening! It was by far the best one Ive attended so far. Everything was done with so much care. From the decoration, to the trivia questions, to an incredible performance by an actual choir the event was very fun and extremely well put together!
