-Written by Kyle Bain.
More than thirty-five years after the events of the cult classic Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice takes viewers back to the haunted Deetz manor. With a series of events taking place at the same time, nearly every Deetz family member in trouble, and the infamous Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) back in the fold, things are about to get wild.
Most of you that know me know that I hate Beetlejuice. I struggle to understand the allure of the first film, struggle to understand why viewers have gravitated toward and been obsessed with the film since its release in 1988. The film lacks gravitas, the acting is unfortunate, and the relatively immersive world developed by Director Tim Burton does nothing for me. Had I seen this film as a child, it’s possible that my take on the film would have been different–but not having seen the film until I was in my thirties made it challenging for me to appreciate much of what was done in that film. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice certainly looked to continue the story of the beloved character decades later, and I certainly anticipated that I would struggle to appreciate this sequel just as much as the first.
I’ll be honest, though, I found much more to appreciate about Beetlejuice Beetlejuice than its predecessor. That could just be that it’s new and scratches an itch that I have for going to the theater. It could be that I simply appreciate film differently than I did a few years ago. Or, just maybe, Burton and team upped their game here and developed a more effective cinematic experience. Interestingly enough, I think it's the latter. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sticks to the same tired antics of the first in regard to the overacting and flat humor, and just like what came before, these aspects of the film did nothing for me.
I don’t want to harp on the negative here, because I’m honestly impressed with the fact that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice entertained me at all. The thing that impressed me the most was the editing of Jay Prychidny. The combination of live action and animation is flawless, and the transitions from place to place and time to time are just as incredible. Prychidny provides a level of expertise that is equal to or better than the upper echelon of Hollywood. This aspect of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is perfect, often allowing the film to become immersive and appealing to me in ways that I didn’t think possible.
There’s a ton of CGI present in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, but there’s also a great amount of practical effects used throughout the film as well. The puppeteers do a spectacular job of bringing certain moments to life, and the use of puppets to keep the film slightly more grounded was a brilliant decision on the part of Burton. I know this is nothing new, I know that the world sort of expected things to play out in such a fashion–but considering we are in 2024, in a world where CGI is just easier, I’m impressed that this team took the time and effort to develop and deliver pivotal scenes in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice practically.
Is this my favorite movie? Is this the best thing of 2024? Was I wowed by the final product? Simply put, no. However, I feel that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is far more effective than Beetlejuice in a number of ways. The series of comedic and tonal mishaps present in the cult classic still exist here in the sequel, and I guess that’s what longtime fans were looking for–so it works in favor of the film on a grander scale. I appreciate what Prychidny does in his role, and the fact that Burton chose to keep the film slightly grounded, in ways that viewers can understand and appreciate is another feather in the cap of the team behind Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Directed by Tim Burton.
Written by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Seth Grahame-Smith, Michael McDowell, & Larry Wilson.
Starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, Arthur Conti, etc.
6.5/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE
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