After various attempts to follow up the 1988 film “Beetlejuice” never materialized; Director Tim Burton has returned to lead a sequel that is a fun and light effort that builds on the quirky charm of the original.
Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) has become a bit of a pariah in the years since the original film. She has a talk show about her experiences with being able to see the dead and has her eccentric boyfriend Rory (Justin Theroux), in her life, but has a strained relationship with her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega).
Lydia often leans on pharmaceuticals to help her get by as she has been seeing visions of Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), more frequently which deeply disturbs her.
When tragedy arrives; Lydia and her Stepmother Delia (Catherine O’Hara), bring the clan to the old homestead to mourn and handle business.
At the same time, a dangerous new threat has arrived in the form of a Soul Sucker named Delores (Monica Bellucci), who has returned and set her sites on Beetlejuice and throwing the underworld into chaos.
Various subplots swirl and combine to create a series of problems for the family which are made more difficult by the tense relationship between Lydia and Astrid who finds herself in a dangerous situation that forces Lydia to summon Beetlejuice for his help which has a hefty price attached to it.
What follows is a madcap and at times, a disjointed series of events that perfectly capture the visuals and quirk that Burton is known for but also continues his trend of thin plots and characters at the expense of his superior and unique aesthetics.
O’Hara and Willem Dafoe are great as the over-the-top supporting characters and Keaton and the cast seem to be having a great time with the film as the final act is one of the most bizarre and surreal laugh-laden anywhere.
While “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” does not break much in the way of new material; it does offer audiences a chance to catch up with the characters and enjoy the new entries into the franchise which results in a comfy and easy to like follow up that entertains and makes you laugh.
3.5 stars out of 5
