An iconic black-and-white striped suit, the magic number three and a sandworm on Saturn’s moon—anyone thinking of Mr. Betelgeuse? Fans of the “Beetlejuice” franchise better run to the movie theaters because director Tim Burton’s new sequel will not disappoint. Full of gorgeously dark and gothic set pieces, flawless makeup and hilarious acting, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” ties the perfect knot on a not-so-perfect love story.
A sequel to “Beetlejuice” (1988), this movie brings back the popular characters of Lydia (Winona Ryder) and Delia Deetz (Catherine O’Hara) along with the iconic character Betelgeuse (Micheal Keaton) in a reprise of Winter River’s ghostly tales.
The film follows Lydia’s daughter, Astrid Deetz (Jenna Ortega), as she discovers the ghostly entities haunting their town and is dragged through the ins and outs of the afterlife. Meanwhile, Lydia battles a forced marriage to her Betelgeuse and an unlovable fiancee, Rory (Justin Theroux).
Building on to the family dynamics and world building of the 1988 sensation, Burton brings back sandworms and soul trains that perfectly merge modern audiences with older fans, while adding to the plot through 21st century Halloween traditions.
Burton’s imaginative storytelling and directing shines as he artfully blends beautifully written English and Italian prose with elements from his past films, crafting an iconic return for the beloved “Beetlejuice” characters.
O’Hara and Ortega, arguably the sassiest personalities in the film, shine in their perfect comedic timing and line delivery, bringing out aged wisdom and teenage snark. The dynamic between returning and new cast members is elevated by clever dramatic irony and expressive facial cues. O’Hara, bringing back elements of her character’s hysterical reactions from the 1988 movie, keeps audiences laughing with her outrageous antics.
The real star of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” however, is generational talent Ryder, who brings back the spunk of her character.
From her original portrayal of a goth, death-obsessed teenage Lydia, Ryder’s acting chops have grown tremendously in maturity and emotional portrayal, as the audience sympathizes with her panic attacks, shock and surprise on their journey through the afterlife.
New standout characters include Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe), an actor and cop in charge of tracking down the miscreants of the afterlife.
Though Wolf’s timing often suffers alongside his ego, the character slowly grows on the audience due to his pure intentions and unintentional humor.
Additionally, the Janitor’s (Danny Devito) outstanding performance, albeit brief, made audiences cackle.
The finishing touch for the film was the amazing soundtrack, a perfect mix of creepy and curious that Burton does so well.
Creating the perfect fall and Halloween atmosphere, the beautiful music brought an underlying sense of danger to even the most heartfelt and sincere moments.
Costume designer Colleen Atwood also brought the graveyard to life in every piece, working in the darkness with theme-appropriate garb.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is nothing short of a masterpiece, leaving the audience with all they could ask for: a great spooky story and some true belly laughs.
Watch the film at theaters near you through October, but be careful not to say his name three times!
