One of Tim Burton’s most beloved classics finally got a sequel! I don’t think any of us ever expected to see Beetlejuice 2, but we got it, and yes, it’s good! If you’re a fan of the original film starring Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, this is the kind of sequel that not only has the right amount of fan service, but also gives you the right amount of entertainment that you expect from a Tim Burton film. The iconic director has his fair share of hits and misses, but the original Beetlejuice became a weird, kooky, fun movie that somehow became an instant classic. Sometimes it gets overshadowed because the next year, Tim Burton would direct Batman with Michael Keaton, which put the director into a new stratosphere within Hollywood. And as fondly as we remember Michael Keaton playing Batman, in many ways, his role as Beetlejuice is better! I was reminded of this when watching Michael Keaton in this film slipping back into his iconic performance that leaves you laughing all the way to the end. While having most of the original cast pack was great, Michael Keaton absolutely made this film because Beetlejuice will always be one of his best roles!
Yes, this is definitely a movie that you should check out. If you love the first one, you’re going to love the second one. It may not be as good as the original and sequels usually aren’t, but it lives up to the original by giving us a fun and nostalgic Tim Burton universe that wasn’t so over the top as to annoy audiences. Michael Keaton delivers an outstanding performance as usual. Winona Ryder, well probably not as good as the older Lydia compared to the original, is still good. And in a lot of ways, Catherine O’Hara almost steals the show herself.
But the added addition of Jenna Ortega who is perfect casting as Lydia’s daughter also makes this film a lot of fun. Going beyond the typical Claymation effects that we are used to with Tim Burton which are always a lot of fun, it is the performances that truly make this movie. With that said, I also have to compliment Justin Theroux as the hippie, new-age, fiancé who is a great scene stealer himself. You will love to hate his character, but he will leave you laughing as well. Tim Burton put together a perfect cast by bringing back part of the original cast and newcomers. And who doesn’t love Willem Dafoe! He can play a great Villain well also showing his prowess for comedy!
However, I do have a few minor critiques! Don’t worry, it’s not that bad and I’m not telling you, you shouldn’t see the movie. I often wonder how much of a Tim Burton film gets left on the cutting floor during the editing process because this movie feels like it should have more. It feels like a very rushed movie crammed into 90 minutes as if the audience can only stomach a Beetlejuice film for that amount of time.
It leaves me to wonder if there is a better film with an extra 15 or 20 minutes where we show the back stories of Monica Bellucci’s, bride character or Willem Dafoe’s actor character. Maybe there’s a little bit more of Lydia’s life leading up to this film. Sometimes a little extra makes all the difference in the world. This film has a lot of great Tim Burton-esque scenes that truly highlight the performances especially that of Michael Keaton and Catherine O’Hara, but could there have been more. We never really have time to catch up with the original characters, For a story that’s clearly set 30 years after the original, I feel like that will leave the audience wanting to know more. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a fun sequel, but It leaves me wanting more, and not just in the form of another sequel. Sometimes the biggest mistake of filmmaker can make is cramming too much in a short time frame!
But for 90 minutes, we get an enjoyable sequel to one of Tim Burton’s most beloved films with great performances. And perhaps there is a director’s cut that allows us to catch up with the original characters that really will make this feel better. But if you’re a fan of the first Beetlejuice, you won’t be disappointed. So many sequels fail within the first 10 minutes because they can’t live up to the original, this is not the case with Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! The sequel will keep you laughing until the very last scene, and it’s a weirdly fun sequel that highlights how brilliant Michael Keaton is as a comedic actor! But of course, I would like a director’s cut with more scenes of Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice… what fan wouldn’t? It’s certainly a movie worth seeing in the theater… definitely worth the price of a movie ticket!
