Sequels and reboots and remakes, oh my! Audiences have been subjected to these kinds of films for years, but it feels more and more egregious and cruel with every new announcement. Will audiences ever be free of them? If the existence of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is any indication, it seems like the answer is: not anytime soon.
Directed by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice takes place 36 years after the events of the first film. Following Charles Deetz's death, the Deetz family — Lydia (Winona Ryder), Delia (Catherine O'Hara) and Lydia's daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) — return to Winter River.
Lydia, now a host of a show called Ghost House with Lydia Deetz (thankfully, it's not a podcast), still sees visions of Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) and struggles to connect with Astrid after the death of Astrid's father. To save Astrid from the afterlife, Betelgeuse and Lydia must work together, all while a ghost detective and Betelgeuse's ex-wife are after him.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice contains an incredibly fun cast. With new additions Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Belluci and Willem Dafoe, the film contains a multitude of charming performances. Plus, Keaton, Ryder and O'Hara are as good as ever, with O'Hara particularly being a scene-stealer in a performance containing very similar, yet welcome, tinges of her Emmy-winning turn as Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek.
The film thrives when it allows its characters to be wacky. It works because it doesn't change their essence; especially by allowing Betelgeuse to be his disgusting self and Delia to be the same eccentric artist, their characterizations are strong and secure. Theroux's douchey TV producer Rory (who doubles as Lydia's boyfriend) and Dafoe's B-movie action star turned ghost detective are wonderfully written, and also add to the biting script. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Astrid.
Jenna Ortega's performance is expectantly great, but her character offers nothing engaging to the film, instead being reduced to a moody, activist teen that hates her mom. Even the inclusion of Astrid's love interest, who becomes very important to the plot of the film, feels like an undercooked decision. The lack of intrigue surrounding Astrid is upsetting considering how iconic Lydia is — a status which Astrid will most likely never reach.
In a similar vein, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is far from being a return to form for Burton. His films thrived when they were shot decades ago and for relatively smaller budgets. The reason Beetlejuice worked so well is because it was contained: it mostly took place in one setting, featured a straightforward plot and emphasized a precise visual language. With so many new characters, a larger budget and more settings, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is convoluted and bloated. Despite the use of practical effects, it feels like the rotting carcass of the first film in terms of gnarly tactility. There is a sheen to the film that's uninviting. Audiences will see glimpses of strong visuals, such as scenes on Saturn's moon and those featuring Sandworms, but they're far from satisfying.
To make matters worse, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice — in a choice that can be considered offensive and insulting — the film ends by setting up a potential third film. (Come on — we all know we're not supposed to invoke his name three times.) A choice many legacy sequels have made before, it solidifies Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as fodder for the nostalgia-addicted masses.
Unfortunately, if audiences continue stuffing their faces with these kinds of sequels, they are going to continue being made. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a swollen, ultimately useless sequel — but it will offer laughs, memorable performances and whimsy to those who have been craving just that.