Despite 36 years between the release of “Beetlejuice” (1988) and “BeetleJuice Beetlejuice” (2024) actors Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz), Micheal Keaton (Beetlejuice) and Catherine O’Hara (Delia Deetz) bring the spooky magic of the first film back to the sequel.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was released on Friday, Sept. 6, and scored 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.2/10 on IMDb.
The acting was killer-pun intended. Jenna Ortega (Astrid Deetz) also plays a big role in this movie as Lydia’s daughter.
The movie kicks off with Delia, Lydia and Astrid returning to Winter River after the sudden death of Lydia’s father. Lydia is the host of a ghost-centered TV show, and she’s also dating her manager Rory. Astrid is away at boarding school, and actively avoiding her mother’s presence.
The soundtrack in this movie was incredibly well-done by composer Danny Elfman. He brings the high-strung spooky music back to life in the second film, making you feel as if you are escaping the dead with the Deetz’s yourself. The music evokes nostalgic feelings, which pleases adults watching for reminiscence and younger people watching for fun.
The costumes reflected well on the characters, which really tied the film together. Astrid wore a dress with rips at one point, which shows her trying to hold her life together when she feels like it’s falling apart. Beetlejuice, of course, wears his iconic black and white pinstripe suit and wild green hair for his undead look that turns heads–or shrunken heads, in this case.
The cinematography of this film didn’t feel like anything special. It felt as though the shots weren’t very well thought out, or just basic overviews of the scene. The best camera shots were the ones that took you through the eyes of a character, as they really allow the viewer to feel immersed in the film.
The sets of this film, again, weren’t anything show stopping. The lights and visuals of the Neitherworld, where the dead dwell, are very engaging and demand the viewers attention. Other than that, they didn’t stick out.
There were a lot of nods from the first film, which was satisfying. It’s very important to honor the first film in a series, or when a film is remade. In “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the Handbook for the Recently Deceased, chalk drawing entries to the land of the dead and the model of Winter River all come back to capture the wonders of the first film.
After everything that took place, the ending was a solid one. It was very entertaining and interesting the whole time. It had charm, frights, laughs and a fantastic cast.
The rating of this movie is a 7/10.
