“Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice” directed by Tim Burton was released this summer, and to be honest, I wasn’t sure if it needed a sequel when I bought my ticket.
However, I’m a fan of actresses Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega who previously acted in Tim Burton films, so I figured ‘why not?’
The story follows Astrid (Jenna Ortega) and her mother, Lydia Deets (Winona Ryder), as they head back to Winter River, to see the house where Beetlegeuse first met Lydia (Lydia’s childhood home) one more time.
They each deal with problems, as Astrid misses her dad and refuses to believe anything her mother tells her. Lydia, who’s now a paranormal expert with a TV show and is dating her manager, battles with mental health problems. Their strained relationship forces them to team up to defeat Beetlegeuse once again.
As expected, Winona Ryder was the quintessential wacky, aloof mother character, and she pulled it off just as well as always. Jenna Ortega pulled off the standoffish daughter yet again– she was perfect for the role of Astrid. Catherine O’Hara was amazing in her reprise of her role as Delia as well. Michael Keaton pulled off the role of Beetlegeuse once again, and Justin Theroux was perfectly hateable in the role of Rory, the manipulative manager/boyfriend.
The production was just as incredible as the first, with excellent effects.
However, I found the story lacking in one way: namely the Delores storyline, with Beetlegeuse’s ex-wife. This was odd to me not only because in the first movie, Beetlegeuse had never been married, but because even by the end, it seemed like Delores as a character had no real purpose.
That said, I really enjoyed the nods to old-school classics, like the Bee Gees playing in the opening scene and MacArthur Park as the movie’s big song. My nana also really enjoyed the Soul Train references. I appreciated that they included those little easter eggs for people to find, which is always fun for a viewer.
I left the theater fairly satisfied with it, but I still don’t think “Beetlejuice” needed a sequel. The ending foreshadows a “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” so we’ll see how I feel about that one.
