Grade: D … Back in 1988, Tim Burton treated audiences to a quirky dead guy named Beetlejuice, played by Michael Keaton. Beetlejuice is a spirit used to scare away a new family that had just moved into a new home. The movie featured lots of imaginative creatures and a funky look that kept your attention, along with the spooky good performances of Catherine O’Hara, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, and Winona Ryder. It was a movie many fell in love with and it became a go to movie during Halloween. It wasn’t necessarily scary which made it semi-kid friendly. The movie just worked to entertain people of all ages.
In 2024, Tim Burton is back to direct the sequel of the 1988 classic, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. This time around, Beetlejuice’s assistance is needed in order to save Lydia’s (Winona Ryder) daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) from the Afterlife once Astrid accidentally opens up the portal.
For the most part, the look of the original movie is intact with practical effects and a very distinctive style only Burton can provide. Unfortunately, this movie never really needed to be made. It was mainly a boring waste of time. It takes a while for the movie to get going due to a script with pacing problems. I found myself dozing off in the beginning due to boredom. There is even a character (Dolores, played by Monica Bellucci) in the movie that I believe is only in the movie because she is currently dating Tim Burton. The character doesn’t really have any relevance to the story. It was just unnecessary fluff.
The first movie would make you crack up due to some pretty funny jokes from an irreverent Beetlejuice character. The sequel had me (and the theater) giving sympathy chuckles because it was not that funny. Only one scene managed to get me to truly laugh. The movie is only an hour and forty-five minutes, but it felt way longer.
If you are thinking of introducing your kids to Beetlejuice for the first time as a Halloween treat, just pop in the 1988 version on DVD instead of seeing this one in the theater. They will have a much better time.