BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, and Willem Dafoe
Director: Tim Burton
ADRIANO
Warts and all, I will take the unflinching mayhem of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice over the majority of careless blockbusters we get nowadays. Yes, the script is overpacked, and a lot of what is set up is left in the wastebasket. However, director Tim Burton ditches any type of lame nostalgia baiting and pandering (Deadpool & Wolverine, cough cough) to go full sicko mode with wonderful practical effects and an on-brand insanity that had me laughing. You'd swear he and Michael Keaton never left the set in 1988 with their faithfulness to the original.
QUENTIN
I’m extremely divided on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which, frankly, isn’t a sequel I wanted or needed since Beetlejuice is such a stone-cold classic. With that in mind, Michael Keaton hasn’t missed a beat as “The Ghost with the Most,” and stepping back into director Tim Burton's visionary afterlife tickled all my nostalgia bones (Danny Elfman's score too!). However, the story is borderline trash, taking way too long to get going and having way too many moving parts. Plus, there are some flourishes and directorial choices that I really hated (some I loved too), resulting in an attempt that I formally appreciate, but a movie I’ll never revisit.
PRESTON
Beetlejuice…*sigh*…Beetlejuice. After 36 years, the highly anticipated sequel only served to trample my meager hopes for something close to worthy of the original. Mostly, the pain I feel is a result of the shallow production that I had to witness. The chaotic plotline and numerous subplots are haphazardly shoved together in order to advance a shameless reliance on nostalgic pandering, with the nonsensical “Bobs” acting as a Minion-esque marketing ploy. Even the couple in front of me, who burst out in outrageous laughter during the Red One trailer, had difficulty mustering more than a faint chuckle during the film! Sad Trombone.
PAIGE
Though the plot is a bit overstuffed with story threads that are undercooked, there’s no denying that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has heart, or that it brings us back into the surreal world Tim Burton created back in 1988. This sequel feels like a return to form for Burton, and the whimsical practical effects and vibrant production design in the afterlife are astounding. The returning ensemble, especially Catherine O'Hara and Michael Keaton, are fantastic, not to mention that Jenna Ortega fits right in with the madness. All in all, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice may be messy, but it’s a ghoulish good time!
AMARÚ
Nostalgia is working overtime to find much enjoyment in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. While it looks beautiful, with Tim Burton putting his whole foot in the direction, the entire film treads through unfunny and overlong comedic set pieces to juggle fifty million storylines that never have enough time to delve deeper than made-for-TV story depth. One specific plotline, if focused on, would’ve been interesting if it wasn’t resolved in two-point-WTF-thats-all-it-took-to-figure-that-shit-out seconds. Every non-makeup or visual effect aspect of the film is treated with that modicum of care, and damn was it a waste of time.
KATIE
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is one of the strongest legacy sequels I’ve seen, and I left the cinema refreshingly impressed with director Tim Burton’s darkly funny return to his 80s classic. Danny Elfman’s energetic score sets the tone for the film’s gleefully ghoulish energy, and Michael Keaton faultlessly reprises his titular role, bringing an infectious sense of eerie exuberance that made it impossible not to have a good time. Whilst the film cannot quite support the increasing weight of side characters and subplots, the practical effects are fantastic, the performances are strong, and, most importantly, it stays true to the anarchic spirit of the original.
MORE REVIEWS TO COME!