ChiefMcMurphy’s review published on Letterboxd:
Maybe my most controversial take to date, but I actually liked this one more than the original. This time around, I felt the script was much more solid, which was one of my biggest problems with the first one. The story just makes more sense, and even if it's ridiculous most of the time, it has a clear vision for each character and where it wants to lead them. Each character deals with some kind of problem, even if it's a stupid one. Even Beetlejuice has something to deal with, which I appreciated since, as much as I liked him in the first one, his character didn’t make sense to me whatsoever. But in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," he has to deal with his crazy ex-wife, and on top of that, we get a (lousy) explanation of why she wants his ass.
Although this sequel relies on elements of nostalgia, it tries to be its own thing, and for me, it worked perfectly fine. Most of the comedy is much better, and while comedy might not be Tim Burton's strongest suit, there are characters like Delia and Rory who are absolutely ridiculous and have the funniest dialogue, which sets the tone for the rest of the movie.
The acting was also much better than the first one, and everyone deserves some recognition because I really think they outdid themselves this time around. Michael Keaton again steals the whole show with nonexistent screen time; he embodies Beetlejuice with true passion and seems like a lunatic all the fucking time. He was so good in this, and his character was much better written that I kinda got upset that he didn't get to marry Winona at the end. Speaking of Winona, I liked her character being full-blown goth like in the first film, and although I do think she’s one of the weakest characters in this sequel, she does a fantastic job. Jenna is slowly making a name for herself, and I love every single second she’s in, even if she doesn't get to do something extraordinary—or maybe I’m in love with her. At this point, who cares? Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, and of course Willem Dafoe are a blast every single second, and I love how this franchise expanded on characters without feeling too crowded.
The costume design is once again a highlight of the movie, but what really made this one stand out from the rest for me was the cinematography. Let’s be honest: the first movie looks like complete garbage most of the time, but this one just had era on its side. Visually, it looks cleaner, and for a world that is as complex as this one, with the whole underworld thing, the twenty-first century made this a visual feast.
Lastly, I was expecting the ending to be rushed like the first one (funny how we’ve gotten two movies with sandworms in them in a year, which isn’t much but it’s something), but I don't know, for some reason, this just managed to pull it off.
Lil’ Beetlejuice is gonna haunt my dreams for a little while.
"The juice is loose!"
