Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is directed by Tim Burton director of Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Mars Attacks! (1996), Beetlejuice (1988), Corpse Bride (2005), Frankenweenie (2012) and many others! Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a sequel to Beetlejuice (1988).

A Beetlejuice (1988) sequel was inevitable, the first film became so popular incredibly fast over the years that there just had to be one. Especially when it hit the video market, the original film is still talked about to this day and is among many people’s favorites (myself included.) on the other hand Tim Burton a once excellent director who was quite consistent wasn’t doing so well, his last couple films such as Dumbo (2019), Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016) and a few others were not so great and just felt like Burton did not have the magic he once had. But then Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was born and showed he still has it! 

There’s so much to talk about here and how this film is just incredibly exciting but as always I’ll start with the performances, which is important since I do think the performances and characters really bring this film together.

I’ll start off by saying everyone here does a fantastic job, they each bring something to the film even if their screentime is limited. Starting with Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice his performance is just incredible to see again after all these years, he completely matches the same tone, humor and actions as he did in the first film. There’s so many great line deliveries here that are genuinely hilarious, he also does seem like he’s having the time of his life and you just can’t help but smile at that. Much like in the first movie he doesn’t appear until a bit later but also like the first film that works incredibly well and sets up for some incredibly entertaining moments, jokes and other plots. As the film goes on he amps it up with Beetlejuice and the more he amps it up the more entertaining the character really gets. 

Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz is fantastic and it’s great to see Ryder on the big screen again, her bond with the cast is absolutely beautiful and quite humorous as well. But some of Ryder’s best moments is her bond with Jenna Ortega who plays Astrid Deetz the daughter of Lydia, the heart of the film comes from these two’s mother and daughter bond that really builds their characters incredibly well. Seeing their bond build over the course of the film is incredibly heartwarming and truly touching, even the little moments with the two not really saying anything to each other is meaningful.

Catherine O’Hara and Willem Dafoe are both excellent here and make for so many fantastic comedic moments. Although Dafoe gets limited screentime he makes the most of it and really goes all out with his character Wolf Jackson, there isn’t exactly a whole to his character but I’m still glad he’s here. Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz delivers the film’s funniest moments, she’s also incredibly fantastic with tons of excellent moments with Ryder and Ortega, as well her having moments where she stands on her own. 

Lastly Jenna Ortega as Astrid Deetz is a fantastic performance, I’ve said this about Jenna in the past but she is one of the best actresses of her generation, an actress who even competes with veteran actresses. Her performance here is so well done and her passion for the role can easily be seen here. Her facial acting and body language truly shine here, it’s something Jenna Ortega has always been absolutely great at as an actress but it’s especially shown here front and center. She’s a natural fit to the world of Beetlejuice and easily connects with the rest of the cast, as I said before her bond with Winona Ryder is the heart of the film and is so beautiful to watch. Astrid Deetz on the surface might seem like a familiar sort of character at first, however that quickly changes over the course of the film as we learn more and more about her. 

The writing is so much fun, there’s so many clever jokes, touching moments and it’s done in a fun way to wrap the story together. While there are some subplots that aren’t as interesting as others I do think that leads to the incredibly bizarre final moments of the film, the dance scene is truly a lot of fun and really sums up this film’s energy in a nutshell. A chaotic ride that you really do not want to ever get off of! 

The practical effects are absolutely stunning especially combined with the absolutely stunning look at the afterlife and you have yourself such a beautiful looking film which is quite refreshing to see after so many blockbusters seemed to have had this issue. The film’s use of guts and blood is both exciting and hilarious, it’s obviously not anything brutal but it’s such a fun way to work these things into the film, Tim Burton really did not hold back at all with the designs and his direction. This is absolutely a return to form for him and it’s incredibly fitting. 

Lastly the film itself is just a ton of film, you can absolutely tell there was so much passion and heart poured into this film, watching interviews of Tim Burton and the cast (particularly Jenna, Winona, Catherine and Michael) you can easily tell they are proud of this film and how much heart they really put into the film. Sometimes that can really make a film and that’s most certainly a case here, without their passion for the film I don’t think Beetlejuice Beetlejuice would have been nearly as good as it is. 

Overall Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a very worthy sequel to the original film, it’s some of the most fun I’ve had in a theater this year and is one of the very best of the year as well! Give this one a watch, especially if you’re a fan of the first film!

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is currently in theaters! 

10/10 A+