In the last few years, almost every icon from 80s cinema has been revived. Top Gun, Ghostbusters, Beverly Hills Cop and others have been brought back to varying levels of success. Now, one of the most beloved 80s hits, Beetlejuice, is getting a sequel 36 years in the making.
It’s the movie that propelled both Michael Keaton and director Tim Burton to stardom, but can they revive the old magic? Beetlejuice Beetlejuice finds Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) in the present day, using her paranormal gift to find TV fame. She struggles to connect with her teenage daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) following the death of her husband, and to make things worse she receives a call from her stepmother (Catherine O’Hara) informing her that her father has died.
As Lydia returns home to mourn, she rediscovers the site where she summoned Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) years ago, and learns that the chaotic demon may be returning, with problems of his own.
The biggest challenge for any delayed sequel is finding a reason to exist, and happily Burton finds an interesting angle for his best film in years. The characters are as twisted as ever, with Ryder’s gloom striking a perfect balance with O’Hara’s dramatic self interest (the Emmy winner steals the show here, getting the most laughs of anyone except You Know Who).
Most importantly, Burton seems to be in his element. After years of shiny CGI mediocrity, returning to the gory underworld of Beetlejuice seems to have stirred something in him. As with the first film, it’s creepy rather than outright scary, with most of the blood and guts played for laughs. The story is a bit crowded at times, but for the most part this feels like an early Burton film with some high budget polish.
Aside from O’Hara, Justin Theroux is amusing as Lydia’s insipid new boyfriend, while Ryder and Ortega give the film some heart with their mother-daughter strife.
Burton keeps in mind that Beetlejuice is best used as a hindrance to the plot, rather than being the centre of it, and seeing Keaton riff alongside his shrunken-headed coworkers is a joy.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice balances nostalgia with a story that’s worth sticking around for. It’s great to see one of cinema’s truly unique filmmakers go back to his roots, making a crowd pleaser that refuses to play it safe.
