…Beetlejuice. And just like that, he’s back! Michael Keaton steps back into the iconic horror-comedy bio-exorcist role he possessed in 1988 under the direction of the supernaturally imaginative Tim Burton. Burton’s back too. And so is Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, who’s grown from an angsty teen able to see ghosts into an angsty adult with a paranormal talkshow and a rebellious teenage daughter named Astrid (Jenna Ortega). Also back: Catherine O’Hara as Lydia’s kooky artsy stepmother, Delia. Thirty-six years later, O’Hara is still delivering comedy gold, across genres.
As the new story unfolds, the Deetz women (Delia, Lydia, and Astrid) return to the house on the hill in Winter River following the tragic death of a family member. There’s little explanation given for what became of the ghost couple that once lived in the attic (played by Alec Baldwin and Gina Davis, who do not reprise their roles). Instead, the narrative focuses on what happens when Astrid accidentally opens a portal to the Afterlife, sparking some nefarious wheeling and dealing with Beatlejuice to help get her back to the land of the living. The arc takes a few convoluted turns as characters old and new vie for a piece of an overstuffed plot. Under-served newbies include Lydia’s self-absorbed producer/boyfriend Rory (Justin Theroux); a dead actor named Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe) who insists on staying in character as a cop in the Afterlife; and Beetlejuice’s bitter ex-wife Delores (Monica Bellucci) who staples herself together in an effort to exact revenge on Beetlejuice and put the kabash on his decades-long obsession with Lydia.
The heart and ‘soul’ of the film lies in the relationships between the Deetz ladies, with Beetlejuice providing frequent shots of dark comic relief. While everyone knows the risk involved with invoking BJ’s name three times, there are definite reasons for conjuring him up, and the movie is at its most entertaining when he’s around to be all inappropriate and break into a ballad or two.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice falls firmly into the category of “serviceable sequels.” It’s generally entertaining; pays some homage to the original; and plants the seeds for a potential sequel to the sequel, i.e. a ghostly franchise. And with a PG-13 rating, it’s suitable for family viewing (with older kids).
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opens exclusively in theaters on September 6th.