If someone were to ask me ten years ago if I had any interest in Tim Burton doing a sequel to Beetlejuice, it probably would’ve been complicated to answer. Because coming from a semi-fan of the filmmaker, the 2010s didn’t see him on his A-game except for two movies. And besides working on the television side with Netflix’s hit series Wednesday, his last film was five years ago, which is a long gap. What would be the right project to get him back in business with fans? How about the highly-anticipated sequel to one of his very best 36 years later in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice? This was easily one of my most anticipated of the year simply because I love the 1988 original. Spoiler alert: It might just be my favorite and most rewatchable movie from Burton’s career, so it is a childhood classic for anyone who grew up watching it. With Burton coming back with some old and new faces on this second go-around, it had to be a legacy sequel not to disappoint, even when it won’t be trying to be better than what we got before. Not that I wanted to walk out of the theater hoping it ends up as one of 2024’s best. But I’m glad to say Beetlejuice Beetlejuice gets the job done by serving as Burton’s most creative and memorable endeavor to look back on. 

What’s the Story: Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) uses her ability to speak to the dead to her advantage as she hosts a popular paranormal show called “Ghost House” with her annoying boyfriend Rory (Justin Theroux) as her producer. However, the problem with her gift is that she keeps getting haunted visions of the man she almost married decades ago, Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton). Tragedy struck the family when her stepmother, Delia (Catherine O’Hara), shared the news that her father, Charles, had died. Along with her teenage daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega), all three returned to the family home in Winter River, Connecticut. The news causes Betelgeuse to be utterly delighted by the fact that he might have a chance to reunite with his love and to have the opportunity to rise from the afterlife if someone says his name three times.

Getting this sequel off the ground had to be a long process to get where we are since the ‘90s to see if the juice is still loose for the demonic title character. What this gets right, at least from my perspective, is that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice does not come off as a copy of another family haunted by ghosts confined to their home. This feels like the old-school Burton I’ve always come to respect from the first two decades of his career and letting his vision and his writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar accomplish something worth waiting for. Stepping back into the world and characters again, he doesn’t see him on autopilot when working on a story that appeals to him more so than any remake he’s done, blending a good amount of comedy with a dark, lighthearted tone.

The style tries to capture the sense of macabre and strange with its colorful, ghoulish production design whenever it takes us to the afterlife, and I appreciate how it spends a little more time down there. Using as many practical effects as possible through prosthetics to make us believe these are dead beings is a win. And it’s hard to believe it only has a $100 budget, with some moments of CGI that don’t distract. 

What won’t disappoint longtime fans is seeing Keaton embracing the bio-exocist Betelgeuse once again. To no one’s surprise, it was a performance that had me smiling every time he showed up, knowing any wisecrack would get me. The screen time might be about the same as in the original, except they decided to show up less than 20 minutes in and still not overdo his appearances. Despite being in his early 70s, Keaton doesn’t miss a beat slipping back into this role, pulling in a charismatic and energetic turn that sees him still obsessed with Lydia and finding a way to win her back. Even if it means keeping things more modern and won’t be flagged as too inappropriate today. Who would’ve thought the past few years would see Keaton reprise two of his most iconic characters with Bruce Wayne/ Batman in The Flash and now the Ghost with the Most in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (What’s not surprising is this will make more money).

Hell, it had to be the most ingenious idea in the world not to cast Ortega as Lydia’s daughter, who always doubts her mother’s ability to see ghosts, having a mother-daughter relationship pretty resentful after her father’s passing. Ryder is also good at reprising the role that pushed her career forward. And with her back as Lydia, there’s some excellent chemistry with Ortega, proving the film’s heart when it gets the time. And who doesn’t love Catherine O’Hara? She remains one of the funniest women in comedy, and I now see how Delia partially inspired Moria Rose from Schitt’s Creek. With the new additions, it’s crazy to realize Willem Dafoe had never worked with the director before as he killed it as Wolf Jackson, a former B-movie actor turned detective in the underworld on the search for our main character. And it’s not entirely shocking to see the underrated Theroux ooze over the top, basically taking part as this film’s Otho. Both actors had the funniest bits throughout, with a running gag on Jackson‘s assistant handing him a cup of coffee I’ll like more than others.

The thing that kept the film from reaching that great status could be the focus of two characters, who are part of a couple of subplots that might feel too stretched out. There was a great introduction to Monica Bellucci’s character Delores, where she puts her body back together set to the stylings of The Bee Gees’ “Tragedy,” and learning about her past when we got a glimpse of her and Beetlejuice together, excited to see what she does next as this literal soul-sucker who exacts revenge. The downside is that she doesn’t do much else afterward, and there was a period where she didn’t appear on-screen, which is probably the one aspect I wanted more of. Part of me thinks it would’ve been that big of a difference if she was taken out. Though the original had a pretty straightforward story to follow, it’s strange to think that this can sometimes feel unfocused for specific story arcs that might’ve been shortchanged despite being engaged the entire time. Once we got to Astrid and got to know this boy Jeremy (Arthur Conti), I thought it was going nowhere until things switched up. That was a bit predictable, but I was going along for what happened next.

Even when Beetlejuice Beetlejuice doesn’t hold a candle to match the greatness of its classic predecessor, it’s still a fun sequel able to capture what we enjoyed prior. As someone who loves the first, it was what I needed. From its commitment to practical effects to knowing Keaton’s game to bring this character to life once more, it’ll leave you entertained. Since we know it will be a box office hit this fall, will there be enough material for a third installment? Two is enough, but I’m hoping Burton gives us something in the same realm to let us know he’s back to utilize his talents. However, something’s wrong with you if it doesn’t tickle your funny bone.

Grade: B