User reviews

All I can really do here is speak my truth and not worry about whether people agree with it or not. As a man who has a nine out of ten review for "Beetlejuice" logged on this website, I can only report that I found this sequel to be bit of (though not totally) a mess.

Following the death of her father, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) returns to her childhood home, with her stepmother Delia (Catherine O'Hara), boyfriend Rory (Justin Theroux) and daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega). Lydia, still able to see ghosts, has been having visions of Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton), which only intensifies as she returns to the house. But Betelgeuse has his own problems, related to the return of his vengeful ex-wife Delores (Monica Bellucci) who has the ability to extract the remaining souls of the dead - and make them 'dead dead.'

What I found really interesting was that for years, Burton and Keaton steadfastly refused to engage in a sequel unless the story was right. Then for this to be the one they progressed with, which feels more like a bundle of ideas gaffer taped together than an actual story. There are four main plots, two of which could have been exorcised (pun intended) partially, or even completely without making much of a difference. It feels like they're there only so there's an excuse for particular actors to be in the film. It's also a bit too enamoured with recreating moments from the original, so there are two gags that are slight variations on previous ones and another song and dance possession scene, which is a strong moment, but again, just a remix of the first film.

Almost single handedly Keaton drags the film to being acceptable. They smartly keep his character out of the majority of the film so that when he does appear he's a breath of life, but it's a shake up the film needs all too often and I don't think I found anything anyone else did to be funny.

As you can see from the score, despite how negative this review feels, I wouldn't say I disliked the film overall - but it feels all too close to being the 'cash grabby' sequel we could have had at any point in the last 30 years.

The special effects were amazing. The acting was good. But there were SO many storylines. And none of them got enough time to be fully developed. Any one of the storylines, could have been the focus of the entire movie. Each storyline was rushed through and ended so fast. It's really unfortunate. And they put too much focus on Lydia's father. They honestly didn't even have to address the fact that he's wasn't in the movie. The actor in real life is a sex offender, so why even discuss his character? It added nothing to the movie.

There are also a lot of ghosts from part 1 that I felt should have been in this sequel-just use makeup and special effects like they did for Beetlejuice. Or recast them if you don't want them to show that they've aged. Also, I almost walked out during the first hour. It was boring. The movie didn't get good until the second hour.

As a big fan of the original, it pains me to say that the long-awaited sequel is a dull, scattered mess. There are too many storylines unfolding in this movie and not all of them are interesting enough to make us care. It's fun to see Michael Keaton reprising one of his most famous roles. He slips back into that striped suit like he hasn't missed a beat. But the movie doesn't really come alive (or become undead?) until the last third of the film. That's when the pace ramps up and the laughs start flying in rapid-fire fashion. By then, it's too late.

The original Beetlejuice was perfection. The sequel is a good example of why people say perfection is something you shouldn't mess with.

Since I watched the original movie only recently, I didn't come to this movie with huge anticipation. In that sense I might judge it differently than someone who was a fan of the classic, so keep that in mind.

Overall, I had a very good time, and I think the movie is a decent continuation of the cult classic. Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who I've been a fan of since watching "Smallville" as a child, bring their unique storytelling style to the world of *Beetlejuice* in a movie that is very different from its predecessor, but in a fresh way that also respects the original.

Tim Burton, of course, brings his unique style, and this certainly feels like a Tim Burton movie in every sense of the word. The visual effects and production design are beautifully crafted, with that classic feeling of Burton films from the '80s and '90s, but enhanced with today's technologies and more extensive options.

The acting in the movie was excellent from all parties involved. Michael Keaton, in the iconic role, looks and behaves exactly the same, as if 36 years haven't passed since filming the first movie. Winona Ryder, who has become a much more experienced actress since the original film, leads the film proudly, and the great Justin Theroux is hilariously funny in his unique way. Jenna Ortega, while delivering a good performance, feels a bit overexposed to me in recent years, with the sense that her presence is unavoidable wherever you look. I would love to see her take on a more challenging role that presents a drastically different performance from what she usually does, to justify the hype. Another standout performance in the film was Willem Dafoe's, in an excellent and unconventional comedic role. Overall, the cast is packed with big names that are always a delight to see on screen.

Another strength of the movie is the musical aspect - something the first movie was very famous for. From a good choice of songs, especially fun "musical numbers," references to classics from the first movie, and in particular, a slightly different spin on Danny Elfman's iconic and wonderful theme music that will thrill any fan of the classic film.

In general, while I watched the first movie just recently, it's impossible to ignore the amount of fan service in this movie for fans of the classic film - and I mean that in the most positive way possible. It's not the modern, tiring fan service seen in quite a few franchise movies lately, but rather something that honors the original and gives fans who have been waiting for a sequel what they wanted, doing so in a logical, enjoyable way that remains true to the spirit of the story and what cinema should be.

While not a masterpiece or anything of that sort, I had a great time watching this film in IMAX, and I would recommend it to everyone - fans of the original and casual viewers alike.

I really didn't enjoy this movie. There wasn't enough of Beetlejuice, the human side of the drama was drab. I didn't feel connected to the new characters. The charm of the first one was Beetlejuice tormenting the Dietz family. There really wasn't enough of that in this movie. Overall, I think I'm very generous with the 6 out of 10 rating I could have gone lower. No real major complaints regarding the acting but it just didn't have that magic of the first film. Just was unable to capture that essence of it. If you haven't seen it yet, definitely something you can wait for it to come to streaming.

For some reason, people are review bombing this film. I don't know why. This was a competent and clever sequel that lives up to it's predecessor in almost every way.

It helps having the majority of the original cast, as well as some welcomed new faces. It's also nice having Tim Burton back in the director's seat. He was able to keep the feel from the original and translate it just enough to keep the style without it feeling like a stale rehash. Nice job, Tim!

My only negative for the film is it takes quite a while before we get to all the Beetlejuice stuff. Granted, there is a lot of story to cover between the original and now, but some of it could have been condensed into shorter segments.

Overall, it's a true to the original sequel with all the zany and quirky natured things the original has. Even if it takes a bit to get started, once it does, you'll be hooked. If you were not a fan of the original, this one will not change your mind. However, if you were a fan and you crave more story, you can't go wrong with this albeit unnecessary, but welcomed, sequel.

4 Bobs out of 5.

Plot

After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her teenage daughter, Astrid, accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife.

Cast

Keaton, Ryder and O'Hara all return, sadly Baldwin & Davis do not. However for the record I fully understand Burton's reasons for not including them. Also along for the ride are the always excellent Ortega, Dafoe, Theroux and Bellucci although she's absolutely wasted here. Devito offers us a memorable cameo appearance and Burn Gorman offers us a couple of scenes.

Verdict

Beetlejuice 2 is one of those sequels people had talked about for decades including countless rumours, fake news reports and even fan made trailers but I didn't expect to ever actually happen. When the trailer dropped it was official, undeniable and I was both excited and hesitant. You see I'm of that generation who saw the original movie when it first came out and I loved it but 36yrs later getting a sequel! Could it meet expectations? Could the characters hold up? Well, the answer is a very mixed bag.

Over three and a half decades the logical thing this needed to do was play to nostalgia hard, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice surprised me in how little it did this. Yes there are nods here and there, yes there are throwback scenes and yes there is a certain song that returns but for the most part they really make a movie here for a new generation who likely haven't seen the original more than Beetlejuice fans and I personally didn't appreciate this and deemed it a baffling choice.

Next up the cast, Keaton as Beetlejuice didn't feel the same, I'm not sure it was him or the writing but he wasn't the captivating character we love and know from the 80's. Lydia? Ryder delivered and was fantastic, this was a great return. O'Hara again was very much Delia, but we do remember Delia is a deeply annoying character right? So this much screen time compared to the original movie was most certainly not a good thing. Theroux was excellent, Ortega was brilliant, Dafoe was his usual madcap self and Bellucci was.......well, she was there. You see I love Bellucci but ultimately she was setup as the movies antagonist, she's barely on screen, contributes nothing and even the characters swansong is rushed and quite frankly terrible.

You see the plot is very tired and extremely generic, it needed that nostalgia, it needed Beetlejuice, it doesn't have much of either. And when we do have the Beetlejuice scenes they're, very very lackluster. And the inevitable music scene, I'm in awe how bad that was, it felt tacked on, it wasn't funny, it was far too long, the song choice was deeply confusing and I just cannot stress how poor it was.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice isn't bad, it's just rushed, uninspired, doesn't tick boxes it logically should have and just fell flat for a movie 36 years in the making.

Rants

Okay I enjoyed Bob, or should that be the Bobs? The shrunken head people stole the movie (Not a spoiler it's on the poster!). See these guys were great, I'm not saying they could have their own movie but I'd happily watch more. Stick them all in their yellow suits and they could be like action Minions! Let's have Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice with more you know.....Beetlejuice, Bobs, Ortega, Ryder and O'Hara can stay at home.

The Good

Some nostalgia Some of the cast are fantastic The Bob's A few decent moments

The Bad

Too much falls flat and simply isn't funny Far too much O'Hara Not enough Nostalgia Feels rushed, forced, doesn't quite click.

Not enough Beetlejuice Bellucci is wasted Weak plot That musical scene!

Beetlejuice, specifically Beetlejuice, and maybe Bob, were the only decent things about this sequel. The original Beetlejuice is legendary, and I'm going to pretend this one doesn't exist because, seriously, come on. 🤔 The sequel just didn't capture the magic of the original. The charm, wit, and unique style that made the first movie a classic were missing. It felt like a cash grab rather than a genuine attempt to continue the story. Fans of the original will likely be disappointed. It's a shame because there was so much potential. Hopefully, future projects will do better justice to the legacy of Beetlejuice.

So, let me start by saying a couple words. I want more. They nailed this movie. It had the right amount of homage mixed in with new characters, a new story, and a new perspective of a loving evil demon that we all love. Beetlejuice. This movie was incredible. I wish I could watch it again for the first time because honestly I never thought I'd get to watch a new beetlejuice movie in my lifetime. The cast was amazing. The directing was perfect. The writing was smart. The set design and costumes were perfect. And omg the special effects were soooo good. Anyways thank you Tim Burton for reviving my childhood and getting me ready for Halloween.

The wife and I were disappointed today when we watched the movie. It appeared that the writers were trying to be funny at times however they were just silly. One scene towards the end just kept going and going until it became boring and monotonous. The story line was average at best. The acting was good however the script was as predictable as stale beer. Instead of 1:45 run time they could have cut 20 minutes out of the movie and it would have had no impact on the story at all. The best character in the opinion of my wife and myself was "Bob", the shrunken head character from the original movie.

If you know the original then you will very likely be disappointed with this film, which suffers from a poor storyline and chaotic script - it's a big, high energy mess of a film.

The biggest problem is that unlike the original it lacks any sympathetic characters. Adam & Barbera were established early and were the catalyst for what was to follow. The 2024 version has no such characters meaning that the catalyst is missing along with any reason for the audience to invest in and care for any shallow characterisations, with the possible exception of Bob.

There are no "moments" in the 100 minute long presentation, nothing with the potential to become classic quotable scenes unlike the original which was peppered with them.

Keaton, Ryder and O'Hara are all criminally under used and struggle with a poor script which left my cinema quiet throughout and with an equally quiet shuffle as people headed out the doors.

You may get something from the movie and I genuinely hope you do, but lower your expectations before the lights dim.

I admit, I went into this movie without any expectations, anticipation or nostalgia for the first movie. I wasn't sure it would be a movie for me but as the film began, the camera panned over land and the dark but light hearted score played, I thought maybe I'll enjoy this. In fact, the score and the soundtrack were one of the highlights although it was less Joker and more Adams family.

We're introduced to many fun and quirky characters old and new including three generations of the Deetz family but I like that the movie didn't simply repeat the first. For example whilst Lydia Deetz was weird and sympathetic to the paranormal in the original movie, her daughter Astrid played by Jenna Ortega is a sceptic s all things ghosts whilst still managing to give off Wednesday Adams vibes. When you think about it, the story naturally had to go in a new direction whilst still incorporating the afterlife.

Its was whacky, at times funny and it looked good. Whilst the story can be over the top and indeed predictable in places it's fine for what it is but it left itself with a lot to do as it approached its hour and 45 minutes runtime. Overall I had a fun and better than expected time with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and I believe this can draw in new fans.

If you enjoyed the first, will you enjoy this? I can't say but I wish this has been released closer to Halloween as it would have made for some light hearted spooky fun.

36 years after the events of Beetlejuice, the Deetz family returns home to Winter River after Charles Deetz's unexpected death. Lydia's life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened, releasing Betelgeuse. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a fun, charming and well acted sequel. Willem Dafoe and Catherine O'Hara are very funny, Michael Keaton fits perfectly again in his character and Jenna Ortega and Winona Ryder are simply magnificents. This sequel has a more complex plot and shows off more strange and interesting characters for the story. Beetlejuice beetlejuice is worth the wait...go see it in theatre!!!

Rating: 7,8.

I found the exposition a bit long before it really started.

But overall I liked it. Not as good as the original obviously but some fun moments. The movie does not take itself too seriously and it works in that regards. Unfortunately the plot is a bit too narrow to make it a great movie. It just has some great ideas here and there lost in the middle of a lot of things happening about nothing. Willem Dafoe and Catherine O'Hara are the scene stealers. One could argue that the stakes are never truly high so that makes the payoff pretty low once the movie finishes but at the same time it is refreshing to just have a silly movie with silly characters doing silly things. It has the Tim Burton nostalgia touch but I was expecting more.

There are some bizarre hateful reviews on IMDb, maybe written by people who just have a predilection towards hate.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is surprisingly good. It's not perfect, but it feels like it comfortably lives in the same world as the first without feeling forced. Any CGI in the film was barely noticable. The cast was all fully committed and the movie embraces the fun, aggressive off-kilter humor and energy of Beetlejuice, working best when it fully goes for the surreal and plays hard into the "trickster demon" antics. Not every joke lands, some of the unexpected singing is bizarre and really funny while some of it goes on a little too long, and I wish there had been more of Danny Devito and Monica Bellucci. I was also really impressed by the fact continues going for the surreal right up to the last scene/shot.

Good enough, unique enough, that I'm excited to see it again.

The original was my childhood favorite movie, and my love for it never changed after repeated viewings as an adult. I say that to give an idea of how stoked I was to see a continuation of that story with most of the original players involved. Even with my excitement through the roof, I knew to go in with low expectations, as sequels more often than not, don't live up to their original counterparts, yet somehow this movie flew well under the bar, and right into the ground from the very start.

First off, none of the returning characters feel like themselves, except maybe Catherine O'Hara's Delia. Lydia is now a fragile and frightened mess, who has been relegated to mostly making weird facial expressions, and Beetlejuice has none of the energy or sharp witty humor he had in the 1st film, except for one joke. Unlike the 1st movie, you don't care about any of the main characters, as their stories are lackluster, and nothing is ever fleshed out because there are too many plots going on at once to focus on much of anything.

Jenna Ortega's character was a complete waste of time, as was Willem Dafoe's, Justin Theroux's, and Monica Bellucci's. Speaking of the latter, her character's main villain story as Beetlejuice's ex wife seeking revenge was completely unnecessary, and went nowhere because at no point did you feel he was in danger, and it concluded as if it was just an afterthought.

I found myself nodding off at one point, something I hadn't done in theaters for over 10 years, and then checking to see if my gf had caught me, to which I found that she was already asleep. I started to nudge her to wake her up, but quickly decided against it because I couldn't be mad, as it was a complete borefest, and she wouldn't miss anything.

The only good thing about the movie was seeing Beetlejuice again, and Bob/Shrinkers.

I went into this with such high hopes. Tim Burton, and the return of most of the original cast was a recipe for success. The writers of this movie should be ashamed. They neutered the Juice! He's was like, nice. WTF. Then they took like four different small stories and very messily tried to mash them together. It just didn't work on so many levels. If it weren't for the caliber of the cast, this movie would go straight to the bargain dvd bin at walmart.

It does however lend itself to a possible third movie. The end is left open. Also, the film is called Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Being that you have to say his name three times it would only make sense to make a Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sometime in the future. I just sincerely hope the next one has much better writing.