parsonwilks

I understand the loyalty we have for Brandon Lee and how any piece which bears his name will suffer. But Brandon is Brandon and Eric is a character. The first movie was a tour de force for Brandon. However, the other characters, especially the villains were poorly executed and unrealistic. In the 2024 film, there is no doubt that these are people that might walk the streets today.

Do yourself a favor and watch this film, having put Brandon Lee back on the shelf and enjoy it as the success it deserved. Allow Eric Draven to live through the actor of Bill Skarsgard and FKA twigs as Shelly. There is much to like if you allow yourself to be generous.

Sadly the movie doesn't take off until the second act. The first 45 minutes was SO SLOW with multiple story lines with inadequate development. Keaton brings a performance that lacks the energy of the first film. I wanted to like this movie, but never really engaged. None of the actors were able to develop their characters and the story lines seemed to all end abruptly. The film music was good but the songs were poorly chosen. I'm a Beetlejuice fan but not this time. There was too little Beetle and not enough juice. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice was a missed opportunity and I was gravely disappointed.

This is what happens when you make a "remade for tv" film and you leave out the soul. It is just another so-so attempt using b grade actors and c grade acting. Even the skating was just meh. All of the dialogue of the original with none of the heart.

The film is indicative of Hollywood's failure to produce original material, preferring to serve up remake after remake for a buck. Sadly, the story is good enough that had Donald Wrye, who also directed the original was given some decent actors, he may have been able to improve upon the original.

Finally... if you're going to update the soundtrack, make it different enough to notice or use Melissa Manchester's original... or better yet, invite her to record a new version.

So many choices... most of the poor.