On Friday, Sept. 4, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the sequel to the now famous “Beetlejuice” movie released back in 1988, finally came to theaters and reignited the flames of Halloween spirit and ‘80s nostalgia.
The sequel is centered on Lydia Deetz, the teenage girl from the original who is now grown up, and her daughter, Astrid. Between the films, Lydia became famous for being able to see ghosts and opted to make money with it through her own ghostbusting TV show. This “gift” left Lydia and Astrid estranged because the daughter believed her mother was making it up just for the money.
Throughout the film, a few run-ins turned adventures with Beetlejuice himself are able to bring the duo back together and rekindle their mother-daughter relationship, creating many heartfelt moments that touch the audience.
This film includes many members of the original cast, including Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz, and Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz. There are a few newcomers, including Jenna Ortega as Astrid Deetz and Arthur Conti as Jeremy.
Although it has a very odd storyline, the film will, without a doubt, have a whole theater laughing together. Between the inappropriate jokes from Beetlejuice and the childish bickering of Lydia and Astrid, this movie definitely has a little something for everyone.
During the whole duration of the film, my friend and I were unable to keep the smiles off of our faces with all the out-of-pocket jokes.
One of the best parts about watching this movie had to have been when they recreated the marriage scene from the first film and gave it its own touch. Toward the end of the movie, instead of Beetlejuice marrying Lydia, which happened in the original, he tries to marry Delia instead. All things were done the same, down to the poofy red dress. The memories that it brought from the original helped elevate the film, making it even more of a nostalgic experience.
Of course, any spooky movie would not be the same without Tim Burton directing. He went all out with this film by enhancing the special effects and allowing the audience to feel as though they were transported into the setting of the movie.
The locations from the original movie, like the sand dune portal and the underground doctor’s office appear once again, enhancing the film’s originality.
Along with the locations, this movie’s soundtrack is very similar to the original, bringing back a version of the song we all know and love: the “Banana Boat Song,” better known as “Day-O” by Harry Belafonte.
Thankfully, unlike most new movies made in the past few years, this film does not include many references to Gen Z or technology. More often than not, a movie’s whole plot can be ruined by the simple overuse of cell phones or TikTok references.
Although this movie is funny and nostalgic, it is rated PG-13 and made for an older audience due to its mature topics and jokes.
With “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” rating 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, this is the movie you should watch to prepare for the upcoming spooky season.
