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It’s showtime! One of our favorite and most theatrical demons is back with an offering for the 2024 movie release calendar. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice comes 36 years after the Maitlands first asked Betelgeuse to help scare away the new family that had moved into the deceased couple’s home, and now critics have had the opportunity to screen the sequel, which will see Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz return to her haunted teenage home. The upcoming horror movie is a highly anticipated venture for lovers of the 1988 classic, and from the looks of the first reactions, we won’t be disappointed.
In addition to Winona Ryder, Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice also features Michael Keaton reprising the role of the titular troublemaker, as well as Catherine O’Hara as Lydia’s stepmother Delia. The former goth teen comes face-to-rotten face with the mischievous ghoul after her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) accidentally opens the portal to the afterlife. As for what people are saying, CinemaBlend’s own Mike Reyes thinks Beetlejuice 2 is just as bonkers and nostalgic as you’d hope, writing:
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has all of the fun reviving this horror-comedy from the afterlife. Tim Burton & the cast clearly loved making this movie, which is as bonkers, sweet, and twistedly funny as expected. The Juice is loose again, and it feels like old times… Even with a cast of heavy hitters and incoming stars, Catherine O’Hara almost walks away with this movie under her arm. Seeing her, Michael Keaton, and Winona Ryder return is a prime example of nostalgia done right.
Erik Walkuski of JoBlo agrees, calling the OG trio “a sight for sore eyes,” and Catherine O’Hara steals the show in a successful zany offering from Tim Burton. He posts:
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is an enjoyable, fast-paced bit of lunacy from Tim Burton that should please the many who’ve waited decades for its arrival. It certainly leans into nostalgia throughout, but it also manages to have some bizarre new tricks up its sleeve; it’s not just another retread playing the Greatest Hits from the original.
A couple of those who caught an early screening of the sequel mention too many subplots, and that critique is echoed by Eric Goldman. He also mentions how seamlessly its stars fall back into these classic characters and that Catherine O’Hara brings her A-game. In Goldman’s words:
Plotwise, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has some issues (one too many bad guy storylines, most notably). But as far as a return to this world and characters, I had a great time. Burton, Keaton, Ryder & O’Hara all feel right back at home and it happily recaptures that Beetlejuice vibe… Winona Ryder & Jenna Ortega, as one might guess, are a great match as mother and daughter and Michael Keaton is once more perfect playing a role that so uniquely fits him. Catherine O’Hara might be the MVP this time though – just a sublimely funny person.
Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue calls Tim Burton’s latest effort a “worthy sequel,” and even more than 30 years later, Michael Keaton is perfect as the title character. Leishman says:
The Juice is loose baby! Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is weird, quirky, and a worthy sequel to the 1988 film. I instantly had a soft spot for it with the use of ‘MacArthur Park’ but having Michael Keaton back as Beetlejuice is beyond perfection.
She’s not the only one talking about the film’s use of “MacArthur Park,” as Scott Menzel of We Live Entertainment says Beetlejuice 2 found a worthy followup to “Banana Boat (Day-O).” Menzel predicts box office success, writing:
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is old school Burton zaniness and greatness. A loving tribute to the 1988 film as well as international cinema. Michael Keaton still has the juice delivering a hilarious and brilliant performance. The end MacArthur Park sequence is destined to become the new Day-O. This is going to be a massive hit.
As a huge fan of the 1988 film, Perri Nemiroff calls the sequel a “joyous romp back into that world.” Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega are a great mother-daughter pair (as expected), with Willem Dafoe putting in a fun effort as well. In Nemiroff’s words:
Michael Keaton doesn’t skip a beat. Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega’s mother/daughter storyline is a big winner for me — the element that gives the movie an effective beating heart. LOVED the concept for Willem Dafoe’s character — an actor who becomes a cop in the Afterlife, but is still *playing* a cop. Quite enjoyed all of the performances but … CATHERINE O’HARA. Non-stop brilliance. Just true perfection in this role/in this world.
Ema Sasic of Next Best Picture says the Tim Burton film offers a healthy dose of nostalgia mixed with its entertaining new plotlines. Sasic also praises the afterlife’s set pieces, writing:
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE is ghoulishly fun! Burton honors his first film with throwbacks, all while expanding his characters and world to make a delightful new story. The whole cast got the assignment and delivers plenty of laughs. So many great set pieces in the afterlife too.
These are very promising first reactions, and it sounds like fans of the original are going to find a lot to like here. Those who want a refresher on the 1988 horror comedy Beetlejuice can screen it with a Max subscription, and then catch Beetlejuice Beetlejuice when it hits the big screen on Friday, September 6.