Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – Nostalgia of the Afterlife: Say My Name … Again

In the world of film, there are many things that define a great experience.  From genre to story, it becomes a dance within creative touches to build that enjoyment.  When it comes to known properties, there is an additional balance of nostalgia and progress.  No matter what pillars fall, it must be worth the escape.  In this review, I look at another return to a popular IP.  Within a crossroads where familiar meets modern, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is an amusing tale of odd antics and predictable mishaps.

In the wake of a return to Winter River, the Deetz family must once again deal with the infamous Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to save one of their own from the afterlife.  Going into this film, there is an obvious truth everyone must face: the necessity of old properties.  In the last few years, we have been getting a lot of familiar properties finding new life in new sequels (Top Gun: Maverick, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Alien: Romulus, Twisters).  These returns have all (to a certain degree), provided some refreshing details … while not veering far from what made the properties great.  With this film, it becomes an intriguing balance of new chapters within the familiar.  In the beginning, we are introduced to Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder), Delia Deetz (Catherine O’Hara), Beetlejuice, and Lydia’s daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega).  After a series of expositional scenes, tragedy strikes the Deetz with the sudden death of Charles.  This event triggers a cascading of events with the family heading back to Winter River and Lydia (once again) encountering Beetlejuice.  This return to their old home provides a concaving point for multiple storylines (not revealing to avoid spoilers), weaving through nostalgic appeal and comedic mishaps.  For all the predictable tropes, cheesy one-liners and cliché motives, the enjoyment comes with the returning cast.  Seeing the interactions between Beetlejuice, Lydia and Delia feels authentic to the overall aesthetic (of the film).  It is in these three that provide the gravitas within their circumstantial conflicts, providing some life to underdeveloped ideas within creative visuals of the afterlife.

As the trio journeys between Winter River and the afterlife, it becomes a visual display of creative twists, unique concepts and physical/absurdity humor.  For all the unexpected moments and fun one-liners (mostly from Beetlejuice), there is also this ‘lack-thereof’ feeling of nebulous points for the sake of plot movement.  Even with all these fragments, we head into a third act that brings everything back to the heart of the film.  This leads to an absurd climax and ambiguous epilogue.  Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a film that strokes the flames of nostalgia, but there is enough for a good time.  If you are a fan of the property, those involved or odd journeys, this is one for you.  I say there is enough here to go see this on the big screen.

Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)