It’s a good life in ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’
2019’s “Dumbo” was the last time we got a Tim Burton movie in theaters—a dismaying fact, especially since it wasn’t even one of his more inspired works. We’ve since had to make do with his participation in Netflix’s “Wednesday” series, which has resulted in him finding the collaborators he needed to stage his return to cinemas with the new “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” a sequel to his celebrated dark comedy from 1988.
The cinemas need imaginations like Burton’s, and while at first the prospect of a sequel to a beloved film from decades past might strike a dubious note, this isn’t exactly a cash-grab.
The franchise has been dormant; it’s not as if there’s been a hankering for more Beetlejuice merchandise (though children of a certain generation might remember there was actually a Saturday morning cartoon once). They’ve apparently entertained the idea of a sequel several times over the years, but working with Jenna Ortega in “Wednesday” gave them the final piece they didn’t know they needed.
Ortega plays Astrid Deetz, all-but-estranged daughter of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder). Their relationship has been strained since the death of her father, and Lydia has since become the host of a syndicated show called “Ghost House.” She’s also dating the producer of the show, Rory (Justin Theroux).
When Lydia’s avant-garde artist mother Delia (Catherine O’Hara) calls with news of the death of Lydia’s father, the stage is set for the Deetzs’ return to Winter River. There, memories are stirred up; Lydia catches glimpses of what she thinks is Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), and Astrid discovers the model town in her family’s attic.
In the afterlife, trouble is also brewing as an old flame of Beetlejuice’s, Delores (Monica Bellucci), is out for revenge. A soul sucker, she can put a permanent end to our antihero, er, titular character. Afterlife detective Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe) is on the case, though.
Beating heart
Working with the writers/show runners of “Wednesday,” and ably reunited with costume designer Colleen Atwood and composer Danny Elfman, Burton achieves a return to form with “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” which also marks a return to original material as opposed to adaptations or remakes. The particular strain of dark, sometimes corny humor from its predecessor remains intact, and so is its beating heart (as Beetlejuice will literally show you).
Here, the strained relationship between Astrid and Lydia mirrors the strained relationship Lydia had with Delia, which allows for a lovely blossoming of the relationship between the latter duo (and more welcome screen time for a post-”Schitt’s Creek” O’Hara).
The best thing Burton has going for him in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is a stacked deck of a cast all having a gas. Keaton is as nimble as ever with the jokes, his expressions and line readings an impressive array. Ryder nicely straddles her maternal side with the goth icon she played in the original.
Two ensemble members really enjoying themselves are Dafoe and Theroux, both fully immersed in their roles with Dafoe doing a pastiche of every hard-boiled detective out there and Theroux gloriously pathetic with slightly unhinged undertones.
Perhaps most surprising is that “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” actually feels like it was made in the ’90s, and not just because boy-next-door love interest Jeremy (Arthur Conti) listens to ’90s vinyl. It feels like a return not just to the original’s characters or settings but also its filmmaking style. There’s a darkly comic animated sequence that tells the tale of how Mr. Deetz died. There’s an inspired musical number complete with dance sequence. The sand worms are back.
What Burton and company have accomplished is a wild romp, a visit to the afterlife that now feels long overdue, with clever reversals of fortune and the expectedly goofy irreverence that fans of the original “Beetlejuice” found unforgettable. Perhaps a new generation will also get to have that dance with the macabre.
