Rating: 5/10
How much did Elon Musk pay to have a Tesla in this movie? I don’t even want to know.
Tim Burton is back like he never left. In his first film directorial effort since “Dumbo” — yes, he made that — he continues the story of the beloved classic “Beetlejuice” (1988) in modern times.
Burton knows how to direct actors. Every performance is so specifically crafted to fit the world that Burton has created, and it really complements his vision. Special shoutouts to Jenna Ortega and Winona Ryder — it feels like a passing of the torch of being the Burton “it” girl, and I am totally OK with that!
But what is Willem Dafoe doing here? His performance is fun, but it feels like he’s in a totally different movie. Go get that major studio paycheck, I guess.
I also have to compliment the costume design and hair and makeup in this film. While staying true to the weirdness of the first film, they were able to blow a fresh breath of modernity into everything. From the “Soul Train” dancers’ wardrobe to the intricate details on the guests in the waiting room to hell, it just felt like a full realization of Burton’s mind manifested onto the screen.
There are many references to other films that I appreciated — new ones such as Anomalisa and I Lost My Body and the homage in both this and the first film to Fantastic Planet and Ghostbusters.
Perhaps Burton is giving a nod of respect to films that he feels he inspired. It’s sweet — with how long ago the first “Beetlejuice” came out, Burton understands the evolution that Hollywood is always undergoing and his place in it.
For all its good qualities, this movie had major script problems. In the first “Beetlejuice” — which I do have to say I watched only two hours before seeing this movie — there was such a whimsical feeling throughout the entire film.
This sequel does not replicate that; there’s much more dread even when going into the afterlife. It felt like the writers, who are notably not Burton, were trying to write like Burton but ultimately failed to do so. Burton is incredibly audacious when it comes to his writing and direction and that’s something that you just can’t replicate.
Also, there is no chemistry between Ortega and Arthur Conti; it’s actually really noticeable. This leads to the collapse of the major twist of the film that sets up its conclusion. It was almost like we expected it — instead, it shocked us.
Once we get to the end, there are so many interweaving plotlines that you don’t actually care about what the ending is supposed to be about, just about how it’s going to end. It’s frustrating, especially since the story seemed to make sense until the end.
I think the biggest problem with this film is how much it lacked the magic of the first film. What I appreciated from the first “Beetlejuice” was how much it made sense — everything worked the way it was supposed to in this very weird world that Burton created.
In this film, it just doesn’t. Maybe it’s due to how convoluted the story is, but it just feels like a ripoff of what we deserve from a “Beetlejuice” sequel.
Yes, some good moments feel true to the feeling of the original — notably the dancing sequence near the end of the film — but a lot of it is stuck in this feeling of needing to integrate modernity with fantasy, and it just doesn’t work. Why is there an art gallery setting? A Tesla should not be within a 100-mile radius of any events that take place in this film.
Listen, if you want a good, stress-free time at the movies, then this film is for you. Want a movie to take the family to this early fall season? This is it. It gives you nothing more and nothing less, just a good ol’ time with some goofy characters and a wacky setting. Just don’t hope for the magic of the first movie.
Joshua Abraham is a kinesiology junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.
