The long awaited Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has arrived, and it’s a good enough legacy sequel.
This movie keeps the zaniness and unique theme of the original Beetlejuice, and brings more from the characters.
The movie follows Lydia Deetz, who is a woman with the ability to communicate with ghosts. Her daughter, Astrid, played by Jenna Ortega, resents her mother and disregards her abilities.
After the first movie, in which a demon named Beetlejuice tried to tear her life apart, Lydia seemingly has moved on with her life. But it all changes when she has to call for Beetlejuice’s help.
Astrid finds herself in the Afterlife, under threat to be trapped down there. Lydia has to summon the mischievous demon to try to get her daughter back.
While the movie has many positives, most notably the performance from Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, it is undeniably messy.
There are many storylines that are introduced in the first act of the movie that don’t go anywhere. Because of this, the storytelling does not compete with its predecessor.
The original takes a more simple story that is easily digestible but still worth investing in. This movie tries to make it more complex, and it feels like too much wasted potential.
Aside from the jumbled plots, it is an enjoyable watch. It’s undeniably funny, and it is really great to see some familiar faces returning to the big screen. It’s not perfect but it doesn’t have to be.
