Film review: ‘BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’
Tim Burton has forged a unique sub-genre in Hollywood, comical goth horror with films often celebrating mercurial outsiders such as Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Willy Wonka and of course the title character from the film that arguably put him on the map, the 1988 horror/comedy hit Beetlejuice. That anarchic, inventively odd, if occasionally irritating film introduced us to the mischievous demon Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) who appears when his name is recited three times. Now, 36 years later, the ever-reliable Hollywood Gen X nostalgia machine brings us the sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Does the world need another Beetlejuice movie? The buoyant crowd full of magnificently attired cosplayers at the IMAX preview seemed to think so but this middling supernatural horror comedy isn’t exactly essential cinema.
Here, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) the iconic teen goth from the original film has parlayed her previous experiences with Beetlejuice and the spirit world into celebrity status as the host of a ghost hunting TV show. Following her father’s death, she, her flamboyant mother Delia (Catherine O’Hara) and daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) move back into the notorious house where they first encountered Beetlejuice. When Astrid becomes involved with a malevolent presence that threatens to entrap her in the afterlife, Lydia reluctantly calls on Mr Juice for help. Bad move.
This film has some inspired moments where Tim Burton allows his loopy fever dream visuals and twisted cinematic logic to run rampant. A pastiche of 1950’s Italian neorealist cinema is a surprising highlight. The crazy images are occasionally accompanied by rousing music as in one sequence that makes weirdly entertaining use of Richard Harris’ version of ‘MacArthur Park’.
Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough of this inspired lunacy. The film, especially in the first half, is too slow and restrained. It’s also not very funny and a lot of the supposed gags fall flat. Critically, Michael Keaton’s scumbag spirit routine has very limited comic appeal and feels like a dated 80’s party animal parody. Additionally, subplots involving Monica Bellucci’s powerful femme fatale spirit stalking Beetlejuice and ghost detective Willem Dafoe hunting him have little impact as horror, comedy or drama.
Winona Ryder, though, brings a compelling brittle quality to Lydia which helps make the more straightforward dramatic scenes more affecting. Jenna Ortega, who has been dubbed the latest ‘scream queen’ brings an appropriate mix of snarkiness and empathy as Astrid. Justin Theroux works hard to extract some humour from his character Rory, Lydia’s sleazy snivelling fiancé but he doesn’t have particularly funny material to work with. Catherine O’Hara turns Delia into something closer to her acerbic Schitts Creek character Moira Rose here but delivers little that’s memorably funny.
Being a Tim Burton film, this movie often looks terrific, especially the shots of the imposing Deetz house draped in funereal black. Some of this film, though, looks really naff, particularly the scenes in the afterlife purgatory that have the clunky artificiality of Joel Schumacher’s Batman film.
Die hard Beetlejuice fans will probably feel satiated by this return to the world of their beloved characters but passing viewer may be wondering what all the fuss is about.
Nick’s rating: **1/2
Genre: Comedy/ Horror.
Classification: M.
Director(s): Tim Burton.
Release date: 5th Sep 2024.
Running time: 105 mins.
Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.
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