More than 35 years have passed since Michael Keaton first suited up as Beetlejuice, but I guess for those stuck in the afterlife waiting room, that’s not all that long. For us, though, who walk amongst the living, the lengthy wait to see the eccentric ghoul on the 2024 movie calendar is finally over, as he reunites with Winona Ryder’s Lydia and Catherine O’Hara’s Delia in the sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. As Tim Burton’s new project hits theaters September 6, critics are weighing in, and if the first reactions to the Michael Keaton legacy sequel are any indication, fans are in for some fun.
As we return to the haunted house in Winter River, Jenna Ortega has joined the Beetle-verse as Astrid, Lydia’s daughter. The tension between the women is all too real as they return to Connecticut after Lydia’s father’s death, putting them on a collision course for a reunion with the undead figure from Lydia’s past.
Siddhant Adlakha of IGN rates it a “Good” 7 out of 10, saying the movie is a charming, if unnecessary, legacy-quel that should please fans of the original. The critic writes:
Tim Burton allows the cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to have fun, even if they're all off in separate movies that barely overlap. Its story is intentionally robbed of dramatic weight, but this makes way for the goofy, imaginative practical effects of Burton's early days, resulting in a small-scale legacy sequel that doesn't take itself too seriously (because it doesn’t need to).
Fred Topel of UPI says Tim Burton remembers what made the original movie so special, and while he can’t reinvent the afterlife, he’s sure to include plenty of the fun and surrealism that drew fans in the first time around. Topel continues:
The film includes a stop-motion animated segment, dance numbers and a sequence made in the style of an old black-and-white foreign language horror movie, complete with subtitles. Some of the indelible images from the original film return such as the shrunken heads, and the general jagged hallways of the afterlife. The sequel takes the opportunity to include some new morbidly comical guests in the afterlife waiting room. It is a reasonable blend of what worked in the first movie and some clever new ideas.
Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting gives Beetlejuice 2 3 out of 5 skulls, saying this legacy sequel is packed with fan service and callbacks, making for an overstuffed narrative. However, Michael Keaton hasn’t missed a beat, and Catherine O’Hara steals every scene, as this strange and whimsical return to the afterlife is plenty delightful, Navarro says, writing:
This sequel doesn’t push forward or attempt reinvention. Instead, it’s a cozy reunion more interested in vibes and nostalgia. For most, that’ll be more than enough. Burton brings the whimsically macabre style in spades, compounded by the Halloween setting. It’s the perfect phantasmagorical mood setter to kick off the Halloween season, suitable for the whole family even when it playfully tests its PG-13 rating on occasion. Keaton hasn’t lost a step, and Burton infuses this sequel with a surprising energy. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice never veers too deep into the Neitherworld, flattening some of its emotional impact, but it still succeeds as a visually inventive exploration of mortality.
Matt Singer of ScreenCrush gives it 6 out of 10, saying that while the sequel is overloaded with characters and unnecessary subplots, Michael Keaton is still the ghost with the most. He says:
While Keaton is certainly older than he was in the first film, with his makeup, wig, and that gravely voice, he looks and sounds basically the same. Aand he still brings the same frenetic, live wire energy to Beetlejuice’s sequences. He’s funny, he’s strange, he’s scary; he’s one of the great movie characters of the ’80s, and it’s great to see him again.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 78% ahead of its official opening. From the critics’ assessments, it sounds like the story may not be as smooth as we’d like it to be but seeing these characters back in this world might be worth the price of admission. Find out for yourself, as the upcoming horror movie hits theaters on September 6.
