SPOILER WARNING: The following article gives away a few crucial details from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice so, if you have not seen it, be cautious if you choose to read on.
People change their opinions about movies all the time. Sometimes they find something to love about a movie they could not stand after giving it a second chance years later or they realize a childhood favorite does not hit the same way as an adult. However, it took only three months for me to change my mind about Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
I remember walking out of the 2024 movie feeling like it was a worthy follow-up to one of the best Michael Keaton movies when I first saw it in September. So, why do I feel so disappointed in the “ghost with the most” all of a sudden? Upon reflection, I think I may have been able to figure out why my recent rewatch will be the last showtime of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice for me.
Why I Think I Enjoyed Beetlejuice Beetlejuice The First Time
I have been a fan of director Tim Burton’s original 1988 horror-comedy movie classic Beetlejuice for, literally, as far back as I can remember. My love and appreciation only increased in recent years after my wife and I spent our first Halloween together dressed as the titular bio-exorcist and Miss Argentina. I showed up for my screening of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice wearing that very same striped suit, riding high on the hype for the sequel that was fueled by nostalgia and star Michael Keaton’s enthusiastic praise of it in the press.
With all of these elements in place, I found myself having a lot of fun with the sequel for its much-appreciated use of practical effects, eye-popping production design of previously unexplored areas of the afterlife, and, especially, Keaton’s giddy return to the role that made him my favorite actor. I still admire these aspects of the movie but, unfortunately, they now pale in comparison to the things that bug me to death.
Why Rewatching Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Disappointed Me
Anyone who has paid attention to the reviews for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is well aware of what are considered its flaws. The film rushes its too-many plot lines to a convenient conclusion in the final act despite a slow set-up. Monica Bellucci’s otherwise amusing performance as Betelgeuse’s wife, Delores, proves ultimately unnecessary. The “MacArthur Park” scene – a call-back to the original horror movie’s iconic musical sequence featuring Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O” – is awkwardly wedged in. Finally, the dialogue is wooden and unnatural and the jokes simply fall flat.
The crazy thing is, I was fully aware of and, for the most part, agreed with all of these criticisms when I first saw the film and even pointed them out in an examination of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s improvements and shortcomings that I wrote myself. However, given my passion for the original and anticipation of this sequel, I believe I subconsciously and successfully chose to ignore them at the time. Yet, they became all too irritatingly glaring during my rewatch, to the point where I could not wait for the movie to end.
The Lesson I Learned From Rewatching Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Given my mostly nostalgia-fueled positive reaction to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice the first time around, I genuinely believe I could have continued going on under the impression that I enjoyed it, all the while acknowledging its "flaws," if I had not rewatched it. However, because I rewatched it knowing what I was in for this time, the flaws were more apparent, forever tainting my enjoyment of the film.
Still, I am glad I watched it a second time (without purchasing it myself, thank God) because it taught me to be more willing to see past my nostalgia glasses and be able to accept when a follow-up or reboot to a story I personally cherish might not be working for me as a whole. I think I have been more forgiving of some titles in the past for these same reasons and I think I will attempt to judge things from a more neutral and fair position and pay more attention to the bigger picture from now on.
If you still consider yourself a fan of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice or you are still curious to see it for yourself, it is available with a Max subscription as of December 6, 2024. However, I recommend just watching the original again. Thankfully, that juice still has to expire for me.
