REVIEW: So good you have to say the title twice, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”

Cast and crew of the movie "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice" at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on August 28, 2024.

With fall just beginning, the leaves’ colors changing and the weather (hopefully) cooling down, it’s the perfect time to take a trip to the movie theater and watch a classic Halloween movie. Though many films of this season fit more into the horror genre and are intended for frights and jumpscares, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is a more humorous alternative. 

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” follows the story of Lydia Deetz, a ghost-enthusiast, and her daughter, Astrid. Viewers watch their once-tense relationship develop into a closer bond as truths are revealed about their respective relationships–with both the living and the dead. 

When the opening credits rolled, I recognized nearly every one of the names that faded into frame. Micahel Keaton returned as the notoriously obnoxious titular role, Winona Ryder as Lydia and Catherine O’Hara as her eccentric stepmother, Delia. 

The movie also welcomes new names to the franchise, including Wednesday-actress Jenna Ortega as Astrid, Justin Theroux as Rory and Arthur Conti as revealed-antagonist Jeremy Frazier. 

The star-studded cast adds to the quality of the film and makes for a more enjoyable experience among the audience, since being familiar with and appreciating at least one of the actors is inevitable. 

A sense of nostalgia is used to appeal to an older audience. The chanting of lyrics, “Daylight come and me wan’ go home” from the song “Banana Boat” by Harry Belafonte connects this movie to the 1988 original. 

The younger audience wasn’t forgotten either. Though I recommend watching the original “Beetlejuice” prior to the sequel, it is still easy to follow along even without much prior knowledge of the franchise. 

Directed by Tim Burton, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” possesses similar qualities to his other films. Eerie, unsettling, and uncomfortable, yet simultaneously amusing, intriguing, and entertaining, his movies capture the audience from their opening scenes to closing credits. The movie drew similarities to Burton’s previous haunting works, including Netflix’s “Wednesday” and the animated “Corpse Bride.”

Many movies in this decade are reboots of pre-existing films and lack the creativity of new plots, writing and unpredictability. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” however, is a sequel that pays homage to the first film, while also managing to obtain a story of its own. Even Beetlejuice himself felt more like a supporting character than the star of the movie, proving this film’s distinctiveness. 

Throughout my viewing, I found myself impressed with the film’s details. Everything was carefully crafted by set designers, makeup artists, costume designers and more staff to make the characters and locations come to life. 

The movie’s release will likely influence some popular choices for Halloween costumes this year, considering the proximity to the holiday and how iconic the looks are. 

One theme that struck me inBeetlejuice Beetlejuice” is love being greater than life. I thought it was unique in the way that it portrayed death. Rather than it being the end, it marked the beginning of the afterlife. The entire movie feels like a euphemism for death–a lighter way to look at something many fear. 

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” debuted in theaters on Sept. 6. With a watchable duration of an hour and 44 minutes and a PG-13 rating, it is suitable for all types of audiences during this Halloween season.