Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice… best movie of the season?

This movie was fantastic from the beginning, starting with the moment the credits started rolling. That is, as soon as the movie started. The first name popped up, then they kept coming in a fashion that was amazingly reminiscent of the movies of the past.

The opening was the same as that of its predecessor: a close-up view of Adam Maitland’s model town, which now includes the tiny figures of the Maitlands crawling their way out of the river. Something of a tribute to the forgotten characters, I suppose.

Adam and Barbara Maitland, played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, were the only main characters who did not return for the sequel. There was a quick explanation for this, but their absence is still my biggest complaint about an otherwise amazing movie. Even though I understand that ghosts do not age, and Davis and Baldwin have, it is not as if Hollywood has something against adjusting the ages of their actors.

My only other complaint was a new character: Delores. She is the antagonist of the film, a beautiful Frankenstein’s Bride and literal soul-sucker. While Monica Belluci’s performance was gorgeous, her character was largely unneeded.

However, her role did allow for Beetlejuice to take on a different one. With another enemy for Lydia to face off against, the bio-exorcist could become more of a morally gray anti-hero. This change was extremely entertaining and led to even more of the antics than the audience expected from him.

Now, on to the music. Danny Elfman never misses, and this movie was no exception. Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park” was not what I expected to be a theme throughout, but I had zero problems with it. Especially when it was used in a possession scene that rivaled “Banana Boat (Day-O)” from the original.

Astrid Deetz, played by Jenna Ortega, was another reason behind the sequel’s success. She has clearly proven herself to be fantastic at playing goth teens with mommy issues and monstrous friends. 

Winona Ryder, who plays Ortega’s on-screen mother, delivers practically the same Lydia as she did in the 1988 film. Her dryness, her attitude toward the paranormal, and even her haircut were exactly the same.

As for Michael Keaton, there is not much to say. If you had shown me his scenes from both of the films back-to-back without telling me the dates, I’d say that they could have been filmed in the same week. The 73-year-old actor has not lost any of his crazy energy.

Beyond the leads, the rest of the cast was just as stellar, including the various newcomers.

Lastly, there were the special effects. Obviously, they have improved since 1988, but that was not what really struck me about them. What I noticed most was that they kept the style of 36 years ago.

There is an entire flashback scene in stop-motion animation. This is a classic Tim Burton move, but it also tactfully avoids the appearance of convicted actor Jeffrey Jones. Additionally, when the sandworms make an appearance, they still look very fake. This is not a complaint. I actually love the consistency and the respect to the original.

In summary, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a fantastic movie, an excellent sequel, and bound to be a spooky season favorite. Five stars.