September might have just started, but for most, it marks the start of fall and spooky season. So it is timely that the sequel to the 1988 classic Beetlejuice makes its debut in theatres, with the majority of the original cast returning to visit our favorite bio-exorcist.

Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic, and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

Review

Tim Burton returns with a sequel 36 years after the original film with Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice), Winona Ryder (Lydia), and Catherine O’Hara (Delia). Part serious, part comedic, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice attempts to strike hot much like the original, and finds itself mostly hitting the mark. Story-wise the sequel is a bit weak overall.  At least one major plot point is being wasted. The story of Monica Bellucci (Delores) never amounts to anything we care about, and feels wasted.

Even Delia’s character arc doesn’t show much in the way of growth until the very end of the film but wraps up in true character fashion. Lydia and her daughter Astrid, played by Jenna Ortega, are the story’s heart. While Astrid isn’t the goth younger version of her mother, she is relatable to a new generation watching this sequel and the dynamic between Lydia and Astrid is relatable. Michael Keaton never skips a beat as the titular character and still has it nearly 4 decades later.

The crazy bright and contrasting visual color scheme returns in this vibrant sequel that equally brings in zany cartoon-style cut scenes and visually disgusting moments much like we would expect from Beetlejuice. The film is packed with callbacks to original songs, characters, and moments from the original film. It also brings some cameos worth noting like Willem Dafoe, a former actor, playing a cop, keeping order in the underworld.

The MVP of the film though is BOB. One of Beeltjuices’ minions, BOB is both the best and worst at the same time. Let’s all give a shout-out to BOB.

Overall while some of the story misses in a few spots and squanders a potential story arc, the overall film wraps up in a place that is equally as interesting and open-ended as the original, leaving at least for now, the possibility that we could revisit this world…..one last time.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.