The Stream: Too many random subplots overcomplicate this otherwise basic movie.

The Big Screen: Michael Keaton and Catherine O’Hara came to play.

The Final Bill: The return of Beetlejuice is fun even if this sequel drags and meanders.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Tim Burton
Writers: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Seth Grahame-Smith
Stars: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Rating: PG-13 for violent content, macabre and bloody images, strong language, some suggestive material and brief drug use.
Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes
Production Companies: Plan B Entertainment, Tim Burton Productions, Warner Bros., The Geffen Company, Tommy Harper Productions
Platform: In theaters September 6, 2024
Notable Trailers: Wicked, Piece by Piece, The Wild Robot, Red One, A Minecraft Movie, Sonic the Hedgehog 3

What’s up, Streamers! It’s been 36 years since the original Beetlejuice stormed the box office, so of course, the time is ripe for a sequel because there has to be a sequel, right? Anyway, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice finds Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) and her family all these years later about to have another brush with the afterlife. When Lydia and her stepmother, Delia Deetz (Catherine O’Hara), find out that her father, Charles, has died, the family goes back to Winter River for Charles’ funeral. Along with Lydia’s daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega) and boyfriend, Rory (Justin Theroux), the family encounters things that go bump in the night leading to the resurgence of the lovable scamp, Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton). Sandworms and underworld heist hijinks ensue.

Full disclosure: I am not a fan of the original Beetlejuice. It’s fine. It has its moments. Michael Keaton is great, but overall, I have not nostalgic attachment to that movie. Thus, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has an uphill climb with me. Here are the good things. Michael Keaton slips into Betelgeuse like an old glove. He is zany. He gives this character all he’s got and truly makes a meal out of every scene and line. Catherine O’Hara does the same. She matches that daffy energy that you expect from her and makes Delia more engaging. The aesthetic world of Beetlejuice is a feast for the eyes. The makeup, the costumes, the set design and visual effects fill out an amazing world. These aspects play into the nostalgia of this 36-year-old franchise.

On the other hand, I was bored for at least the first 30 minutes. The set up of all of the disparate plotlines is kind of tedious. There really is too much going on outside of the Deetz family and Betelgeuse. In fact, I think it takes too long for the movie to let Betelgeuse loose. Because there are so many extraneous plotlines and a lot of exposition to fill in the 30 years that have intervened since the first movie, this otherwise short movie drags in the beginning and feels rushed and overstuffed in the end. There are a lot of good ideas and nice small parts from Willem Dafoe and Monica Bellucci, but they’re not necessary to the movie overall.

Ultimately, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a decent time at the movies. It brings the nostalgia factor with spry and funny performances from Michael Keaton and Catherine O’Hara as well as eye-popping aesthetics. The story is all over the place with too many random plotlines going on while the first 30 minutes is kind of boring. Nevertheless, this Ghostest with the Mostest is good enough for a bowl of popcorn at a midday matinee.