Yeah…
Let me kick this off by stating outright that I went into this movie knowing that it wasn’t going to be an Oscar winner. I knew that it was going to be a silly little popcorn flick that I’d watch once and brain dump by the time I’d left the theater. I knew it was going to be part of the growing collection of movies (e.g. Coming 2 America) that were cashing in on nostalgia to make a quick buck for studios that needed a win to pad their abysmal balance sheets. I wasn’t expecting much.
And that’s exactly what I got. Not much…
I’ll save the plot synopsis on this one, since this is more of a breakdown than a review, so if you keep reading, I’m going to assume you’ve seen the movie. Let’s get into it.
Plot Lines
This movie has no less than eight disparate plot lines (my wife and I counted), all of which have basically nothing to do with each other. It felt like the writers jammed every idea they’d had for a sequel over the last couple of decades into the script, since they couldn’t decide what to use and what to cut. While most of them could’ve been extracted without missing a beat, the main ones (any one of which could’ve been developed into a whole movie, had writer duo Alfred Gough & Miles Millar – Spider-Man 2, Smallville – been as competent as they’ve been in the past) were as follows:
Beetlejuice’s wife & his connection to Lydia
Lydia’s PTSD over the events of the previous movie, and her abilities as a medium
The death of Lydia’s father and the family’s connection to Winter River
As I see it, these are the main threads that should’ve been explored as the main focus of the film, but were kind of squished in with everything else.
As a side note, the whole “ghost kid” plot line felt like something that had been written as a treatment for a completely different film. Its only purpose was to give Jenna Ortega something to do in a movie that didn’t require her presence in the slightest (Please don’t take that as a slight on her. I’ve loved Jenna Ortega since her appearance in S2 of You, and think she’s one of the few rising stars in Hollywood that can carry the industry forward over the coming decades. It’s just that she was completely unnecessary to most of this movie).
Alright, let’s get back to the main plot lines.
Thread 1
The thread with Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s wife was easily the most interesting and clearly the one that was meant to be focused on the most. Plastered all over the marketing material, it tied neatly into the first film, with her missing finger being the one that had the ring Beetlejuice uses to wed Lydia.
It’s the one that kicks off the film and sets the stakes for not only the Deetzes, but for Beetlejuice as well. Sadly, it quickly gets lost in the shuffle amid a series of boring scenes and constant callbacks that do nothing to advance it as a plot point.
What we’re left with is a series of disconnected scenes that see Bellucci stalking the halls of the Underworld (looking fierce as hell while doing so, I grant you) sucking the souls out of anyone that gets in her way. We are given no context for how she knows where to go, or even how she got there.
This could’ve been developed into a kind of thriller where even Beetlejuice is scared of this woman, despite the sheer power he apparently has at his disposal. The endgame to this plotline would be his efforts to marry Lydia this time around are to escape the Underworld and be out of reach of this woman who wants to “kill” him for good (Also #justiceforbob).
Thread 2
The second thread sees Lydia still trying to deal with the fallout of her experiences in the first movie. She’s managed to leverage it into a successful career as a television medium, but can only keep it in check through pharmaceutical intervention.
In the one scene where this problem is raised, we see Lydia in a bathroom, speaking to a random ghost, before she tries to take a pill to banish her “sight.” If this had been the focus of the movie, it would’ve been much more somber in tone, but would’ve also given the audience a way to empathize with the character in a way which hadn’t been present in the canon prior.
As with the first thread, the story could’ve been turned into more of a thriller that sees Lydia dealing with her demons, and ultimately triumphing over them. Or, at the very least, coming to terms with them in a healthier way.
Beetlejuice’s presence in this version would’ve been reduced in service to the themes (arguably for the better), becoming the looming specter that is still trying to get Lydia all these years later.
Thread 3
This plot line (the weakest, in my opinion) sees the whole family (Jenna Ortega included) returning to Winter River following the death of Charles Deetz. Assembling for the funeral, they return to their beloved house, and hijinks ensue. Beetlejuice, again, would have a much-reduced role, perhaps still lurking in the area, hoping Lydia would return one day.
This would allow the estranged family members to unite in order to defeat him once again, delivering the kind of catharsis that such a plotline requires.
The Man Himself
Now that I’ve explained what I feel should’ve happened, I’d like to go into the characterization of Beetlejuice himself. I’ll preface this by saying that Michael Keaton turned in a good performance for what he was given. He slipped into the role without missing a beat, although the insane energy he brought in the first movie was somewhat diminished (I’m inclined to give him a pass on this, given that he’s 36 years older).
In the first film, Beetlejuice is clearly evil. A kind of villainous used-car salesman, he’ll do anything to close a deal, even if that means potentially killing someone in the process (he dropped Charles on his head from the second floor of the house).
He’s wild, he’s anarchic, and he’s totally amoral (as evidenced by the fact that he wants to marry a 14-year-old). He lives on the fringes of underworld society, being shunned by those that know about him, and you get the impression that the only reason he doesn’t kill everyone he meets is because he needs them for one reason or another.
This time around, the chaotic energy is replaced with an almost paternal feel that (I’m reliably informed by my wife) is much closer to the animated TV show than the first movie.
He’s a blue-collar worker now, owning and operating a full-fledged “bio-exorcist” business in full view of the powers-that-be. He’s in high demand, with employees and clients, and all of the phones in his office (he’s got a fucking office) ringing off the hook.
In short, it feels like he’s lost the edge that made him such a compelling character in the first place.
He’s still creepy, he’s still gross, but he is not the same character we’ve come to love and loathe since the first movie premiered all the way back in 1988.
Which is absolutely fine on its face. Character development is a key part of any writing project, but the problem is that they’re still trying to make him the same character he was, while ignoring what he’s become.
He’s got stakes now. He’s got a business. He’s become a “respectable” member of society. But all of this is ignored in order to push his seemingly inexplicable obsession with Lydia.
Conclusion
The second movie (of this presumed trilogy) is significantly worse than the original. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun enough ride (although I could’ve done without Charles’ Claymation death, and about 2 fewer musical/dance numbers) for what it is, but I just can’t shake the feeling that it could’ve been so much more. As a matter of fact, I got the distinct impression that at one point, it was.
As a member of the “Never Needed to be Made” collection of sequels, it stands out as one of the better ones, but that has more to do with the cast (all of whom turn in good performances) than anything else.
The only way I’d recommend Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice is if you wanted to see Michael Keaton donning the makeup once again, or if you want to support Jenna Ortega (the rising star) and Winona Ryder (who is receiving a much deserved career resurgence).
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