Beetlejuice 2 brings Tim Burton back to form in delightfully chaotic film

In 1988, Tim Burton presented his credentials to the world of cinema in Ghosts Have Fun (or Beetlejuicein the original, in homage to the dishonest and quite unpleasant spirit experienced by Michael Keaton).

In his second feature — the first is Pee-wee’s Big Adventure1985 —, Burton presented its eccentric and grotesque tone together with expressionist references, which would help the filmmaker to become recognized over the years.

However, for some time now, Burton had been showing himself incapable of presenting a work worthy of the virtuosity of his first works and productions as Alice in Wonderland (2010), Dark Shadows (2012), Big Eyes (2014), The Home for Peculiar Children (2016) and Dumbo (2019) were not well received by the public or critics.

It seemed that the once inventive director painted his films with watered-down paint and presented characters without life or charisma. He was responsible for productions such as Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), The Legend of the Headless Horseman (1999) and The Corpse Bride (2005) lost your hand?

Fortunately, no. The Ghosts Still Have Fun: Beetlejuice Beetlejuicea belated sequel to the 1980s classic, hits theaters this Thursday (5) bringing Tim Burton back in good shape and proving that his stories can still entertain audiences.

In the plot, after an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the family Deetz return to Winter River. There, the life of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder), now a famous psychic, turns upside down when Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) returns from the dead to wreak havoc once again.

It is true that Beetlejuice 2 — for those close to him — brings Tim Burton treading on familiar ground. In any case, it is commendable that the novelty is not based solely on nostalgia, even though it is present — and this is thanks to the presence of Jenna Ortegafrom the series Wandinhawhich shows the filmmaker’s intention to communicate with a new generation.

From this, Tim Burton seeks to find a balance between replicating concepts from the 1988 classic and developing new plots through new characters. It’s a risky move, as the maneuver bloats the film and makes it difficult to bring together so many good people in a story full of twists and turns.

In the end, Ortega is the highlight among the novelties, but we still have Willem Dafoe (Poor Creatures) as a ghost actor/cop à la Dirty Harry; and Monica Bellucci (007 Against Spectre) as a “Corpse Bride” seeking revenge, who has a spectacular introduction in the film. Until Justin Theroux (The Leftovers) — who plays the romantic partner of Lydia and shines less than the other newcomers in the film — has good moments.

With Jeffrey Joneswho played the patriarch of the Deetz, out of the novelty for controversial reasons, Delia Deetz of Catherine O’Hara stands out among the veterans, more at ease and with much more screen time than in Ghosts Have Fun.

Keaton also has an extended role in the sequel and is razor sharp. Winonahowever, which starred in its predecessor, gives way to Ortegawho plays her character’s daughter, Astrid Deetz. Conflicts with the mother, mourning the death of the father and even a love interest are essential subplots in the script.

And the great success is in how Tim Burton works on such issues, which could be a great dish to bring tears to the viewer’s eyes. The stories are not treated as something so dramatic and serve as a trigger for sequences in which the director can explore the countless possibilities of the afterlife and the tricks of Beetlejuice.

It’s rare to see a film that presents elements, scenarios and plots in abundance, but manages to bring cohesion even within a not-so-original proposal, managing to make them cohesive within a not-so-original proposal — after all, it’s comfortable for Tim Burton return to this universe.

The filmmaker makes it clear that, despite the various subplots, the main story, led by the family Deetzis maintained until the end. But the fact that the story jumps from core to core in such a delightfully chaotic way brings a pleasant rhythm to Beetlejuice 2 that, unlike Ghosts Have Fundedicates itself much more to the afterlife — and even yields a brilliant idea from “Soul Train”, a reference to the musical style that originated in the African-American community in the United States between 1950 and 1960.

If Tim Burton recently admitted that he thought about retiring after the failure of Dumbo, The Ghosts Still Have Fun: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice can be seen as a worthy farewell from a filmmaker who was always recognized for his eccentricity and the excellence of the production design of his films.

But the news makes us hope that the public will go to the cinemas and the film will become a success, leading the director to, who knows, start thinking about invoking Beetlejuice once again so that the ghosts can continue to have fun — and so can we.

What was the best movie of 2024 so far? Vote for your favorite!

• The Snow Society
• Anatomy of a Fall
• Everyone But You
• Poor Creatures
• The Boy and the Heron
• Dune: Part 2
• All of Us Strangers
• Godzilla and Kong: The New Empire
• Civil War
• Inside Out 2
• Bandit: Number One
• Deadpool & Wolverine
• This is how it ends
• Trap
• Alien: Romulus
• Types of Kindness
• Motel Destino
• Blink Twice
• The Raven
• Longlegs: Deadly Bond