Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Synopsis
Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) must deal with cinema’s most infamous demonic douchebag yet again in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Set 36 years after the events of the original film, the sequel begins with Lydia cashing in – or more accurately, her toxic boyfriend/manager, Rory (Justin Theroux), forcing her to cash in – on her ability to talk to the dead, all the while neglecting to keep in close contact with her estranged daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega). Meanwhile, in the land of the dead, Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) quickly finds himself on the run from his witch ex-wife, Delores (Monica Belluci) (to be fair, he is the one who killed her). When Astrid is tricked into taking a trip to the land of the dead that doesn’t come with a return ticket, Lydia must reluctantly partner with Betelgeuse to save her. We call this pulling the ol’ Terminator 2: Judgement Day routine.
Analysis
The over-the-top nature of the film makes it very entertaining to watch. Burton goes big with all his creative decisions, from plot to dialogue to costume and set design. Each scene thus has its zaniness factor maxed out; characters will say ridiculous things with disturbingly strong conviction, the undead will go about their daily business while paying no mind to their gruesome fatal wounds, and supernatural phenomena will be spectacularly displayed in a way that combines live-action and animation, to name a few examples. Movie elements are also infused with Burton’s signature fantastical gothic aesthetic and comedic-horror leanings, which makes for a hyper-stylized macabre viewing experience. And most importantly, the level of care put into each outlandish element, there being a wide variety of extreme elements present, plus the commendable “dedication to the bit” from the actors – specifically from Michael Keaton, Justin Theroux, and Catherine O’Hara – prevented this type of strangeness from losing its luster.
Though Burton delivers on spectacle, the film still has a heartfelt main story centered around love. Unlike the first film which focused mostly on the novelty of Betelgeuse, from a thematic perspective, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice tells a story of sacrificial love emerging triumphant over exploitative affection. At the beginning of the film, Lydia and Astrid are still dealing with the pain of what they view to be a broken family, years after the death of Lydia’s ex-husband / Astrid’s father, Richard (Santiago Cabrera). Malicious actors enter both characters’ lives, offering Lydia and Astrid the possibility of love while planning to leverage their relationships for their own personal gain. Yes, supernatural intervention plays a role in the pair’s eventual victory over their abusers. However, upon realizing that Richard’s death doesn’t mean the death of the loving relationship between mother and daughter, their mended relationship is the principle driver behind Lydia’s and Astrid’s success. (Another reason why I think love is at the center of this film is the journeys of Betelgeuse and Delia Deetz (Catherine O’Hara) also revolve around love. Betelgeuse spends the entire movie fleeing from the person who had used the illusion of love as a ploy to kill him when he was human, and Delia remains in a perpetual state of mourning over the loss of her husband, Richard.) While the film’s exploration of love isn’t deep, it does provide a reason for the audience to become emotionally invested.
My only issue with the film is the number of storylines it juggles. Like I said before, the central plot concerns the mending of Lydia’s and Astrid’s relationship. But, Betelgeuse and Lydia teaming up to save Astrid from the afterlife is a clear driving force for the plot. You also can’t forget about Betelgeuse being on the run from Delores. Oh, and then there’s Rory spending most of the film trying to convince Lydia to marry him. And you need to pay attention to the development of Ortega’s relationship with esoteric teenager Jeremy (Arthur Conti). And how could I not mention Delia going to extreme lengths to memorialize her late husband? The presence of all these storylines takes away focus from each, so at various points of the film you’re left wondering what the significance behind a certain scene is. And rather than these storylines seamlessly merging together towards the end of the film to offer a satisfying conclusion, this arguably only happens for two of the storylines. While this shortcoming didn’t massively take away from my enjoyment of the film, it did make the movie feel a bit overstuffed and unfocused.
Conclusion
In summary, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a great movie to check out during the Halloween season. It delivers on over-the-top spectacle and solid emotional beats, despite lagging in offering a cohesive narrative. What else can I say, it’s not a bad watch!