By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
The "Juice" is back and wilder than ever. Michael Keaton--or Michael Keaton Douglas-- reprises his iconic role in
Tim Burton's delightfully bizarre sequel,
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice."
In this eagerly anticipated follow up to the 1988 cult classic ("Beetlejuice") the ghost with the most returns to the screen and dazzles in a whirlwind of zebra suited splendor, macabre humor, and fantastical antics that made the original such a fan favorite.
Some spirits just never get old or lose their bewitching charm.
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" is a visually stunning extravaganza brimming with outlandish action and unexpected subplots sprung from Burton and his screenwriters
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar's (TV's "Wednesday") wild imaginations.
One particularly surreal sequence involves a homage to the classic dance show "Soul Train." It features a wild train journey to the afterlife, complete with 1970s-clad Black dancers. Yet, this scene feels disjointed and somewhat out of place within the film's broader context. Its inclusion and portrayal, stands in stark contrast to the absence of prominent Black leading characters elsewhere in the movie and comes across as superficial and condescending.
However, before all that takes place, the movie centers on Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder, "Haunted Mansion"), now a paranormal TV host for a show called "Ghost House," which is produced by her boyfriend Rory (Justin Theroux, TV's "The Mosquito Coast").
Lydia's mother Delia (Catherine O'Hara, "Argylle") runs an art show in London, leaving Lydia juggling her TV career and raising her teenage daughter Astrid (a standout performance by Jenna Ortega, "Winter Spring Summer or Fall").
Astrid is struggling with the recent loss of her father Richard (Santiago Cabrera, TV's "The Cleaning Lady"), who tragically died during a vacation in South America. She wants Lydia to use her spiritual connections to communicate with her father, but Lydia is reluctant. And for good reason.
But, when Astrid meets Jeremy (TV’s "House of the Dragon"), who claims he can connect her with her father's spirit, things take a dark turn. This unsettling development, coupled with Lydia's accidental summoning of Beetlejuice, sets off a chain of harrowing and sometimes even humorous events.
What makes "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" stand out is Tim Burton's unmistakable sense of style. The film balances the interplay between the living and the dead, the mundane and the imaginative, all while showcasing Burton's signature blend of dark humor and heartfelt moments.
The cast, which includes a funny Willem Dafoe as former actor and stuntman Wolf Jackson, also deliver performances that nicely complement Michael Keaton's larger-than-life portrayal, adding another layer of enjoyment to the film.
Although "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" may not quite reach the iconic status of its predecessor, it still provides audiences with a nostalgic and entertaining journey back into Burton’s wonderful, weird little world.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Look At This Trailer For
"BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
