Today’s the release date for the long-awaited sequel to Beetlejuice as Tim Burton fans have waited nearly four decades for this next chapter; although the film has its flaws, diehards won’t be disappointed. From the details of the miniature Winter River, Connecticut model in the attic of the classic house to the death methods of the recently deceased who wait in the “Neitherworld” purgatory-style lobby, there’s no shortage of camp. The costuming, music, and Broadway-style choreography of the “Soul Train” scenes deserved a separate film of their own.
About the music, since if you’re familiar with the Burton franchise, you know musicality is a character of its own in his movies. Traditionally that character’s played by the theatrical composer Danny Elfman. Not so this time, except for Elfman’s main and end titles dusted off from the 36-year-old 1988 soundtrack.
It would’ve been a crime not to hear Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O,” so the highlight of the new soundtrack is a cover performed by a youth choir at the funeral original cast member Jeffrey Jones was issued for not appearing this go-round. Replacing the “Day-O” musical fantasy sequence from the first film is a similar fun scene using a cover of Donna Summer’s cover of “MacArthur Park.”
Also missing this time were original cast members Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, easy to dismiss since they were ghosts in the first film. Luckily, the ever-delightful Catherine O’Hara has returned, complete with an Easter egg nod to her time spent as Moira Rose in Schitts Creek, and in one scene clearly adopting that hysterically-affected accent. Winona Ryder fabulously returns as Lydia, now hosting a paranormal activity television series Ghost Talk, and she now has a daughter, played by Jenna Ortega, who has some poignant moments in the film but essentially is reprising her role as Wednesday; this ultimately works since it’s very close to Ryder’s “my life is a dark room” role in the first film.
Michael Keaton thankfully has more than the scant 15 minutes of screen time in the first Beetlejuice, and makes the most of this quintessentially quirky role of a used-car salesman from beyond the grave. He’s given hilarious musical numbers, and a ghostly zombie of an ex-wife who puts herself back together, sort of an amalgam of Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas and Emily from Corpse Bride, to stalk him throughout the film.
The film isn’t that complicated and is about what you’d expect—it’s not trying to win Oscars for best screenplay—but it’s a fun ride. I agree with RogerEbert.com in saying the movie is “an overstuffed toy bag of a movie: every minute or two, the director digs into the bag and produces a new toy.” The bright technicolor fantasy world, art direction, music, performances, and homage to the first film make it worth seeing, and the timing of the release near Halloween ensures it should be a box office hit.