As I have said, I’m not a fan of the cinema anymore. I mean, if it’s a big movie, sure, I’ll go, but when it’s a movie like Beetlejuice 2, I’m happy to wait till it’s on streaming. Well, it’s now on streaming and I watched it today. Tell a lie, I’m still watching it as I write this, but I think I’m ready to review it.
We did have a review from a regular contributor, Poopy Pants, and I have to agree with him. To sum up Beetlejuice 2 in a few words, it would be a cash grab.
You know the cast and director, so I will just get right into it.
The Story
The official story for Beetlejuice 2 is:
After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her teenage daughter, Astrid, accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife.
That is the nice and simple version, but herein lies the problem. There is just too much going on as subplots. I’m going to delve into spoilers, but I’m saving you the hassle.
*spoilers*
Astrid (Jenna Ortega) meets a boy, he’s dead. I’m still not sure what’s going on with the two of them yet as I don’t really care. *edit* He’s an asshole then dies.
Delores (Monica Bellucci) was married to Beetlejuice in the past. She was also the leader of a cult and killed him. She is now after him to marry him again, for some reason, I ‘ve honestly missed why as I haven’t really been paying attention.
Charles (Jeffery Jones) was killed by a shark in the tropics. This was so weird, but they couldn’t get Jones back, so they animate him.
Delia Deetz (Catherine O’Hara) has to come to terms with Charles dying, so she goes nuts. She ends up dying and getting Beetlejuice to help her. Utterly pointless.
Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe) is an actor, who plays a cop, who’s looking for Beetlejuice. I think this has to do with Delores, again, I checked out, but he is wasted here. He was, as we used to say, a DVD extra deleted scenes.
All of this is just too much. I’m fine with having subplots in a movie, but not a movie like this. The original Beetlejuice was simple, two people are ghosts and want the living out of their house, so they get Beetlejuice to help. It’s simple and it worked. This sequel has to much going on, with a lot of it not needed at all.
I Like Money
There is only one reason this movie was made, as I said earlier, a cash grab. This is sprinkled with ‘memberberries for those of a certain age and remember the original. It’s far too late for a sequel, it’s not very funny and I kind of watched it because there’s nothing else on at the moment.
Sure, I was mildly interested to see what they did with it but, like most of these things, it wasn’t worth the time or effort. I feel embarrassed for all of the actors, they are all very good, but they are all wasted. Everyone gets a paycheque, has a few laughs and moves on.
Overall
Beetlejuice 2 is just not worth the time. I have no idea how this did so well at the box office. By all accounts, it did $300 million worldwide. I think this is another reason I don’t like the cinema, it’s full of people that want to consume stuff like this. This also means you know some suit somewhere is pitching a third one. #rolleyes
Keaton is excellent in it, he doesn’t miss a beat, but again, it’s all wasted. Just watch the original again if you want to see him. His Beetlejuice is a classic character and lives in cinema history. history. It’s just a shame they had to dig him up again. I hope they leave him to rest now. There are one or two good moments, with a couple of giggles, but it’s just not enough to keep you entertained.
Beetlejuice 2 is now on streaming, but it’s time you’ll never get back. Watch the original again.
