Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

[The Joker]

[Silver Nemesis]

Michael Keaton interviews Beetlejuice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEpoz1_TjXA

According to People magazine, Keaton wants to use his real name for future acting credits. Henceforth he's going to be credited as Michael Keaton Douglas: https://people.com/michael-keaton-real-name-michael-douglas-start-using-it-exclusive-8705257

[The Dark Knight]

I wanted to love this movie, but I have to be honest. I thought the movie was average. For a movie under two hours there's quite a bit I'd cut out, some of the humor didn't land and plot points aren't satisfactorily resolved. The first movie had a great flow where this one has too much going on. I didn't really like how Beetlejuice was portrayed either, and that's not a slight on Keaton at all. He's good with what he's given. He's a bit too helpful and jokey for my liking. I'm giving it 6/10. Not terrible but not great either.

[thecolorsblend]

Your comment is literally the only response I've seen to the movie.

But it sounds like Beetlejuice's characterization is slightly closer to the cartoon show. In the show, I remember him being portrayed as a basically good-hearted ne'er do well and sidekick for Lydia. Is that sort of how he's done in the movie?

[The Dark Knight]

I never saw the cartoon but yeah, that's pretty much what he's like. An edge is missing. He's also not built up to because we see him early on, and in a fairly regular way. So when he does appear from the model later (this scene is in the trailers) there isn't any mystique. It feels too common to me. Burton gives a lot of screen time to plot points that aren't really interesting. There's a twist with a character, but I don't think it justifies that level of focus. I'd be okay with cutting about two or three characters. I think there was a decent movie in there if it was streamlined into something more focused. Belucci and Dafoe for example are standouts but they're let down by the script. It's a bummer to type this, but I'm being real about it.

[Silver Nemesis]

Belucci and Dafoe for example are standouts but they're let down by the script.

That's disappointing to hear. The writers have had over a decade to perfect the script, so that was one aspect of the film I was hoping would deliver.

The general response I've seen online is that the new movie's ok, but not the return to form Burton fans were hoping for. I'm not sure if I'll catch it in theatres. I might if I get time. It's off to a strong start at the box office though and is expected to pass $100 million by the end of the weekend.

Here's a video exploring the darker original version of Beetlejuice, back when it was intended to be a pure horror movie. The video also covers the lengthy development history of the sequel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3oymNDC3UU

[The Dark Knight]

That's disappointing to hear. The writers have had over a decade to perfect the script, so that was one aspect of the film I was hoping would deliver.

The general response I've seen online is that the new movie's ok, but not the return to form Burton fans were hoping for.

That's indeed the case. It's just okay. There was enough content here for at least two sequels, but they jumbled every together and rushed it at the end. If Burton chose one strand and followed that it would've been a better experience in my opinion. That's the frustrating part about the film because there are good concepts here. The first movie was tightly edited with hardly any fat, being a focused story that the sequel just isn't.

Justin Theroux didn't work for me at all. I didn't like Jenna Ortega or her extended story with Arthur Conti's character either. I also didn't connect with Catherine O'Hara this time or what they did with her. It came off more annoying and exaggerated than genuinely funny, and that goes for quite a lot of the humor too. I think I would've cut those things away completely and had it centred around Belucci - hot as hell, and a great concept but completely underused, Dafoe - brilliantly funny, Ryder and Keaton.

Follow that story and it would've been much better. I do hope it has a strong box office though. I don't hate it. More disappointed by what could've and probably should've been.