Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is coming to theaters soon and the first reactions are coming in… so, what do early viewers think of this long-awaited sequel?
Tim Burton’s follow-up to his 1988 classic “Beetlejuice” – which sees Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder return as Betelgeuse, Delia Deetz and Lydia Deetz, alongside new cast members Jenna Ortega (Burton’s star in “Wednesday”), Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe – officially hits theaters in the United States on September 6, but critics who caught an advance screening are finally sharing their thoughts on social media.
What is the initial verdict on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice based on critics who saw the film at the Venice Film Festival? It’s apparently pretty good! Sophie Monks Kaufman of IndieWire posted her official review (on X, formerly known as Twitter) with a blurb praising Burton’s vision: “Burton has married his spectacle of gags, visual spectacles, and charming special effects with a distinctly human story.” Alongside her own review, The Playlist posted: “Tim Burton is back and at his best in decades.” Other critics such as Ema Sasic joined in, praising the film; as Sasic wrote: “(‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’) is scary-funny! Burton pays tribute to his first film with flashbacks while expanding his characters and world to create a delightful new story. The entire cast gets the job and provides plenty of laughs. And there are so many great scenes in the afterlife too.”
Critics flock to social media to praise Beetlejuice
Overall, most critics like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and some of them attribute that to Burton’s vision for the sequel. Jacob Hall of /Film had the chance to preview the film and gave his own opinion: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a long-awaited return to form for Tim Burton. With Michael Keaton’s indelible performance and the hordes of practical puppets and mountains of old-school VFX wizardry, this is a sequel that really understands what made the original so special, while building on it in fun, inventive ways.”
Mo Moshaty of NightTide Magazine agreed, writing, “(‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’) is full of slapstick, jokes are revisited, (Michael) Keaton does extras, (Catherine) O’Hara is a spunky Delia, (Winona) Ryder is still weird and unusual and (Jenna) Ortega remains angsty. Everything this kind of sequel should be.” Barry Levitt, reviewing the film for The Daily Beast, liked it but wanted it to go further. “My first from Venice! (‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’) is a pretty funny moment as it leans into the afterlife. Monica Bellucci is the understaffed MVP,” he wrote. Still, not all The critics liked the film – so what did the critics have to say about Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?
Some of the critics who saw Beetlejuice were not enthusiastic about Tim Burton’s sequel
Richard Lawson at Vanity Fair definitely not like “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” based on his X-reactions. On his own page, Lawson wrote that the film “badmouths Lydia Deetz,” and on the outlet’s account, he summed up his feelings again, writing, “‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ is yet another legacy continuation that serves as a sad testament to the original film’s ingenuity.” Total Film wasn’t quite as harsh, but seemed to mostly agree in its post, which calls the film “a fun but disjointed afterlife of fun.”
Despite some concerns about Beetlejuice, it seems inevitable that the film will do quite well when it officially hits theaters—especially considering the overwhelming affection fans have for the original film. (Plus, no one can deny that bringing the modern-day, deadpan scream queen Ortega on board as Lydia Deetz’s daughter Astrid was a stroke of genius.) In any case, the sentiment is mostly positive, so fans can get ready for spooky season when the film hits theaters on September 6, 2024 (international audiences will get to see it two days earlier, on September 4, though).
