Iconic characters return for the cultural phenomenon. Photo courtesy of Forbes. 

TORI SATCHWELL | STAFF REPORTER | tsatchwell@butler.edu 

“Film Fanatics” focuses on the latest and greatest cinema has to offer. Ranging from the newest movies in theaters to familiar favorites, enjoy thoughtful reviews that inspire further reflection or several rewatches. Read on to discover a new favorite film. 

After 36 years, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” finally became a reality for “Beetlejuice” fans. The follow-up to the cult classic has been rumored for years, but fans finally get to see a real continuation on the big screen. 

Generating over $110 million domestically in its first weekend, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is a guaranteed box office hit. However, the long-awaited sequel focused more on nostalgia rather than generating a coherent story. The jarring pacing of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” squeezes the vibrancy out of the movie, leaving fans with a colorful picture but a dull story. 

Lydia Deetz — portrayed by Winona Ryder — is back, but is she better than ever? With an estranged relationship with her daughter Astrid — portrayed by Jenna Ortega — and an even more peculiar relationship with her step-mom Delia — portrayed by Catherine O’Hara, Lydia must return to her childhood home to confront the demons, or demon, haunting her. Death, as always, brings them together, but the afterlife will tear them apart with the return of the wicked Beetlejuice — portrayed by Michael Keaton. 

Incorporating new characters like Rory — portrayed by Justin Theroux — and Wolf Jackson — portrayed by Willem Dafoe, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” purposely leaves out two iconic characters from the first film — newlydeads Adam and Barbara Maitland. Director Tim Burton explained the omission of the beloved characters in a People magazine interview. 

“I think the thing was for me I didn’t want to just tick any boxes,” Burton said in his interview. “So even though they were such an amazing integral part of the first one, I was focusing on something else.”

In the movie, the writers gloss over the ghosts’ disappearance, giving the Maitlands’ story a deflated ending. 

The writing is the movie’s biggest downfall, with the movie being stuck in “development hell” for nearly four decades. Throughout that time, many writers have contributed to the ever-changing script, which resulted in the movie playing out like a condensed TV show. 

Trying to squeeze laughs from the audience, the first hour of the movie acts as a reunion for the characters. Many of their next steps in life felt like an entry from a Wattpad story rather than a true continuation of their arcs, focusing on shock value rather than substance. 

Then, the movie haphazardly transports the audience back to the afterlife without a care for how the characters got there. The overabundance of characters led to each person not getting the attention or love they deserved. 

When Beetlejuice is not the main villain or anti-hero, Burton does not know how to build tension. After a wicked entrance, the evil Delores — portrayed by Monica Bellucci — is forgotten about for the rest of the movie, aside from haphazard moments here and there. The sense of impending dread never translated to the other characters, let alone the audience. 

However, Keaton killed the role of the bio-exorcist, Beetlejuice, stealing every moment he was on screen. Keaton’s infectious charm as the titular anti-hero is the heart of this series, keeping the audience engaged and enjoying their time. 

While the final product was not as polished as some fans would have wanted, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” still has fun moments. “Beetlejuice” left big shoes to fill, but the cast tried their best to replicate the magic of the original. 

Burton and the team knew “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” would be a booming success regardless of quality, leading to the messy script that was presented to audiences. The movie is overly dependent on exploiting fans’ nostalgia rather than presenting an intriguing story. 

If “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” becomes a reality, fans need to demand a tighter script and a more genuine narrative. 

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is currently out in theaters and will be streaming soon on Max.