Beetlejuice Beetlejuice | 4K Bluray Review

This movie, if you can call it that, was my one most anticipated release for 2024. It is the movie sequel I held my breath for, and waited months until a physical release to see. By now most of you have seen it already. You've likely heard the critics saying Keaton has revived Beetlejuice, and that the film was alright. Well, f**k all that. I'm about to sh*t in your cornflakes, and piss on your grits with the truth the whole truth and nothing, but the truth. I owe anyone returning that much honesty. I'm not here to kiss Hollywood's greatest's asses. I don't do that. So, sit back, relax, and prepare yourself as I unleash all sorts of Hell on this bastardized vision of a highly anticipated sequel.

From the start 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" captures that opening cinematic feel of old. Up to the point that you see Lydia Deetz played by Wynona Rider doing a halfhearted performance as a paranormal TV show host. Her line delivery, and acting are the worst I've seen from her over the years, and flows just about as good as fingernails scraping across a chalkboard. It's sad to see her attempt to recreate her character, and fail so miserably alongside her new clutzy love interest. Lydia Deetz isn't the only problem with this disaster though.

Returning in some form or fashion are Lydia's parents. Her stepmother returning via half-assed performance from Catherine O'Hara, and the former father dead without a head due to a convenient shark attack during a bird watching tour for reasons most us know of. It is at this point though that you, as the viewer, realize they are forcing events and characters into being instead of letting them develop in real time. This only escalates as Lydia's daughter played by Jenna Ortega, Delores Laferve played by Monica Belluci, and Beetlejuice whose reprising role is resurrected by Michael Keaton have places in the plot which turn as sour as the poison Beetlejuice ingested on his first wedding night. Even with cameos and performances by Willem Dafoe, and Danny DeVito it fails to do anything, but force into being several character driven storyline events that fast pace the movie forward without any real closure.

While the costumes, special effects, and set pieces are on par with the original alongside the soundtrack the film fails ultimately in it's casting, and intent to forcefully explain away events that should have had time to brew in the audience's mind. If I'm not mistaken there is one point in the film where Lydia Deetz literally says that something is, just because it is. She just brushes the significant event off as it's nothing. It's things like this that steal from the story, and make the movie more of a MARVEL rollercoaster ride than the feature length film the original was. It has zero substance, and tries, in it's limited time, to tie-in what could have been two movies worth of content if properly expanded upon. 

I know I jokingly went on social media with a rant after watching this travesty, saying it earned a "Doodoo/10" rating, but in all honesty it should never had been made as it is. It is clear Tim Burton lost touch with the magic that was "Beetlejuice". The stars themselves are all old, and worn. They couldn't live up to the legacy of their debut characters if they tried, and that again it is sad to see. All in all "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" was the biggest film disappointment of 2024 for me. It's like one big middle finger salute to longtime fans of "Beetlejuice".