“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” better or worse than the original? Collage courtesy of junior Vyolet Burrus.

  The original “Beetlejuice” movie was released in 1988, and has become a classic movie for San Luis Obispo High School students. Recently its sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was released in early September and students have mixed feelings about the film.

  “I personally love movies that play around with death and the afterlife, and the comedic nature of [“Beetlejuice”] mixed with the macabre and an iconic cast of characters is so entertaining to watch. I love the aesthetics of the movie and how gothic yet simultaneously colorful they are!” said senior Frida Vega.

  The original movie was directed by Tim Burton and primarily featured actors Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice and Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz. The film also featured actors Catherine O’Hara, Geena Davis, and Alec Baldwin. 

  In the 1988 film, Davis and Baldwin’s characters had to navigate the afterlife whilst stuck haunting their old home. They were forced to deal with the unbearable family who had moved into their home (the Deetz’s), which led them to hiring Beetlejuice, a mischievous poltergeist who wreaked havoc on all those he encountered.

  “It is definitely a cult classic, and a movie I would recommend to people with an interest in fun, eccentric, and grim movies,” said Vega.

  Ryder, Keaton, and O’Hara can be seen in the sequel, which is set over thirty years after the original. Most notably, actress Jenna Ortega is featured as Ryder’s daughter, and actress Monica Bellucci was cast as Beetlejuice’s nightmarish ex-wife. 

  The film focuses on Lydia Deetz and Astrid Deetz (played by Ortega) as they try to navigate their troubled relationship amidst the death of Lydia’s father and later the return of Beetlejuice. 

  The new movie gives characters from the original more depth, allowing the audience to see how relationships have changed throughout the decades. The addition of Ortega’s character also allows the Deetz family to further develop and let the audience understand the nuanced behaviors of each member. 

  “I love the characters, they are all very unique and have their own feel to it. I especially love the character designs/costumes and the contrast between the living and the dead. The way the dead are so colorful is very fun to see and even the background dead people’s designs are ingenious, showing the way they died. I love how goth Lydia is in contrast to the rest of the living, who are very plain,” said Vega.

  While the sequel has many interesting plot points to explore and the characters, both new and returning, are intriguing, the plot points aren’t elaborated enough to be cohesive, leaving something to be desired. There’s four or five conflicting plot points, leaving the film with multiple antagonists that don’t play off each other well. 

  All of the plot points had so much potential yet, they were never fully fleshed out, causing the movie to fall just short. The primary focus seems to be on the characters and their development with one another as well as references to the previous movie which is great, but it leaves the plot to suffer slightly. 

  “The acting was good, but there were so many storylines, and none of them got enough time to be fully developed. Any one of the storylines could have been the focus of the entire movie. Each storyline was rushed through and ended so fast. It’s really unfortunate,” wrote one IMDB critic.

  Overall, should students see the film? Absolutely; especially if they loved the original movie. Any plot failings are easily overlooked by strong acting and design. 

  While certain points may feel odd or not connected, the film is still a fantastic sequel. The design and production itself is perfectly gruesome in what could only be described as “Beetlejuice.” The characters are really what makes the movie, and because of them the plot points can connect and the contrasting antagonists are somehow tied together.

  “Students should one hundred percent watch the [‘Beetlejuice’ movies], its zaniness and gothic qualities are perfect for a Halloween movie night! If musical theater is your cup of tea, I would also recommend watching the musical!” said Vega.

  “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is still in theaters, Tigers, so go check it out!

Sources: imdb.com