First off, the elephant in the room: remakes are scary. Mess with a classic and fans panic. But after 36 years, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Tim Burton’s spooktacular sequel— often referred to as Beetlejuice 2— has captivated audiences. This horror-comedy classic has garnered generally positive reviews and has a worldwide total stand at $1.317 billion, according to Rotten Tomatoes (Sept 23, 2024).

Compared to the 1988 Beetlejuice film, Beetlejuice 2’s story finds Lydia and Delia Deetz at very different points in their lives when facing Micheal Keaton’s poltergeist again, especially considering that Winona Ryder’s character now has a teenage daughter, Astrid (played by Jenna Ortega).

Tim Burton brings us back to his quirky version of the Afterlife, which makes for many laughs and exciting moments. However, the story runs a little shallow, depending more on the characters, action and comedy to get us from Point A to Point B than a complex and meaningful plot. But the film does a great job of providing an additive feel to the story universe, giving us the space to enjoy the return of characters we already know, while also allowing us to get to know Astrid better. 

Overall, Beetlejuice 2 feels more mature than the original. The artistic style of the film is visually stunning, the music is amusing, the acting is superb and there are some truly magical moments that make it worth the price of a ticket. This is a film that you will want to experience on the big screen.