Beetlejuice 2 has finally arrived, bringing a fresh dose of ghostly antics, bizarre characters, and more than a few plot holes. We didn’t expect the ghost with the most to leave us with all the answers neatly wrapped up at the end. But among all of the chaos, there are a few glaring issues that really made us scratch our heads,
These Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice plotholes are big enough to ride a sandworm through
Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying that Beetlejuice 2’s plot is all over the place. We’ve got multiple villains and plotlines that fizzle out without going anywhere and are considerably more bloated than the original. However, a few plotholes in particular had us wondering exactly what was going on in the writer’s room.
Astrid doesn’t believe in ghosts despite the overwhelming evidence from the first movie
Astrid makes it clear in the first half of Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice that she believes her mom is lying about seeing ghosts. However, this doesn’t make much sense. In the original film, no less than six people see irrefutable proof of an afterlife.
We also see at the end of the original film that a book titled “The Living and the Dead: Harmonious lifestyles and peaceful co-existence” has been published by the Handbook for the Recently Deceased Press. This seems to indicate that the connection between the two worlds has become strong enough to justify a book. Additionally, Jeremy tells Astrid that he found his copy of The Handbook for the Recently Deceased at a yard sale, which is a lie, but one she accepts readily, so we can assume that the book is also available in the world of the living.
One could assume that the knowledge of ghosts and the afterlife would have become commonplace in the 30 years between the two films. So, it doesn’t make sense that Astrid doesn’t see or believe in ghosts, especially considering that her mother has been surrounded by the paranormal for decades.
Lydia wants to prove to Rory that Betelgeuse is real, then doesn’t
When Lydia discovers the flyer advertising Betelgeuse’s services in the attic, she freaks out and tries to explain the situation to Rory. He thinks that her mania is a symptom of some mental issue, and hoping to prove it to her, he says Betelgeuse’s name three times.
The two are transported to the Maitland’s model and enter a twisted version of couple’s counseling. During the session, the two have a horrific experience, including Lydia being forced to give birth to a tiny, frenzied Betelgeuse baby.
The two manage to escape, and afterward Rory believes the whole thing is a dream. However, despite being adamant that he knows the truth behind Betelgeuse (and her ability to see ghosts in general), Lydia immediately agrees that it was all a dream.
It makes no sense that Lydia spent her entire relationship with Rory hoping to prove her connection with the supernatural and let an opportunity like this go to waste. This is especially true when she knows Betelgeuse will likely interfere with her wedding.
Delia goes straight to the great beyond
When Delia dies she manages to skip the entire afterlife process and head straight to the great beyond with Charles. While it’s possible her time in the afterlife was shortened because she didn’t have many (or any) regrets, the movies make it a point that there’s a bureaucracy with regulations that the dead must follow to reach their final destination.
Both Delia and Charles wander around the afterlife before making it to the Soul Train. They don’t stick around to haunt any location, there are no obnoxious waits, and neither seems to need a passport stamped or paperwork filed. While this whole issue could be handwaved away, it feels as though the film lacks internal consistency when it comes to the mechanics of the afterlife.
