Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the much-awaited sequel to Tim Burton’s classic 1988 horror-comedy Beetlejuice, releases in the US theaters this Friday. But before that, the movie had its global premiere at the 81st annual Venice International Film Festival on Wednesday, August 28. Now, the first reactions to the Beetlejuice sequel are coming out, and they are significantly positive.
Critics share strong reactions to Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
The initial critical response is quite promising for Tim’s Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. It takes the audience back to Winter River, Connecticut, in a live-action feature for the first time in 36 years.
Lindsey Bahr of the Associated Press found the sequel to be a “total delight.” On X (formerly, Twitter, she posted, “Was incredibly surprised to find Beetlejuice Beetlejuice a total delight? Zany and weird and very fun.”
Meanwhile, Collider’s Perri Nemiroff mentioned on X that the original film is an “all-time favorite.” She added that “this new one plays like such a joyous romp back into that world.” Nemiroff goes on to praise the performances. “Michael Keaton doesn’t skip a beat. Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega’s mother/daughter storyline is a big winner for me — the element that gives the movie an effective beating heart,” the post read.
Nemiroff’s post continued, “LOVED the concept for Willem Dafoe’s character — an actor who becomes a cop in the Afterlife, but is still playing a cop. Quite enjoyed all of the performances but … CATHERINE O’HARA. Non-stop brilliance. Just true perfection in this role/in this world.”
David Rooney also lauded Burton, who also directed the film, in a review for The Hollywood Reporter. “CG work is no doubt extensive but one of the sequel’s charms is how much its physical sets, puppetry, and phantasmagoria stick to a hand-crafted look in line with the far more limited effects tools available in the late ’80s,” Rooney wrote. “It’s rewarding to have Burton back in full creative command of the humor, the fantastical imagination, and the gleeful morbidity on which he built his name.”
Nicholas Barber of BBC observed that as with Top Gun: Maverick, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice benefits from the long gap from the original. “Instead of seeming like a retread, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice stands up as a comedy with its own story and its own concerns. It can be quite moving on the difficulties of ageing, being a parent, and dealing with bereavement. But then it always returns to ghoulish and cartoonish silliness again,” Barber explained.
At Venice, the Beetlejuice sequel received a three-minute standing ovation. While all these positive reactions are wonderful, the real test will be after the movie debuts in theaters.
