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Beetlejuice 2.0 sucks worse than the original

The announcement of a sequel to Beetlejuice sparked a mix of excitement and apprehension among fans of the original. While Tim Burton’s 1988 dark comedy remains a cult classic, and ai’m being very gracious here, the decision to revisit it decades later has left many wondering: why tamper with a film that was already a perfect balance of weird, wonderful, and self-contained? Or, perhaps more succinctly, how in world do expect to polish this turd? So, maybe in hindsight, it’s clear the sequel was not only unnecessary but also a misstep. Here’s why the creators should have left Beetlejuice alone and why the follow-up fails to capture the original’s magic, if it ever had any:

The charm of Beetlejuice lies in its sheer absurdity, anchored by Michael Keaton’s manic and mostly unforgettable performance as the titular ghost with the most. It was a unique product of its time, combining Burton’s quirky aesthetic with an offbeat script and an equally untalented Danny Elfman score. The movie didn’t need a sequel because it resolved its ownstory: the Deetzes and Maitlands made peace, and Beetlejuice got his karmic comeuppance. Revisiting it decades later feels forced, overly forced without Vaseline forced, as if the creators were cashing in on nostalgia rather than delivering something authentic.

Instead of breaking new ground, the sequel relies heavily on rehashing the original’s themes, characters, and style. It leans into nostalgia, attempting to recreate the charm of a bygone era without adding meaningful depth. Sequels like this often feel like hollow imitations, pandering to fans without offering anything fresh… And, they’re seemingly really cheap to make.

So, that’s about all I’m going to put into this review… because… the creators put in far less effort.  They put a turd on a plate and somehow expected people would think it was great???  Someone has done too many drugs!

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