Beetlejuice First Reviews: Nostalgic, Energetic, and a Total Blast

The verdict is in for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The film has been described as “ghoulishly fun,” “joyous,” and “an absolute thrill ride” in early reviews from the Venice Film Festival, where it premiered to a modest three-minute standing ovation.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice now holds an official critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Out of the 40 critics who weighed in on Tim Burton’s legacy sequel, it garnered a respectable 78%. This is only a slight 4% drop from the 1988 original, which starred Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, Geena Davis, and Catherine O’Hara. Critics are calling it “rife with nostalgia” and “a love letter to a beloved classic.”

Alison Willmore of Vulture feels the film is “like reconnecting with an estranged friend,” while Stephanie Bunbury from Deadline notes, “Everybody here is obviously having fun to burn” and “it’s also a blast just to watch.”

John Nugent of Empire Magazine echoes these sentiments, stating, “Michael Keaton, barely aging a day in his panda-eyed demonic get-up, if anything seems to have more energy than he did 35 years ago, bouncing off the purgatorial walls with hilarious gusto, lifting everything around him.”

Ben Rolph from Discussing Film adds, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is pretty safe for a legacy sequel, but director Tim Burton proves that his signature creative touch hasn’t lost its magic.”

However, some critics had reservations. Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair remarks that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is “so jumbled and overstuffed it’s almost abstract,” while Kevin Maher from The Times (UK) feels “the mania feels consistently forced.”

Despite a few criticisms, the film is largely appreciated by critics, with much of the affection stemming from a deep sense of nostalgia.

TIME Magazine: This sequel to Burton’s 1988 cracked pop masterpiece Beetlejuice doesn’t strive for greatness, or even your garden-variety over-the-top fantastical vision. Instead, Burton has just allowed himself to be silly and have fun.

London Evening Standard: Suffice to say that nobody does death like Tim Burton, and it’s a pleasure to follow him back into the underworld. You’ll leave the cinema and return to the world of the living with a spring in your step and a smile on your face.

Variety: It doesn’t give you the full monster-kitsch jolt that the original film had. Yet there’s good fan service and bad, and as stilted and gimcracky as it can sometimes be, I had a pretty good time at Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

BBC.com: The nicest surprise is that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is that rare thing, a big-budget comedy which is actually funny.

The Hollywood Reporter: The zippy pacing, buoyant energy and steady stream of laugh-out-loud moments hint at the joy Burton appears to have found in revisiting this world, and for anyone who loved the first movie, it’s contagious.

Overall, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice seems to have captured the hearts of critics, banking on nostalgia while breathing new life into a beloved classic. The film showcases Tim Burton’s unique creative touch and delivers a joyful and fun experience for both nostalgic fans and new viewers alike.

Source: TIME Magazine, London Evening Standard, Variety, BBC.com, The Hollywood Reporter