I hadn't expected to like the Beetlejuice sequel especially as I wasn't anticipating watching it at all. Luckily, I had only caught the final trailer on the big screen which really sold it to me. It's great to see the original cast come back and to return to the wonderfully weird world of Beetlejuice.
The film experience is definitely heightened with a lively audience. I saw the film twice; on opening night and then a week later. There was a wonderful energy on opening night and the audience was vocal about their enjoyment. I also found myself laughing more than I thought I would. The production design is top notch and I love practical comedy, like Monica Bellucci's entrance. I thought the cast did a great job and I was just a sucker for Bob, who really tugged at my heart strings. The concept behind the Soul Train was really good fun, and I really enjoyed the sound design, especially the flapping of the fish on one of the characters.
A lot of sequels recently are guilty of just remaking the original movie or using entire scenes, however I really liked that this story evolved. It also taps into the notion of trauma, as we have characters who perhaps are not doing as well as we might want them to be doing, which therefore requires them to go on their own journey. There was three generations worth of trauma to unpack here, but of course, in a light hearted fun way. There's definitely much more to takeaway from this movie than I had expected, and overall I thought it was really entertaining and witty. Great performances, excellent production design, and some really cool sequences. The film also features what has become one of my favourite death sequences ever! It's probably how I would die to be honest...
