Well, it only took 36 years for a sequel to Tim Burton’s beloved zany black comedy to come to fruition, but Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is finally here. The original feature film is a comedy classic, a critical and commercial success, and even spawned its own animated series and Broadway musical. With Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara returning to reprise their roles and some exciting new additions to the cast, there is a lot going for it. So now the only concern is whether it was worth resurrecting the franchise for one more haunt.

Picking up a few decades after the original, we find Ryder’s Lydia Deetz is now the host of her own paranormal investigation show, Ghost House, and is also a mother struggling to raise her cynical and moody daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega). After Lydia learns of the death of her father from her stepmother Delia, with O’Hara reprising the role, the three generations of Deetz return to Winter River for the funeral, with Lydia’s boyfriend/producer Rory, played by Justin Theroux, in tow. But the loss of her father isn’t the only thing troubling Ryder’s character as she is haunted by visions of Keaton’s Betelgeuse, who is dealing with his own problems, namely the return of his ex-wife, Delores, played by Monica Bellucci.

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With most of the main cast already established from the original, the sequel can quickly establish its new status quo and basic premise. With that being the case, it should waste no time getting to the story, but unfortunately, the movie suffers from a prolonged first act. While some may argue it’s a slow burn, it feels like a slog, as if the characters were trying to regain their footing. Thankfully, it brushes off the cobwebs by the second act and finds its pacing.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t last long as the picture collapses in on itself by the end as it tries to make up for the lost time in a chaotic rush. There’s just too much going on for it to sustain itself. At the film’s core, it is a very human story focused on Lydia and her relationship with her daughter, but too much is happening around it. With so many elements to handle at once, there isn’t enough room to resolve it all by the time the end draws near, ultimately making for some weak resolutions.

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But despite the issues with story and pacing, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is still held together by its strong sense of style brought forth by Burton’s vision and great performances from Keaton and Ryder. The sequel maintains the spirit and aesthetic of the original with familiar set pieces and designs. This especially shines through in the Neitherworld, as Burton’s twisted world of ghouls and civil servants comes to life. As for Keaton and Ryder, the duo still have their weird and charming chemistry and command of their characters. Keaton immediately falls back into the role and demands the spotlight in every scene he’s in. Meanwhile, Ryder was able to evolve the character of Lydia and make her development as a mother feel real and engaging for the audience.

Beyond Keaton and Ryder, however, the rest of the cast feels relatively flat. The original film immediately made me care for the Maitlands and the Deetz family, but the sequel struggles to do the same. Of course, we still care about Lydia and Delia, but the newcomers to the cast don’t have enough time to develop or establish themselves. Ortega delivers a good performance playing Astrid as her character deals with her mother’s connection to ghosts while also trying to reconcile with her father’s death, played by Santiago Cabrera. However, at the same time, she still feels too two-dimensional. This all stems from the earlier issue pointed out that there’s just too much going on in the film for its own good. Characters meant to be in supporting roles feel like nothing more than cameos as they struggle to matter.

So, with all that said, it’s time to follow up on the original question of whether it was worth resurrecting the ghost with the most. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is still a fun time, thanks to Keaton’s zany and irreverent Bio-Exorcist, and fans of the original will be happy to know the sequel doesn’t lose any of Burton’s charm or style. Unfortunately, it struggles with too many storylines, leading to uneven pacing and a lackluster conclusion. But at the center of all those plot threads, it is still a story with a lot of heart that will make for a good family film, just not one that lives up to the heights of the original.– Jacob Campbell

Rating: 7/10

Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is now in theaters.