BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE

This is a pleasantly refreshing take on the Tim Burton classic, and the callbacks - perhaps besides 'Day O' sung by a children's choir (though totally believable as a decision Deila would make to have at her husband's funeral) - are largely handled with a light touch and will often go unnoticed by those not fans of the original. It's fresh, it's funny, and it's entertaining - this is more than just a money grab by way of a pointless rehash; some real thought has gone into the film.

That starts with the script by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, jamming in a lot of plot points and threads to follow but never leaving you lost - or worse, bored. They know that despite the paranormal phenomena and the bizarre world it was set in, at the heart of 'Beetlejuice' was a family story of conflict between a daughter and her mother. That again becomes a key element of 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice', this time not just between Delia and Lydia, but now also Lydia and Astrid.

As the daughter, Jenna Ortega manages to fit into this dysfunctional family as the only normal member, dragged (literally, in so many cases) through this crazy tale by family and friends. Setting herself apart with her sceptical view of the situation makes her relatable and offers her the chance to have her own romance storyline. The other new addition, and at the other end of the spectrum, is Justin Theroux. If you've enjoyed him in 'The Leftovers' or 'American Psycho'... well, he's unrecognisable here. He's so damn unlikeable from the get-go, and that only worsens once we get to the wake. Meanwhile, Willem Dafoe (yeah, he's in this too!) is having a blast as the deceased actor/private investigator with half a brain... no, really.

As for the original cast, well, it's stunning to see Winona Ryder reprising the role of Lydia. Besides being more world-weary, little has changed; this character still fits her like a glove, and it's truly a gratifying experience to see her back in it. There is no such thing as too much Catherine O'Hara, and her resplendent screen presence as Delia is a true delight. She has the lion's share of the finest lines (and delivers them with aplomb), and her overdramatisation knows no comic bounds. Yet this wouldn't be 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' without Beetlejuice (damn, was that technically three times?). Michael Keaton has not lost an ounce of the energy he had in this character 36 years ago, and despite his recent career resurgence, this may be the one role he was born to play (and he has stated it was the only sequel he was interested in doing). He completely fills it with such a filthy revelry that it's hard to perceive any other actor in this iconic role.

Of course, the man to bring it all back together is director Tim Burton. I can safely say it's been a long time since I've enjoyed one of his movies this much. Stripping back the excessive visual effects we've come to see in comic book movies and relying instead on practical effects and puppets, this honestly doesn't feel like a movie that belongs in 2024 - in the best possible way. We even get a glimpse of the Saturn sandstorms again.

There are, of course, some things that left me disappointed. We don't have the Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) characters, nor any ghosts haunting their house at all. In fact, in the land of the living, it's very light on paranormal presences. Also, while the entire team try their darnedest to pull off a fitting ending, it's never going to surpass the original with Beetlejuice and Lydia's failed wedding and then Lydia closing it out by floating in the foyer as she sings 'Jump in the Line (Shake Senora)' backed by a team of undead football players. That's just a physical impossibility.

The great news is, even with my severe scepticism, 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' left me dead with how good a sequel it is. It's everything I could have asked for and more. We get to revisit this outlandish, (ironically) lively world - and find it's only grown spectacularly in our absence. Grab hold of your copy of 'Handbook for the Recently Deceased' and flock into cinemas - but the last thing you'll be saying upon leaving these ghouls is "boo!"