Max Holland: Beetlejuice (1988) Movie Review

Beetlejuice (1988) is a dark fantasy gothic horror comedy directed by Tim Burton and written by Michael McDowell. It stars Michael Keaton in the title role as well as Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis and Catherine O’ Hara. This was Tim Burton’s second directorial film and his first to be based on an original concept. It got very positive reviews from critics when it first premiered, and it was a box-office hit and has since gained a strong cult fan base. It even spawned a spin-off cartoon series in the 90’s. This movie is also known for its use of two Harry Belfonte songs, Day-O and Jump in the Line.

I remember watching the Beetlejuice cartoon as a kid on Cartoon Network, but didn't know it was based on a live-action movie until much later on. I watched this movie in 2016 after stumbling upon the DVD at the Walmart bargain bin. It was actually my first time watching it in its entirety. Before that, I saw parts of it on TV. I watched it again just recently to prepare for the new sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).

The movie follows a family of three who move from New York and into a house in a suburban area. However, the house is haunted by a ghost couple who died tragically and are protecting their house by scarring people off. They summon a bio-exorcist named Betelgeuse (pronounced "Beetlejuice", hence the film's title), by saying his name three times. However, this turns out to be more than they bargained for, as Betelgeuse has bigger plans.

We have a set of different characters. There’s our protagonist Lydia (Winona Ryder), a teenage goth girl who’s also an aspiring photographer, as she’s seen taking pictures throughout the movie. She’s shown to be strange and peculiar and can see things that no one else can see, like ghosts. There’s the ghost couple Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) and his wife Barbara (Geena Davis). Adam and Barbara died earlier on in a tragic accident in which their car fell off the bridge and they drowned.

In the afterlife, they can’t leave their house, so they try to protect their home from trespassers. They befriend Lydia, who can see them when no one else can. There's Delia (Catherine O' Hara), Lydia's stepmom who is a sculptor. Delia helps the family reshape the house in a wave of postmodern art. Then, there’s Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) the main antagonist. He's a ghost who's very mischievous, and also rude, perverted and self-centered.

As a bio-exorcist, he helps the people who summon him, but only does so for his own benefit, so that he can lift his curse, and wreak havoc upon the world, and doesn't care who gets hurt in the process, so he's basically the villain. He shows interest in Lydia, and agrees to help her, but in return that they get married. So, the climax involves Betelgeuse forcefully trying to marry Lydia, while Barbara figures out a plan to save her. That's about the gist of it.

Beetlejuice (1988) is an excellent movie. It’s very funny and scary at the same time, as well as very well directed and acted. Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton both did a great job with their roles. It has a very solid storyline and likable characters. It’s also insanely creative, unique and original. There’s not a single thing I didn’t like about this movie, and I’d even go as far as to call it a masterpiece.

I give Beetlejuice (1988) a solid 10/10.

So, have you seen Beetlejuice (1988)? What did you think? Did you like it? Did you not like it? Did you think it was okay? Let me know in the comments.

You can check out my video review on YouTube: