I must admit, as a long-time fan of “Beetlejuice,” I was quite disappointed with the recent sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” One character that left a sour taste in my mouth was Charles Deetz, played by Jeffrey Jones. Now, I’m not one to judge a man’s talent based on his personal life, but when that personal life includes child pornography and soliciting a minor for nude photos, it’s hard to ignore the elephant in the room.
Contains spoilers for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”
This week, the excitement surrounding Michael Keaton’s return as a bio-exorcist in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is palpable, following a gap of over three decades. While fans of the original may find the paranormal sequel amusing, it’s clear that (as noted in Looper’s review) the haunted house at the film’s core is bursting with characters and plots. Despite this being the most quintessentially Tim Burton movie ever made, it seems overly packed with unnecessary plotlines, leaving you questioning why certain scenes were included at all.
From dated set-pieces to characters that possess far too much screen time, there’s so much that could be stripped away from “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” Big, bland plot points that will have you scratching your head that could have been totally omitted, giving the film so much more to dance about than what we’ve ended up with. After a close inspection, here are five of the biggest “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” sins that should’ve been sent to the back of the queue and left there, never to be seen again.
Monica Bellucci’s Delores is a big, dull waste
In the trailer, Beetlejuice is teased as the main antagonist, but one of his most significant actions in the movie is introducing a strong potential villain, Delores, portrayed by Monica Bellucci. Unfortunately, the film fails to fully develop Delores’ character, leaving her largely underutilized throughout most of it. The plot eventually reveals that she was responsible for Beetlejuice’s death and sets her up as a formidable adversary, having been released from confinement as a live-action Corpse Bride. She then drains the life from Danny DeVito’s character, the Janitor, before embarking on a quest for revenge against the one who ended her life.
And … that’s it.
Further along, the actress proceeds to traverse the quirky and twisted corridors of the afterlife towards the camera for the remainder of the movie, seeking Beetlejuice. However, it’s only during the film’s climax, when the story is hastily wrapping up all its loose ends, that she meets her former spouse – but their reunion is short-lived as a sandworm quickly devours her, leaving no lasting impression on the narrative. It’s worth noting that this isn’t an unusual move for the director to feature his romantic partner in a production; during their marriage, Helena Bonham Carter starred in seven of Tim Burton’s films. Here’s to hoping that in whatever future project he takes on, Bellucci gets more substantial material than spending most of her scenes walking down hallways with anger.
Astrid’s love interest being a dead end
If you could get two cents every time Jenna Ortega played the daughter of a well-known gothic character and developed feelings for a local boy who turned out to be a monster, it wouldn’t be a lot, but it’s curious that these scenarios occurred in Tim Burton productions.
Arthur Conti’s character, Jeremy, bears a striking resemblance to Hunter Doohan’s Tyler from Netflix’s “Wednesday” series, although it seems like an early version of the character. This similarity is frustrating given that he delivers a powerful performance that unfortunately goes largely unnoticed. The advantage of having him in the story lies in the fact that his character, Richie, serves as a gateway into the world that Astrid has long been skeptical about, but her mother has believed in since childhood. However, this also introduces some questionable plot inconsistencies.
Was it truly necessary for the youngest member of the Deetz family to develop a romantic interest in order to understand her mother’s viewpoint? To put it simply, what facilitated Astrid’s ability to perceive Jeremy initially? The movie vaguely explains this as “she did,” but it’s just as unclear as the rest of the plot involving Jeremy. We only wish that this aspect had been developed further or left out entirely, rather than being left in a state of narrative ambiguity.
The Soul Train should’ve been taken off the tracks
Discussion about racial bias in Tim Burton’s casting choices arose following the announcement of “Wednesday,” and the portrayal in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” does little to quell that debate. Earlier, Burton defended his work for primarily white cast members, but in the new sequel, the only instances involving black characters are when Astrid is compelled to join (sigh) the Soul Train.
As a fan, I was drawn into another world by Jeremy, and lo and behold, it was Astrid who found herself teetering on the brink of eternity. She had to hop onto a subway train that was jam-packed with individuals sporting ’70s attire and iconic afros – a scene that felt like a throwback. However, this retro setting seemed to underscore the lack of progress in terms of diversity and inclusivity within Burton’s films.
It’s unfortunate, considering the original movie had its share of racial insensitivity issues. Extending so much effort on a scene reminiscent of ideas from the first “Beetlejuice” feels unnecessary. Much like the Soul Train, it seems to serve no real purpose other than to accommodate a sequence that was merely satisfactory.
– and the film already has one of those at the end.
Jeffrey Jones’ Charles Deetz should’ve been limited to a throwaway line
Spending even a moment focusing on a character portrayed by a convicted sex offender is a moment too much, and yet in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” Jeffrey Jones’ character Charles Deetz isn’t just crucial to reuniting the family, but his role is deliberately (and perhaps unnecessarily) emphasized throughout the movie.
For those that don’t know, Jeffrey Jones was arrested for possession of child pornography as well as soliciting a minor to pose for nude photos. He was given five years probation and required to register on the national database as a child sex offender.
In the movie, although Jones doesn’t return to his previous role, they opt for stop-motion animation to depict Charles’ demise, which took place in a shark attack during a bird-watching trip. Throughout the film, Charles is portrayed as being only half the man he once was, with just legs left and a shark bite mark where his head used to be. While some viewers may find this acceptable, Jones’ absence is noticeable and seems out of place. The film could have easily written him off through dialogue, similar to how a ‘loophole’ explanation handles the absence of Barbara and Adam Maitland (played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin). Instead, an excessive focus is given to Charles’ character, when simply letting him pass on would have been more appropriate.
Rory’s rushed comeuppance should’ve been more than a sandworm
In the movie, a scene featuring a disturbing birth sequence of a Beetlejuice baby having an unexpected moment similar to Trainspotting stands out. However, Justin Theroux’s character as the parasitic boyfriend manages to infiltrate the Deetz family dynasty in a more irritating manner. A new character introduced in the film with minimal overall impact, Theroux delivers a convincing performance in transforming Rory, Lydia’s new love interest played by Winona Ryder, into an intensely dislikable contrast. Unfortunately, the major plot twist revealing his true intentions and the consequences he faces are quickly resolved within the span of saying “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.
In a different scenario, there might have been an intriguing plot twist here involving Rory and Astrid’s shared skepticism towards their mothers. However, this potential family drama was sidelined as Rory was exposed before being taken away by a sandworm and Delores in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” This led to the underdevelopment of Theroux’s character, who could have been used to reveal that the true antagonist was not Beetlejuice, but rather the unseen force causing trouble for the Deetz family.
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2024-09-06 21:00