Going into the theater to see Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, I had high hopes for a return to the quirky charm that made the original a cult classic. Unfortunately, what I ended up with is a disjointed, cluttered sequel that feels more like a series of random scenes haphazardly strung together than a solid story.

My biggest issue is the unfocused plot. The film tries to juggle multiple storylines, but none of them seem to connect in any meaningful way. It begins with a decent premise—Lydia’s daughter is pulled into the same supernatural world her mother once experienced. From there, the story veers off into chaos. We are introduced to a subplot where Beetlejuice is trying to escape the afterlife or reincarnate (it’s never fully explained). Then, suddenly, we’re thrown into a Netherworld political drama where ghosts seem to be fighting over power, citizenship, or something equally vague. None of this is developed enough to be engaging, leaving you with more questions than answers.

At one point, the film introduces a half-hearted romance between Lydia’s daughter and a new character who shows up out of nowhere, only to have their relationship drop almost as quickly as it starts. To make matters worse, the villain feels more like a cartoon picture than a genuine threat. His motivations are unclear, and his presence does little to elevate the story.

The pacing of the is all over the place. One minute you're watching an attempt at supernatural courtroom drama, the next you're thrust into a slapstick comedy sequence that doesn't fit. It’s as if the movie can’t decide what it wants to be: spooky, funny, or dramatic. By the time we reach the third act, it’s clear the film has lost track of its own plot, resulting in a jumbled, incoherent mess. Michael Keaton’s return as Beetlejuice offers some relief, but even his performance can’t save the film. While Keaton brings back the uncontrolled energy that made his character so memorable, his role feels underused. Instead of being the chaotic, central force driving the story, Beetlejuice is relegated to the sidelines, popping in for a few one-liners before vanishing into the fray of disconnected plot points.

Visually, the film attempts to recreate the surreal aesthetic of the original, but it relies too heavily on uninspired CGI. The practical effects that gave the 1988 film its distinctive, handmade charm are sorely missed here. In one particularly odd sequence, Beetlejuice leads a parade of skeletons in the Netherworld, but the poor CGI renders the scene lifeless and confusing. What could have been a fun and creepy visual gag feels like a rushed afterthought. And then there’s the climax. What should have been the grand, satisfying conclusion devolves into a confusing mishmash of shouting characters, chaotic visuals, and an abrupt resolution that leaves everything feeling unfinished. There’s no emotional payoff, no satisfying end to the chaos that’s been building—just a rushed attempt to tie up loose ends that weren’t developed enough to matter in the first place.

In the end, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice feels like a chaotic jumble of half-formed ideas and missed opportunities. The story lacks direction, the pacing is inconsistent, and the reliance on nostalgia falls flat. It tries to capture the magic of the original but ultimately misses the mark.

Unfortunately,  you’ll likely spend the entire movie wondering why they even bothered with this sequel. Save yourself the disappointment...and the $13.