Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a horror-comedy sequel that returns to the macabre world created by Tim Burton, picking up decades after the original film. It follows Lydia Deetz, now grown, and her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, as they are once again drawn into the afterlife after a family tragedy. The film delves deeper into the histories of Lydia and Beetlejuice, exploring themes of family, grief, and different realities of the afterlife, interwoven with supernatural occurrences and dark humor. While offering nostalgic appeal and signature visual effects, the movie features intense supernatural themes, graphic violence, strong language, and suggestive content, making it generally suitable for mature audiences.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe film contains frequent and graphic depictions of violence, gore, and grotesque imagery, often presented with a comedic undertone but still intense. Injuries and death are portrayed explicitly and with visual detail, exceeding typical kid-friendly macabre content.
Lydia's father is depicted with no upper torso or head, his spine poking out, and blood spurting, having been eaten by a shark. Astrid's father is shown being eaten 'alive' by piranhas, appearing blue and grey with gaping wounds. Dolores, Beetlejuice's ex-wife, attacks him with an axe, chopping her through the face and severing her body into numerous pieces. A demented baby Beetlejuice bursts out of Lydia and attacks doctors, with flies buzzing and blood spurting.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe movie includes suggestive material, romantic kissing, and implied sexual activity, alongside references to sexual themes and leering behavior. Beetlejuice's past attempts to marry Lydia (a minor in the original film) with indecorous insinuations is a central plot point, contributing to a high level of concern despite the absence of explicit sexual acts.
Beetlejuice and Dolores kiss passionately and grab at each other in their room, with clothes comically flying and suggestive movements in shadows implying lovemaking. Beetlejuice is shown leering at women, and Astrid finds flyers where he marketed himself as a 'love/sex doctor.' Delia refers to Charles as her 'horny handyman.' Sexual innuendo includes phrases like 'sexy,' 'horny,' 'do it,' and 'freaky sh-t.'
Profanity
HighThe film features strong language and coarse words, including explicit profanity. This is more frequent and intense than mild language, with multiple instances of offensive terms used throughout.
The movie contains at least two uses of the 'F-word' (one spoken and one written). There are multiple uses of 'sh*t' (including 'bullsh*t' and 'sh*tting'), 'a**hole,' 'g*dd*mn,' 'd*mn,' 'hell,' and 'crap.'
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are central to the film's premise and narrative, involving ghosts, the afterlife, and a demon bio-exorcist. The movie features active summoning of supernatural beings, a soul-sucking cult, and characters with abilities to interact with the dead, portraying a fantasy version of the spiritual realm.
The entire plot revolves around summoning Beetlejuice by saying his name three times, a magical ritual that unleashes supernatural mayhem. Beetlejuice's ex-wife, Dolores, leads a 'soul sucking death cult,' actively engaging in practices that drain life from others.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe movie features significant scary and intense content, including graphic macabre imagery, disturbing creatures, suspenseful situations, and scenes designed to frighten. These elements are pervasive and a core part of the film's horror-comedy genre, making it potentially upsetting for younger viewers.
Numerous grotesque dead characters are shown in the afterlife, including zombies with shrunken heads, skeleton receptionists, and individuals with missing limbs, exploded brains, or partially eaten bodies. A creepy janitor with blue skin and glowing eyes drinks floor cleaner, then explodes into boxes containing severed body parts, which a woman staples back together before strangling him. Lydia is chased by a giant sandworm with two monstrous heads. A demented baby Beetlejuice bursts out of Lydia's stomach, trying to bite characters.
Disrespect & Rebellion
HighThemes of disrespect and rebellion are prominent, particularly through the character of Astrid, who displays significant defiance towards her mother. Beetlejuice's actions and demeanor also consistently demonstrate blatant disrespect for others and authority.
Astrid is portrayed as a 'rebellious teenage daughter' who is 'resentful and angry' towards her mother, Lydia, for using her ghost-seeing abilities on a TV show but not to contact Astrid's deceased father. Beetlejuice's character is consistently disrespectful, including his past and present 'indecorous insinuations' and attempts to marry Lydia, which were particularly problematic given her age in the original film and the implied power dynamic.
Substance Use
MediumThe film includes brief but distinct instances of substance use, including pharmaceutical medication misuse, alcohol consumption, and references to truth serum and smoking. These instances are present enough to warrant parental attention.
Lydia is shown taking pharmaceutical medications, with Rory attempting to stop her before taking one himself, implying a pattern of use or misuse. Beetlejuice stabs Rory in the neck with a syringe containing a 'truth serum.'
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumWhile not directly mocking specific Christian beliefs, the film's central themes of the afterlife, ghosts, and demonic entities, presented within a comedic and macabre fantasy framework, are fundamentally at odds with a Christian worldview. The portrayal of a bureaucratic underworld and a 'soul sucking death cult' offers a secular, fictional interpretation of spiritual realms.
The film extensively portrays a fictionalized afterlife with bureaucratic elements and various ghoulish characters, which contrasts significantly with biblical teachings on heaven, hell, and the spiritual state after death. The presence of a 'soul sucking death cult' led by Dolores, Beetlejuice's ex-wife, introduces a sinister element involving malevolent spiritual practices as a core plot point.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowExplicit searches for LGBTQ content in 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' yielded no confirmed LGBTQ characters or explicit themes within the new film itself. While the original film's character Otho (played by a gay actor) is discussed in historical queer contexts, and fan speculation about queerness in the franchise exists, the sequel is noted to contain 'barely a drop of queerness'. Astrid, a main character, has a male love interest.
The film explicitly states that Astrid, Lydia's daughter, has a love interest who is a man. An entertainment outlet notes that there is 'barely a drop of queerness in this film' regarding 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice'.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Not recommended for children under 14, and parental guidance is strongly advised for ages 14-15, with the film being best suited for audiences aged 15 and over. This recommendation is due to the PG-13 rating for violent content, macabre and bloody images, strong language, some suggestive material, and brief drug use, along with pervasive supernatural themes and intense frightening scenes.
Additional Notes
Parents should be aware that while the film maintains the comedic and quirky tone of the original 'Beetlejuice,' it significantly intensifies the graphic content, horror elements, and adult themes. The movie could be particularly disturbing for younger children sensitive to grotesque imagery, intense jump scares, or supernatural concepts. Discussion with children about the film's fantasy nature versus religious or real-world beliefs regarding the afterlife may be necessary. The film's use of suggestive language and the ongoing problematic dynamic between Beetlejuice and Lydia also warrant parental consideration. Viewers prone to photosensitivity should be cautious due to scenes with flashing lights.
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