A stupid film

Rating: 2/10 (26 June 2016)

Tim Burton's BEETLEJUICE is a film so over the top that it makes PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE look like a model of restraint. I'll freely admit that I hated this film from beginning to end because it's so stupidly portrayed, particularly on the part of the entire cast. Everyone in this film mugs or shouts their way through the over the top roles, and the result was that I was cringing from beginning to end. I have no choice but to blame Burton for not asking for greater restraint from the participants.
The surreal plot is pretty original and that's the best thing it has going for it, but the execution is rather diabolical. Things happen and exist for no seeming reason other than weirdness, like Beetlejuice living in the toy town or appearing on TV. I was trying to get my head around it all but I never ended up doing so. I was amused to read that Michael Keaton says this was his favourite role, as his character is so generic absolutely anybody could have played the part.
Sure, there are elements of interest here, including some cool stop motion effects and the usual quirky monster creations which prop up Burton films. But when the whole cast are so awful and the characters are so grating, it becomes a film impossible to enjoy. A wooden Alec Baldwin and an embarrassing Geena Davis (closer to EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY than THE FLY, unfortunately) are a case in point, although a youthful Winona Ryder is out of her depth as well.