Despite an interesting premise and several impressive, unsurprisingly strange sight-gags, 'Beetlejuice (1988)' isn't really all that engaging. It isn't bad, but it doesn't quite grip you in the way it should. It isn't particularly funny, for instance. It's also somewhat undisciplined, with a plot that seems to operate on an "and then this happens" logic. Of course, the thing has its more successful moments. Keaton is good as the eponymous creepy character, bringing a lot of unnerving energy to the role. Baldwin and Davis do a good job of playing an everyday couple forced to cope with an inconceivable situation, too. The film is at its best when Burton's signature weirdness is allowed to run wild, with stop-motion monsters and grotesque make-up galore. It can be a very visually pleasing experience. It just isn't all that entertaining as a whole, though. It's hard to say why, but it just isn't all that compelling. 5/10
Review of Beetlejuice
