Cert – 18, Run-time – 2 hours 7 minutes, Director – Parker Finn

Popstar Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) finds a demonic curse passed onto her as she’s about to embark on a comeback tour after becoming sober.

Smile 2’s spin on the success of the 2022 hit horror (originally intended for direct release on Paramount Plus before a series of positive test screening results) allows for a story of someone who thought she was past a crumbled world only to find herself entering a new one. After being involved in an intoxicated car accident which took the life of her boyfriend (Ray Nicholson), popstar Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is preparing to set out on a freshly-sober comeback tour. However, when the demonic smile curse is passed on to her following the death of her friend (Lukas Gage), she’s tormented by stalking, grinning figures, including in the form of her late-boyfriend, and a time limit of seven days to remove the curse.

Certainly the bigger scale in terms of the character and those who surround her brings an extra layer to this sequel which allows for interesting moments in regards to her personal life and recovery from past traumas. It’s enough to avoid a re-tread of the original, which could so easily happen in a pass-the-curse situation such as this, up until the events of the third act, which still have the edge of Skye’s celebrity and upcoming tour.

The overhanging threat and horror may not bring in consistent creeps due to a cyclical feel to the narrative which occasionally feels as if it repeats ideas throughout, but there are some effective jump-scares dotted throughout. Mix in some well-used gore when it enters the picture and there are some solid moments of horror on display to bring in solid momentary bursts of suspense and eeriness. Scott gives a good performance in the lead role as her character’s world fractures to unveil perhaps unhealed wounds while she increasingly struggles to present a calm and collected demeanour to her friends, family and the press – one of the ideas which begins to feel repetitious as the 7-day timer ticks down.

While it may run into some of the same problems as the original, largely in the third act, there are clear tweaks on display in regards to the narrative and perspective of Smile 2 that it works rather well. Repetition might create an issue as the tension should be rising amongst the growing, smiling figures surrounding Skye more and more, but there’s still some solid creeps to be found amongst the claustrophobia and occasional 18-rated gore.

Smile 2’s events may occasionally feel as if they repeat themselves, but the bigger public presence of the protagonist brings a new layer to the narrative that helps things hold up amongst it, alongside a handful of solid scares and bloody scenes.

Cert – 15, Run-time – 2 hours 18 minutes, Director – Todd Phillips

As he prepares for his murder trial, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) finds himself set free by Arkham Asylum’s musical therapy programme, and fellow singer, and Joker fan, Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga).

If you loved Joker you’ll likely hate Folie à Deux. If you hated Joker you’ll also likely hate Folie à Deux. If you thought that Joker was fine or pretty good be prepared to flip a coin. 2019’s take on the classic Batman villain is one of the most successful films ever made, grossing over a billion dollars, receiving audience and critical acclaim and picking up a good few awards along the way. With a budget increase from $55 million to an estimated $200 million co-writer (alongside Scott Silver) and director Todd Phillips has made an even bolder, even darker, follow-up that you would almost think was designed to address and stir the conflict around the first film, as if made to be a contrast to the original and turn away the audience who loved it so much. If Joker was Taxi Driver meets The King Of Comedy then this is Bringing Out The Dead meets New York, New York.

While not packed with songs, to the point where you can almost understand the cast’s statements about this not being a musical, the musical beats lift up and take away from the darkness of the film as Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) prepares for his murder trials. Locked in the dirty cells of Arkham Asylum’s E ward, abused by guards such as Brendan Gleeson’s Jackie, Fleck is set free by both music therapy and B ward patient Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga). The first time Arthur properly sings he gradually builds up For Once In My Life, moving around the room more fluidly as his vocals grow. It’s at this moment, after a bumpy time establishing the current state of the main character’s life, that Folie à Deux properly takes shape.

More an extended epilogue than a fully rounded sequel; the focus is very much on the courtroom drama at hand, and the world’s reactions to the Joker and his murders. A TV movie has been made, which Arthur hasn’t been allowed to see, and reporters are constantly at the asylum gates trying to get an interview, not helping the case of Arthur’s lawyer (Catherine Keener) that Arthur and Joker are two different people, a case of dissociative identity disorder.

As with his Oscar-winning performance in 2019, here Phoenix is largely playing as Arthur, with Joker creeping in now and then outside of the performative make-up guise. Handcuffed in a police car to and from trial proceedings Arthur’s face and eyes twitch with thoughts coming to mind, shifting from one to the next in real time. Phoenix is remarkable here as a man being tortured by everyone else’s impressions of him whist he battles with his shadow, detailed in a Looney Tunes style animation as the film’s opening.

Breaks into fantasy for the musical numbers during the trial, with classic soundstage production design and colour schemes – the production design throughout is fantastic – can initially seem somewhat jarring, but the more they appear the more likable they become. The more they feel like they work within the film and the world that its creating. The same one from the first film, but more in the mind of Arthur as he competes with the Joker, trying to understand if they’re the same person or not with conflicting hopes and opinions on either side of him. All as the threat of the death penalty hangs over him.

Perhaps best exemplified in his relationship with Gaga’s Harley/ Quinzel. Batted back and forth by her view of him purely as Joker, claiming to have watched the TV movie 20 times, lured in by their shared performance of standards, even if growing as escapes in his mind conceptualising his relationship with the rest of the world. There’s a smile to be found in such moments with the escape and relief that they provide from the darkness of the rest of the film. Not a downbeat trudge, but, much like 2019’s outing, not a joyful 2-hour breeze. Even after a film such as Joker this is an even bolder follow-up that deviates strongly from that film.

This sequel certainly won’t be for everyone, particularly strong fans of the original, but there’s an interesting continuation of character study here. One that takes risks with how it depicts the developments, and while some stages might be somewhat bumpy through the lens of the central character in his more uncertain moments there’s still an interesting, risk-taking sequel to be found here. Driven by Phillips and a once-again-excellent Phoenix who both appear driven to strike a different chord, and potentially crowd, here.

An undeniably bold departure from the first film, Joker: Folie à Deux will not be for everyone. As its musical numbers grow so does the confliction for Joaquin Phoenix’s fantastically-performed central character, making for an interesting character study where the scattering of songs stop the increased darkness from becoming a bleak slog.

Cert – 15, Run-time – 2 hours 18 minutes, Director – Francis Ford Coppola

Architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) dreams of creating a utopia within the divided city of New Rome, however those battling for control of the city fight against his attempts.

Francis Ford Coppola has wanted to make his passion project Megalopolis for years. Whether the technology wasn’t ready or no studio would fund it it took the writer-director-co-producer four decades to eventually fund the project with $120 million of his own money. A film seemingly intended to show a mirror to a divided America with an air of hope for where it could go we follow architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) as he attempts to build a city he calls Megalopolis within the city of New Rome; the costumes and architecture of ancient Rome fastened to the structure and bustle of New York City.

However, those in control of New Rome, and those wishing to seize it, take against Cesar’s plans, seeing it as a threat to them and their potential empire. This primarily comes from city mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) who takes against his daughter, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), working for, and eventually forming a relationship with Cesar. However, issues also come from family such as brattish cousin Clodio (Shia LaBeouf), TV presenter and financially-driven mistress Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza) and the wealth of bank-owner uncle Hamilton Crassus (Jon Voight); not to mention the various other faces and names which crop up throughout. Overall, Megalopolis feels as if it contains every idea and character Coppola has thought of over the last 40+ years. Cramming them all in with the aim of keeping things under 2-and-a-half hours and therefore cutting the narrative to ribbons.

How much the project has changed over time I don’t know. Certain lines of dialogue feel outdated and as if they’ve not been changed at all, whereas certain scenes feel like someone trying to jab at what they see as the current state of America in a completely unsubtle way. The narrative bounces around between various characters in baffling manner as developments twist and turn with no proper sense of stable direction. One minute Cesar is playing with the idea of stopping time, an element which is constantly brought up and yet nothing appears to be done with beyond the opening scene, the next he’s facing financial ruin yet continues building his utopia from a multi-purpose material of his own creation – to the anger of those who once lived in the area he destroyed to make way for Megalopolis.

The sets and performances in the opening stages have a theatrical style to match the sub-title’s promise that we’re going to see ‘a fable’. I thought for a good while that what I was seeing was fine, but it feels better-suited to the stage. As more and more locations are brought into play Coppola’s cinematic vision for this film is clear, but it simply adds to the unsettled state of the film. The clash of inspirations for the setting are evident in an extended sequence set in Madison Square Garden, which has been converted into a coliseum for all kinds of strange ceremonies and activities, with one key detail having a good deal of time spent on it and only just finding its slight effect on the plot late in the day.

We see Driver briefly attend a family wedding celebration before wandering off in a drug-fuelled state, half mucking around with time while we see various acts performing in the arena. At no point could I properly understand what the film was wanting to depict at this point, or a good deal of moments afterwards. Megalopolis feels as if a number of its themes and ideas need more time and development, some more context. Yet, where it chooses to explain itself are in the basic moments where the audience is able to interpret and understand what’s happening without the help of a character telling us in the moment just in case nobody got it.

There are good moments within Megalopolis, but they’re often brief and just as you escape into them they’re over and another slice of confusion arrives. The focus wants to be on Driver and yet with so many people wanting power there’s an ensemble cast which largely features characters with more screen-time than their detail should allow – Dustin Hoffman and Jason Schwartzman effectively have cameo roles with nothing to do at all, even Jon Voight’s key role, at the end of the day, provides little for him to do despite what feels like so much screen-time.

A number of characters, including Driver and his city on occasion as the film shifts back to focusing on a power struggle rather than responses to his actions; where the fable-like quality is most evident and likable as a modern myth briefly plays out, are simply lost amongst the clutter of the narrative at hand. One that feels messy with ideas and faces so that things rarely settle into one core theme. It feels as if over 40 years Coppola has simply added and squeezed together rather than properly refined, meaning that his passion project, despite having some interesting concepts within its depiction of insecurity amongst power struggle and control, simply feels messy and disorganised, much as New Rome is made to seem.

Overstuffed with ideas and characters Megalopolis fails to stick to its best themes and instead feels like an unfocused clutter of 40-years of ideas, some of which haven’t been tweaked or changed since they were first thought of.

Release Date – 27th September 2024, Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 41 minutes, Director – Alexandre Aja

A family (Halle Berry, Anthony B. Jenkins, Percy Daggs IV) must stay attached to their house by ropes or be corrupted by a stalking force known as The Evil, but what about the world beyond their isolated forest cabin?

Much of Never Let Go revolves around the idea of the world beyond the isolated forest cabin which the central family is constantly connected to. Halle Berry’s ‘Momma’ and her two young children Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) and Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) are attached to their home by ropes every time they go out, or else there’s a chance that a force known as The Evil will attach itself to them and corrupt them. However, youngest (by three minutes) child Nolan begins to wonder if The Evil is really real, his mum is certainly the only person who can see the zombie-like figures it apparently takes the form of. And what about the rest of the world beyond their home, has that been struck by The Evil, too?

Over the course of the film the rest of the world threatens to leak into the enclosed space in which the family lives, throwing their lives off-balance as Momma tries to plead that The Evil does exist. The sound of helicopters landing breaks into scenes of hushed conversation, or is it a lorry round the back of the cinema delivering a new load of popcorn? No, it’s the low rumble of the score creating a detachment from the moment. In the opening stages as we’re introduced to the workings of the film, and some of the ambiguity constructing the narrative, there’s an off-kilter fairy tale style to the music that fits and helps to lift things up. However, during quieter moments when simply sounding and feeling like a rumble the effect is pure distraction.

Yet, this possible attempt to put the viewer on ease is far from as forceful as the building ambiguities in the first half. Instead of allowing the mysteries to naturally unfold a twisting nature of events and possible explanations come into play. The film leans into them too much yet never feels as if it has full confidence in them and so moves on to a new scene or idea. Some of which have promise and potential, especially in the second half where the child actors get more chance to shine, especially when out on their own away from Berry – who also gives a good turn.

However, as a new good idea starts to flourish things jump back into familiarity. There are plenty of reminders in the second half of other horror films that have had similar ideas and executed them in more consistent, and effective ways. Amongst the patches of creepiness here and there, including some likable creature design which acts as a highlight alongside the fantastic sound design which contains a great deal of attention to detail, there’s a strong reminder of Shyamalan’s Knock At The Cabin. Perhaps brought about through a mixture of the central location’s isolation and the question as to whether the central threat is real or not – although here it’s something that’s played with to a dampened, and often fluctuating degree.

There’s a good, perhaps more direct, film within Never Let Go, however its struggles to properly ground itself within its won world. Instead, diverting into familiar ideas from other films that are never quite as effective as the better points that this particular film brings into play and quickly drops. Despite some good technical aspects and central performances this is an overall frustrating film that falters due to not living up to, or rather continuing, the more promising aspects that it introduces, therefore dropping any eeriness that it brings in.

Despite a solid world created in excellent sound design and creature effects Never Let Go stumbles due to not sticking to its own promising ideas. Bursts of creepiness are broken up by forcefulness and overfamiliarity with other films making for an okay but frustrating watch.

Release Date – 20th September 2024, Cert – 18, Run-time – 2 hours 21 minutes, Director – Coralie Fargeat

After being fired from her daytime fitness show, fading celebrity Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) takes a mysterious drug which creates a younger version of herself (Margaret Qualley), however not keeping the balance of lives leads to strong physical consequences for both.

Whenever a new body horror comes out the term Cronenbergian is frequently thrown around a bit too much. It’s a go to term – as Get Out has become in relation to not just anymore any Black horror, but almost any praised horror in general – for the sub-genre, but when it comes to Coralie Fargeat’s sophomore feature the phrase feels deserved. The satirical edges brought to mind the jabs held within the likes of Videodrome and Crash, with the blood and gore being used to exemplify the themes at hand.

Taking down age and beauty standards we follow Demi Moore’s Elisabeth Sparkle. As he star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame has cracked over the years her fame has too – ‘wasn’t she in that one movie from years ago?’ Travelling home from being fired from her daytime fitness show, Elisabeth is involved in a car crash – from which she emerges unscathed – and at the hospital is indirectly informed by a doctor about a drug known as The Substance. After injecting with the promise of a better, younger her from Elisabeth emerges Sue (Margaret Qualley); a figure who (promised that they are one) Elisabeth must balance her life with or risk the consequences.

As Sue’s fame grows, and she gets her own much more sexualised fitness show replacing Elisabeth’s, her want and need to be in the spotlight – and indulge in the all the pleasures of it does too. The 7 days-7 days balance is quickly broken and the effects are quickly shown on Moore’s character with some wonderful practical make-up effects. A lingering sense of fascination grows as to how she will deal with her changing life/ lives backed by a subtle feeling of dread as she continues to use The Substance for the sake of ‘her’ own career.

Moore wonderfully captures the conflicting thoughts with both drama and occasional humour. One scene showing her trying to get revenge on Sue contrasted with the praise lauded upon Qualley’s character is a brilliant slice of comedic spite as Elisabeth isolates herself in her kitchen seemingly conjuring recipes in a witchlike manner. Contrasting with the sign of her losing hope and faith in her own looks after having been invited to meet an old school friend for dinner. As Elisabeth looks in the mirror trying all sorts of makeup styles and combinations there’s a pain and frustration in her eyes, full of self-doubt, consciousness, anxiety and uncertainty. Self-love and care fly out the window, foreign concepts that this fast-moving world simply won’t allow room for.

Moore and Qualley barely share the screen together (at least while the other’s character is conscious) but the sparks fly from one to the other with increasing heat and rage as the narrative develops. Both fall into the opinionated hands of a world led by the likes of Dennis Quaid’s scene-stealing TV producer Harvey. A role initially meant to be played by Ray Liotta before his death, in his hands you can imagine a much more directly creepy and intense figure (you can’t help but think that the character’s called Harvey for a reason). Quaid brings to the role a camped up performance that brings in the laughs at the expense of the character who still manages to bring about a sinister and overbearing nature when looming over the central characters and determining the fates of their careers.

As things barrel towards the third act the body horror and prosthetics increase (this feels like it should be a lock-in for a Hair And Makeup Oscar nod, alongside Production Design thanks to the somewhat alienating nature of certain environments, and how Elisabeth’s apartment varies in its depiction depending on tone and character) without feeling there for the sake of mindless gore. It’s contained within the satire and jabs of the film, which allows it to have more of an effect in the moments when major reveals appear on screen for the first time, and then are gone into more detail. Not an all out film, although certainly when it goes for it it does so with a good deal of drive, not avoiding getting more than just its hands dirty.

Fargeat makes sure that the themes of her film are wound into each scene and detail. It makes for a focused piece of work that still manages to embrace the chaos that it focuses on. The fighting thoughts of doubt going through Elisabeth’s mind as mental conflict becomes multiple physical ones, all in the face of appearing and being just as the world that she’s a part of demands for money and relevancy. Throughout, there’s a good deal of impact from the 18-rated horror that’s on display, but never at expense or as a cheap getaway from the narrative and satire at hand. Pushed by a set of great performances at the centre, there’s both a strong, striking feeling as soon as the film finishes – at both what it had to say, and how it did it – and a good deal of moments and ideas that have continued to stir in my mind a good few days after first seeing it. The Substance is a film with bite, sinking its teeth in so that the marks remain a few days after.

Consistently moving its narrative along whilst turning up the heat of the growing personal mental and physical conflicts, The Substance is an effective body horror satire led by an excellent central performance from Demi Moore, where the gore has plenty of thematic and shocking effect.

Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 50 minutes, Director – James Watkins

An American family (Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis, Alix West Lefler) are invited to spend the weekend at the isolated home of a British family (James McAvoy, Aisling Franciosi, Dan Hough) they met on holiday, however their hosts’ friendly attitudes quickly darken.

2022’s Danish horror Speak No Evil is a film heightened by its shades of European darkness. A sense of hopelessness emphasises the final half hour’s spiral descent into Hell – truly one of the bleakest things I’ve ever seen – which it feels an American remake (calling this an English-language remake feels wrong when a good chunk of the original is in English) wouldn’t want to stray near.

Indeed, this quickly turned around remake has its similarities to the original. Aside from the same narrative build-up and developments a handful of shots feel borrowed in terms of style and composition. Yet, this take on the tale of a family who visit the isolated home of another after meeting on holiday does have its extra elements. There’s no attempt to hide the darkness of the hosts as James McAvoy’s Paddy in particular (whose accent shifts throughout from generic British to auditioning for The Wurzels) plays up the thinly concealed rage from very early on.

Added into the mix are rifts between central American couple Ben (Scoot McNairy) and Louise (Mackenzie Davis), and a developed relationship between their daughter, Agnes (Alix West Lefler) and Paddy and Ciara’s (Aisling Franciosi) son Ant (Dan Hough) – apparently silent due to a medical condition which means he has a smaller tongue – revealing some of the true intentions at play. Such moments largely lean into the idea that the film knows the audience is aware that not everything is quite as it seems with McAvoy and Franciosi’s characters from early on. It’s not just the trailers giving something away, it’s more a key detail of the film and seeing how Ben, Louise and Agnes are going to escape; if at all.

By doing this there’s a less dark, pacier version of this story playing out, likely helped by the removal of ice-cold dead-pan intensity – which feels unnatural to this particular film, and most other American remakes of international features. However, while there’s less darkness this is no bad thing, the intensity is still present in places; largely in the third act, and the British hosts bring in a discomforting air through the fluctuating faces they present to their guests.

Where things truly get into their own though is in the third act. An extended set of events which rattle along with the pace of an escape thriller. As the film creates its own events the tension and threat are ramped up, making the familiar beats, and one or two additions which don’t entirely click; such as hints that Louise cheated on Ben six months prior, more worthwhile.

Certainly as things play out there’s a clear layer of threat at hand bringing out the horror of feeling trapped with people who you both don’t know and may not be presenting their true selves. A set of good performances mean that the ensemble effectively bounce off of, or rather deflect a good deal of the time, each other effectively and bring out the discomfort and tension at hand. Building up to a third act that goes out of its way to make something different where you forget about possible likely scenarios from a (in some respects) tamer American remake as you’re caught up in the pacey tension of the thriller-like climax.

With the darkness toned down, although still present, this remake leans into the clear threat of the hosts and the discomfort they create, focusing less on dead-pan bleakness and more on building to a thriller sensibility that’s handled well by both the pacey nature of the story, with its additional elements, and the ensemble cast.

Release Date – 13th September 2024, Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 41 minutes, Director – Anand Tucker

After being fired by a new editor for his overly negative reviews, drama critic Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellen) enlists the help of an actress (Gemma Arterton) he has frequently trashed to help him keep his job.

In recent weeks Sir Ian McKellen has assured audiences that he will not retire “as long as the legs, lungs and mind keep working”. As long as this is the case it seems that we’re on track for more consistently strong performances from the acclaimed actor for some time, even if the projects themselves aren’t the strongest. This is certainly the case for The Critic, which sees McKellen charge forward with a glint in his eye as scheming theatre critic Jimmy Erskine.

For decades Erskine has been a staple of newspaper The Daily Chronicle’s writing staff. Known for his frequently scathing reviews he views his harshness as the reason people read his column, and in part as to why the paper holds its regard. However, when the editor passes away his son (Mark Strong) takes over and looks to make changes, including bringing the Chronicle back to its family roots and properly into the 20th Century, this is the 1930s after all; and that includes sacking anyone who isn’t willing to comply. When this includes Jimmy, told that the paper has no choice after his public displays of ‘unnatural’ homosexual activity, his mind sets instantly to revenge as a way to get his job back.

This involves enlisting the help of actress Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), who he has slated every performance of, to try and seduce editor David. The development in the relationship between Jimmy and Nina is swift, going from written rivals to face-to-face confrontations before a quick team-up which becomes riddled with doubt and regret the actual teaming up, led by McKellen promising the actress a brighter future as she ages because of positive reviews from him, feels more in place to simply reach the effects and reactions in the later stages. Nina is told that she simply needs to grow her confidence and think less about the audience, as this becomes the case for her Arterton’s performance also becomes more confident, particularly as her character becomes more caught in the narrative web that’s being cast.

It may be easy to see the general directions in which the plot is going, there’s an air of predictability to the overall structure of the plot beats throughout, especially as they open up more for the third act. But, there are still a number of enjoyable throughout. McKellen is clearly enjoying performing some of the wittier lines of a screenplay filled with entertaining snippets of blistering reviews and phrases such as “she besieged me with her opinion!” – a highlight line referring to Lesley Manville’s largely unseen mother to Nina praising the first half of her latest performance in the theatre bar.

It’s only around the halfway point as Jimmy’s plan properly comes into effect that you see how many different layers and strands there are. At times the film begins to feel a bit too busy, although avoids feeling overstuffed, as its various possible, and actual, directions begin to overlap and, albeit often occasionally, tangle into one scene or montage. There’s a watchable nature to most of the proceedings, even if the closing stages feel particularly rushed as almost all final developments appear to happen at once, and certainly there are some highlight entertaining nuggets of dialogue here and there, just the film’s events are hampered by a sense of predictability which gets in the way of some of the overall enjoyment, despite the efforts of the case – particularly another strong turn from McKellen.

While predictability gets in the way of potential entertainment factor there are still some enjoyable elements within The Critic’s tangling web of scheming particularly in some of the dialogue spoken with clear pleasure from a wonderful Ian McKellen.

Cert – 12, Run-time – 1 hour 45 minutes, Director – Tim Burton

Whilst being hunted by his ex-wife (Monica Bellucci), Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) is summoned by Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) after her teenage daughter (Jenna Ortega) becomes trapped in the afterlife.

Michael Keaton’s 600-year-dead bio-exorcist only appears on-screen in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice for around 17 minutes. Yet, he’s one of the biggest takeaways from the film, despite only largely appearing and interfering in the final stages of the 1988 horror-comedy. While he might have a couple more minutes of screen-time in this long-discussed sequel the (now doubly) titular character gets just about as much to do, and again largely feels mostly used in the ‘remember this?’ throwback details of the climactic stages.

Talk of a Beetlejuice sequel has bubbled for years, pretty much since the release of the original. Multiple storylines have likely been and gone, and it certainly feels like most of the characters from them appear here. While Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin don’t appear – apparently having found a loophole meaning they could leave their home – and Jeffrey Jones’ face is understandably only on gravestones and replicated in animated form to depict his character’s death; his body, missing its top half, occasionally seen wandering around the afterlife, it seems that almost every character possibly featured in previous versions of this film crop up here.

Strands build together with loose links to bring things together in the third act, but overall the narrative beginnings feel jumbled, and occasionally completely forgotten about as focus shifts eventually back to the Deetz family. Lydia (Winona Ryder) is estranged from her teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), who doesn’t believe in the paranormal nonsense she tackles on her TV show, Ghost House. However, when Astrid is trapped in the afterlife Lydia must get the help of Beetlejuice, hiding in his office from his revived and stapled-together, soul-sucking ex-wife (Monica Bellucci) who could end his own afterlife. Meanwhile Willem Dafoe runs around as a joke that never takes off, a former Hollywood action star who takes on the role of a cop in the land of the dead chasing after both Keaton and Bellucci.

While it’s nice to see the practical effects and general visual style, particularly in the other-worldly sequences, they often get lost amongst the constantly rebounding nature of the elements trying to construct a plot. There’s certainly something here, but it comes around very late in the day after what feels like an hour of separate build-ups with ideas and sequences dropping off like severed limbs. Once the actual narrative appears to kick in and we properly see the corridors of the afterlife from the Deetz’s perspective the events feel rushed, thin and simply wanting to get to the big finale.

Keaton is on good form and likable playing into the relaxed role, and some of the more enjoyable moments of the film simply involve him leading his team of shrunken-head workers manning the phones of his bio-exorcism business. While brief and largely acting as re-introductions to the characters they’re amongst the most laid back moments. As a whole the film fails to get many laughs, the few that are created are all courtesy of Catherine O’Hara’s returning artist, and step-mother to Lydia, Delia. For the most part the humour feels lacking, either never fully pushed or overfamiliar, and in some cases generally out of place – removing Dafoe’s character from this film would likely do very little to the overall arc. When more relaxed and throwaway the overall tone and effect of the humour is better and things feel smoother.

Yet, with how much is happening, and the amount of different characters in different places (I haven’t even mentioned Justin Theroux as Lydia’s partner Rory) at different times, there’s an almost overstuffed feeling to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Treading along the old while trying to bring in the new from various angles. With this in mind, the film it reminded me most of was fellow legacy sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, although this certainly feels like a more direct (although belated) sequel with less focus on legacy elements, although there are a handful here and there. And while there are glimmers of likable ideas and moments dotted about within Beetlejuice Beetlejuice the full film also gains something of a cold reception.

At its best when more relaxed and allowed a moment to breathe, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is full of frequently dropped characters and strands which rarely manage to conjure a laugh before moving on to further build-up for a rushed time once the narrative properly kicks in.

Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 43 minutes, Director – Zoë Kravitz

Cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) is invited to the private island of tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), however the longer she spends there the more she questions what she remembers of each day.

The revelations of Blink Twice happen in quick succession. Once the first is unveiled the rest follow for various characters in consistent flow, largely combining to the core of the film’s central point. While the trailers may feel as if they point towards some of this, it’s safe to say here that everything on the private island of tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) is not as it seems.

Cocktail waitresses Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) sneak into a celebration being held by King’s company and find themselves invited to the island for the duration of his latest trip. With everyone’s phones shut away in a bag held by Slater’s assistant, Stacy (Geena Davis – who it feels like the film wants to do more with but is largely seen fumbling with handfuls of bags and assuring Slater that his new chair is fine in its latest location), days are spent drinking and partying around the pool before a gourmet meal prepared by Simon Rex’s Cody. However, as time passes as Frida explores more hidden areas of the island she begins to feel as if there’s something being hidden from her, or perhaps she’s forgetting something. The indeterminate amount of time spent on the island mixed with the repetition of the days brings about a sinister Groundhog Day feeling.

Co-writer (alongside E.T. Feigenbaum) and debut director Zoë Kravitz goes full force with a fiery third act fuelled by the increasing heat of the discoveries and pieced-together events across the narrative. For the most part the timing and intrigue of these closing stages is handled well, however when it comes to rounding things off the film is brought to a quick conclusion while still feeling as if it has one or two pieces it could still run with. Perhaps due to how quick the final stages feel in comparison to the looping style of the initial partying and enjoyment of the island, where the focus is very much still on Ackie and Shawkat’s characters, before also introducing Adria Arjona’s reality survival series star Sarah.

These three figures have the core detail when it comes to characters. While Tatum’s tech mogul, claiming to invest himself in therapy after the way he ran his company was met with online criticism leading to an apology video on Instagram, has his own detail everyone else around him – including the likes of Christian Slater, Haley Joel Osment and Kyle MacLachlan – feel somewhat one-dimensional; perhaps intentionally so to push the film’s themes, or maybe an effect from the fact that they, too, don’t have a great deal to do.

The mysteries unfold effectively throughout as things are pieced together well. Gradually at first but then in a sudden rush in the catharsis, tension and fire of the third act. There may be some bumps during Blink Twice, but as a whole it works well particularly when it comes to the timing of how events unfold and the mystery unravels, and a consistent sense of threat alongside it. More time could be given to how things are rounded off, but with the pace and force given to the third act, it certainly has a thrilling impact in the moment.

While certain characters and the overall resolution could do with more time and detail, Blink Twice is a film made with fiery force, contained in the growing sinister mystery which unfurls in a thrilling, consistent flow as the closing stages near.