It’s been a summer of reboots at the movies.

Theatrically, there’s been “Twisters,” while Netflix revived the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise with “Axel F.”

Now “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” arrives, the long awaited sequel to the 1988 comedy that signaled the arrival of Tim Burton as a filmmaker to watch – the perfect followup to his feature film debut, “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.”

Fans of “Beetlejuice” will be happy to know that the sequel has been worth the wait – a bit of an overstuffed excursion that proves to be a return to form for Burton. This is dark, funny and very weird – all the elements that made that first film so special.

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” finds former goth teen Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) now a middle-aged mom and host of a paranormal TV show. Lydia is dating her producer Rory (Justin Theroux) and is estranged from her daughter Astrid (Jenny Ortega).

When Lydia’s dad Charles is killed in a horrific accident (a clever way to work around not having to recast Jeffrey Jones), Lydia and Astrid head back to Winter River with Lydia’s stepmom Delia (Catherine O’ Hara) to bury Charles and decide what is next for the family home.

Lydia soon discovers that the Deetzs aren’t the only ones still around – with the demon Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) lurking in the shadows.

Alfred Gough and Miles Millar’s screenplay throws a lot on the plate – especially in the first half of the film – by bringing in a lot of characters and story threads that don’t quite feel like they are in the same movie. In addition to the Deetzs and Beetlejuice, you get Willem Dafoe as a former actor who is now an afterlife detective, Monica Bellucci as a soul-sucking demon who is back to take revenge on Beetlejuice, and Arthur Conti as a young boy living in Winter River who befriends Astrid.

It’s hard to see how all these pieces will fit together, but to the screenplay’s credit, they intersect quite well in a totally bonkers second hour where the film really finds its stride.

This is where Burton is allowed to shine, taking audiences into the afterlife in ways that really play to his creative strengths as a director. While this film doesn’t have the same iconic moment as “Day-O” in the original, there are still several fun moments that stand out – including a flashback complete with French subtitles and a play off the iconic “Soul Train” TV series that is a lot of fun.

The cast adds to the enjoyment – especially Keaton and O’Hara, who make the film worth the price of admission just based on their performances alone.

Keaton slips right back into the role so well, it’s easy to dismiss how good he really is at it. And then there is O’Hara, who nearly steals the film with one of the funniest supporting performances of 2024.

I wish the first hour could have been a little tighter, and there are a couple of missed opportunities to tie the two films together, but overall, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” delivers what fans of the original have been hoping for. It’s a nice return to Burton’s early work and a chance to see a really talented cast just let loose and have a lot of fun.

Starring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder

Directed by: Tim Burton

Rating: PG-13 for violent content, macabre and bloody images, strong language, some suggestive material and brief drug use.

Playing at: Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas (Glasgow)

Grade: B