Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

On Demand, Seattle, WA

April 01, 2008

This was not the first time I saw this movie.

*** ½ / ****

By Scott Muoio

Who could have imagined in 1990 (or even now) that Gremlins 2: The New Batch would turn out to be an innovative, funny, and intelligent sequel to the most famous kiddie-horror film of all-time? Oxy morons and impossible achievements abound but indeed, Gremlins 2 breaks all the rules of the sophomore jinx as it proves itself one of the two most shockingly excellent and unexpected follow-up successes ever made. The other: Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. I kid you not. But I’ll get to that in a minute…

The Gremlins story this go ‘round again features a cute, friendly, furry little critter named Gizmo who accidentally spawns an army of hideous creatures whose sole purpose is gluttony, mayhem, and avoiding all bright lights which instantly kill them. However, where the first installment set these reptilian hellions loose in small-town Upstate New York, Gremlins 2 sets the miniature deviants up to do their mischief in a New York City skyscraper. And wouldn’t you know it: the building houses a genetics lab (perfect for mutating the little monsters beyond belief), a television station, and all manner of nooks and crannies perfect for fiendish exploitation. And exploit do they ever, trashing everything in sight until they realize there’s only one place left to go: outside. Watching them progress from a handful of deviants to a small village of unique monsters is handled with just the right amount of terror, humour, and fun to make the entire film a joy to behold.

Like Bill & Ted Part II, Gremlins 2 has a lot going for it. The sequel takes the template of its predecessor, significantly changes the setting, amps up the gusto, winks and nudges its origins, and then intelligently pours on sophisticated laughs by looking far beyond the original’s palette of sensibilities. But it doesn’t stop there. Gremlins 2 also features a smorgasbord of hilarious characters and cameos from the first movie, surprisingly original additions (Christopher Lee as a geneticist! Coach Cutlip from The Wonder Years as a nervous TV executive! And a female gremlin with a huge libido smitten by Cutlip!), riotous nods to its predecessor (the blender, microwave, and three rules for Mogwai care nudges are pure genius!), an amazing Gremlins song and dance number, and of course, one of the most recognizably exhilarating theme songs ever. What Gremlins 2 doesn’t have is tedium, rehashing, and by-the-numbers film making, typically what you would find in a sequel. The result: a wholly different kind of horror comedy that embraces its black comedy roots while pushing the envelope of clever quirks and strange film making to its limit. No doubt Gremlins 2 succeeds in reminding of its predecessor while capably standing on its own two legs.

It may seem amazing in theory but Gremlins 2 really is a perfect sequel. By combining the familiar elements of Part I with unexpected tangents and outrageous embellishments, Gremlins 2 finds its own tone while vaulting itself into that rarefied air of sequels that just may be better than the films that inspired them. Neither Gremlins 2 or the original Gremlins is a perfect film by any measure, but both are outrageously entertaining and excellent viewing, indeed!