Gremlins 2: La nueva generación

"Gremlins 2: The New Batch" is the 1990 sequel to the 1984 box office hit "Gremlins" which is one of my all-time favorite movies. The sequel is not as good as the original, but its not bad either. Here the filmakers did something different. They tried to make this one more of a comedy than the original. The first film was funny but also scary. "Gremlins 2" plays more like a Mel Brooks-type movie with some of the jokes that are in it. But its hardly scary. Plus, it got a little tiresome to watch the gremlins do some of the exact same things that they did the first time around like drinking, smoking, etc. Nevertheless, this is for the most part an entertaining movie that I'd wish had done better at the box office. I think if they had made this three years after the original instead of six years, it would have done better. In between the two "Gremlins" flicks there were all those ripoffs ("Critters", "Ghoulies" and their sequels) and by 1990 moviegoers became tired of it all. But the two "Gremlins" movies are much better than the "Critters" and "Ghoulies" movies. A good job by director Joe Dante.

*** (out of four)

Fancy some Gremlin Stew? Three underrated sequels came out in 1990. Predator 2, RoboCop 2, and Gremlins 2. I remember waiting in the lobby of a cinema in Orlando, Florida before a screening of Back to the Future 3, looking at the cardboard standees for Gremlins 2 and RoboCop 2 side by side. My 9-year-old self was a HUGE fan of the first movies and staring at a standee taller than me, featuring wonderful artwork, for those sequels was big deal for me. I pity kids nowadays who don't have the attention span to soak up little moments like that.

Dante takes everything that was great about Gremlins and cranks it all the way up to a zillion. The original movie was a dark xmas comedy horror with B-movie undertones. The sequel goes so over-the-top it launches itself into the stratosphere and doesn't come back down until the very, very end of the credits. It's just wall-to-wall mayhem with so many in-jokes it'll make your head explode. The movie even attempts to begin as a Looney Tunes cartoon.

Gizmo, now back with Mr. Wing, escapes the curiosity shop after the old man dies and is found by a scientist working at Splice of Life, a laboratory located in the Clamp Premiere Regency Trade Centre and Retail Concourse (a big skyscraper in Manhattan). Working in the art department of that skyscraper is Billy Peltzer, hero of the first film. Billy eventually locates and rescues Gizmo, but he gets wet before Billy can take him home, spawning a new generation of cute, fluffy, malevolent Mogwai (Mohawk, Lenny, Edward G. Robinson-lookalike George, and the absolutely mad Daffy). They eat after midnight at a Yoghurt stand in the lobby. The following day the Clamp building, and all of the tenants (from the Archery Channel to the movie print itself, leading to an amusing cameo from Hulk Hogan) are besieged by a horde of gremlins intent on mass destruction and good times at any cost.

One can accuse the film of having no story beyond giving the Gremlins a lively backdrop for their wild antics, but when you're having so much fun isn't that what matters most? Goldsmith's score (sadly underrepresented on the 22-year-old Varese Sarabande CD) has a lot more weight second time around, backed-up by a large orchestra and string-based action cues. You'll absolutely love it! Chris Columbus didn't return for this movie, leaving scripting duties to Charlie Haas. He uses the Gremlins and the location to skewer big city culture and satirize business tycoons. John Glover is brilliant as the easily excitable Daniel Clamp, a Donald Trump-like property magnate who has more money and power than he knows what do with.

It's amazing that a third Gremlins movie was never made. Despite it now being 22 years since Gremlins 2 and 28 years since the first movie virtually every kid knows what the Gremlins are and are familiar with Gizmo (who may well be the cutest thing that ever existed). It's still a huge cash cow and a recognizable brand, and why Warner never greenlit Gremlins 3 is puzzling to say the absolute least.

One last thing. Stay with this film until the end of the credits.

To this day my friend and I still refer to the gremiln like he is real. When something goes wrong with my computer, it is the gremlin, when my keys are misplaced and then show up in a spot that you swear you checked before, it was the gremlin, when something, anything goes wrong, it has to be the gremlin. I am actually convinced that Spike has taken on a life of his own (kinda the way Freddy did in Wes Craven's New Nightmare) and lives to make my life difficult. Joe Dante's Gremlin's has had that much of an impact on my life. Gremlins was a wonderful film and it was a little more creepy than it was funny. But make no mistake about this one, it is one of the funnier movies that I've seen. It abandons all that was scary and atmospheric in the first and just adds comedy a-plenty. And I would seriously put this humour up against some of the funnier comdies of the 90's.

This time the adventures of Magwai and Spike reach a skyskraper like building owned by a guy that has to be a distant cousin of Donald Trump. And if you think back to Gremlins, remember how much trouble the little guys could get into using simple household products (microwave, chimney etc ) well that is nothing compared to what they can do at an office filled with the latest technology.

There are also many many inside jokes about Hollywood and such that you have to watch it several times to pick up on all of them. What is also great about the film is the two versions ( one for the theater and one for the VCR ) I remember when I saw this in the theater I really thought something was wrong with the projector when it first went all strange. And I like the fact that the makers of this had the guts and the gaul to try something new like that. It kind of reminds me of Something About Mary when at the end the entire cast is singing that song. The movie never stops trying to entertain, and that is what I got from this film too. It will do anything to make you laugh, even throw in a little Hulkamania when he was cool.

Gremlins 2 is one of the funniest films that you will see. And I'm just a little surprised that Joe Dante isn't still active so much in the business anymore. He made some great films and I would gladly see anything that he puts his name on.

If you haven't seen this film for quite some time, then I highly suggest that you do see it soon. I was browsing through Rick Baker's filmography on the IMDb and I came across Gremlins 2. I rented it the same night and I was very glad I did. Not only did it make me laugh, it brought me back to a time when films like this and The Goonies and even E.T. were made. Movies aren't the same anymore and that is not neccessarily a criticism, it is just a comment pointing out that in the early 90's and the 80's movies were just different sometimes. This is one of the funnier ones, and one of the more entertaining. Do you remember a film by Amblin that wasn't?

I have something of an odd history with director Joe Dante's 1990 release "Gremlins 2: The New Batch." Having been born in the late 80's, I grew up in "Gremlins"-mania. The original classic of black humor and creature-feature thrills was everywhere... everyone loved it and everyone loved to watch it constantly. And as a young child, as much as I loved that brilliant first film, I equally loved it's twisted and demented follow up. I'd watch them back-to- back practically once a week when I was in Elementary school. They just worked so well together in my mind: a more subtle first film followed by a more over-the-top and in-your-face sequel chocked full of constant gags and twists. Then, about age 10 or 11, I stopped enjoying it. It's radical tonal departure from the original and seeming discontent with its predecessor just didn't sit well with me... it seemed so insane and ridiculous, I just stopped loving it. It felt too much like it was making fun of the original rather than honoring it, which I hated.

It wasn't until many years later, as a teen about to enter my 20's that I rediscovered it and gave it a chance...and I loved it more than I had ever imagined I would! And even to this day, my adoration for it continues to grow. Why? Because I realized those things I hated about it years prior were intentional. It was all part of the insane and all-encompassing sense of anarchy director Joe Dante was crafting with this wonderful sequel. I just wasn't mature enough to be in on the gag, and realize that this wasn't just a sequel- it was a brilliant satire filled with great themes based on American culture of the 90's, consumerism and media... and also just a darned well- constructed piece of self-parody. It's poking fun at its own existence as an unnecessary sequel to a self-contained film and just has fun using the concept as an excuse to deliver some biting commentary. And I do think that it may be one of the greatest under-appreciated sequels ever made.

Several years after the events of the original, Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) and his girlfriend Kate (Phoebe Cates) have re-located to New York City and are both working for Clamp Enterprises, a company run by eccentric and amusingly naive millionaire Daniel Clamp. (John Glover) Coincidentally, it turns out that Gizmo- the adorable Mogwai- is being held captive for experimentation in the very same building. Soon enough, Billy and his former pet are reunited. But all is not well- an accident causes a new batch of Gremlins to emerge, and it's up to Billy, Kate, Gizmo, Clamp and the visiting Futtermans (Dick Miller, Jackie Joseph) to save the day once again.

Director Dante, along with screenwriter Charles S. Haas craft a deliciously subversive tale that builds off of what came before, but takes it in a wildly creative new direction. Story goes that Dante was simply not interested in making another "Gremlins", especially as every script that was turned in was just a carbon-copy of the original. It wasn't until he was given near full creative control that he stepped back into the director's chair. And thank the lord he did. From the opening minute of the film, you know you're in for something very unique. And almost each and every scene has some layer of parody, satire or commentary that will leave you howling with laughter. You know you're watching something special when there's an uproariously funny gag involving a cable network's "End of Civilization" video announcement being prepped to air and a prolonged sequence where a janitor bemoans the dog-eat-dog world of modern employment while Gizmo is besieged by his evil Mogwai offspring. Special props also go to the brilliant series of gags revolving around Clamp's decidedly inefficient "smart" building and a sequence that openly mocks the "three rules" established in the first film. There's some good, broad humor there.

Beyond that, the rest of the production is just magnificent. The updated creature effects courtesy Rick Baker are a massive step-up, with each and every Gremlin and Mogwai seeming to have their own distinct look and personality. Jerry Goldsmith's score is a comical blast and a half. The cast is fabulous, with all returning actors given their moment to shine and new cast members being very likable and entertaining. Glover is wonderful as the oddball Clamp. Christopher Lee makes for a memorable foil as a deranged genetic research scientist whose work allows the Gremlins to mutate into amusing new forms. And Robert Prosky gives a sense of class as a television host who gets caught up in the action. And the cinematography is also very sharp and works wonders, perfectly complimenting director Dante's unique and quirky visual sensibilities.

"Gremlins 2: The New Batch" might not be for everyone. It's complex and hard-hitting commentary will likely fly over the heads of many viewers, and its deliberately ridiculous and farcical style may turn off the more hardcore fanbase of the original. But if you have an open mind, this is a journey well worth taking.

I give it a very good 8 out of 10.

Years after the original outbreak, Gizmo and the gremlins return... and invade the Clamp building (a parody of Trump Tower). Luckily, Billy and Kate are on hand to stop them again, and Dick Miller is ready to fight them to the death. Now in many assorted varieties (thanks to a genetics lab), the threat is bigger... but the laughs are harder.

It's not unusual for horror sequels to become more and more humorous as they go. "Child's Play" slowly became a complete joke as the series went on. The same with "Leprechaun". With "Gremlins", it didn't take long at all -- Joe Dante not only mocks his first film but completely parodies it and turns it inside out. We are treated to an endless barrage of non sequitors, in-jokes, and homages to more than a few dozen movies. Most of the references are obscure (such as Dick Miller killing a gremlin in the same manner as his character Walter Paisley from "A Bucket of Blood"), but that's what makes the film viewable again and again.

Those who loved the first may dislike the second, but those who disliked the first may like the second. That Dante is able to switch gears so smoothly is incredible. With the main characters remaining constant, it should bring appeal from one to the other. How often does a sequel keep the core cast and the director? And dudes, this was during Phoebe Cates' adorably cute phase. Not the sexy seductress of "Fast Times", but a dollface you can't say no to.

I watched this one right after "Howling III" as I was beginning to sober up from drinking Passport Scotch. I switched to Clan MacGregor Scotch, but my belly was full so I didn't drink nearly fast enough. But I think that's quite alright, as "Gremlins II" is a timeless classic that should be enjoyed with a clear mind. (But if you want to drink, drink... it won't make the film any worse.) Did I mention Christopher Lee is in here? He is. Why does he have a pod from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"? Who knows! But his role as a scientist (not a mad one) is perfect for him, and a nice change from his Hammer horror roles as Dracula (though we still get a nice blood drinking reference). It might be one of the appearances by Lee I enjoy the most.

If you mixed the original "Gremlins" with "Muppets Take Manhattan" (or maybe "The Great Muppet Caper"), it would be almost like this. Well, maybe not. I don't know. But if you get the chance to see "Gremlins II", see it. You've probably already seen it, though, so why am I telling you to see it? You already know. For that one person who reads this that hasn't seen it, you should. Both horror and non-horror fans will love it. Perfect date movie? Perhaps!