Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: The gremlins are back, and this time they are spreading chaos throughout an expensive office building in New York City.
Review: I remember loving this movie as a kid, but then I realized just how stupid it was in comparison to the original. Now, it's not to say that this movie is terrible, but when compared to the greatness of the first movie, you notice the flaws more easily. Even the crew acknowledges most of the failure was due to taking too long to capitalize of the first "Gremlin's" success, but I would say the entire approach was the real problem. Rather than moving the story forward or trying to be bigger, the direction was to pretty much parody the ideas of the first film. I just don't understand the thinking in that decision since many regarded the first film so favorably despite its flaws; also, as the first film was comedic in nature, how exactly can you properly make fun of a movie that succeeded at being funny? The end result was the creation of a film that is a mixed bag of good ideas boggled down by lameness and this mocking tone of some of the better moments of the first entry.
Let's address the good things first. Obviously, and you knew I'd bring this up, the return of Phoebe Cates as Kate was the highlight of the film for me. Dare I say, she looks even sexier in the sequel! Oh Ms. Cates, you retired from acting far too soon. In fact, a fair amount of characters return: Billy, the Futtermans, the old Chinese man, and of course Gizmo; I wish Billy's parents had made appearances but whatever. There are a lot of new characters introduced and most are surprisingly entertaining and welcomed like Mr. Clamp and Fred; I should note there were quite a few cameos throughout the film as well that were definitely a nice touch. The gremlins this time are even better looking and more varied than the original. This was probably the only real improvement over the first film since the gremlins break into some experimental lab and all manner of freaks are created like the smart gremlin, spider one, and one made of lightning just to name a few. Although the original gremlins had a certain charm to them, I do prefer the special effects of this film, but the freak-gremlins are more of a novelty. The majority of the film is set in this technologically advanced office building that allows for some interesting and creative scenes. This contrast between the big city and small town is an interesting perspective and is executed decently enough. Lastly, there are a few select scenes that are amusing that mock the original like when the security team discusses the eating after midnight notion.
Okay, so where did this film go wrong? I think the best way I can sum it up is that this movie had no heart. For example, how do you take such a powerful and memorable scene from the first film like when Kate talks about why she hates Christmas and trivialize it by adding a scene trashing that monologue? Or the fact that the last movie ended with a message of responsibility only to have Billy completely careless and a goofball. Billy just felt totally out of character in general and Kate's reaction to the mogwai felt out of place too; the Marla character coming on to Billy was so random and pointless as well. Too many moments were way over the top and trying too hard to be funny at the expense of the first film. The introduction of the gremlins was rushed so fast and quite a few scenes are jumpy with incredibly sloppy editing. The female gremlin and the guy just going with it was a million times more disturbing for me than the violence or Kate's story in the first film. It's like the film was a hodgepodge of ideas that weren't entirely fleshed out with the sensation of many hands in the writing process. I don't know what it is, but this film has this emptiness I can't adequately express that makes it feel so mediocre. It's just this shell of the first film's framework with more emphasis on slapstick-esque comedy with sprinkles of good ideas strewn about. The charm, wonder, and imagination of the first film are definitely absent.
In the end, I can see why some would enjoy this film and why even I used to love it so much. There are many cool scenes and the gremlins themselves are bigger and badder than the first time around. However, the characters, story, and humor are way off compared to the first and significantly weaker to boot. There was a clear attempt to make a bigger film, but bigger doesn't necessarily mean better, and through this process all the charm was lost. Likewise, shitting all over the original, when it's a superior film, might not have been the best of ideas. I would still say this film is worth a view, and I would probably view it more favorably if it were a standalone film rather than a continuation of such a classic. And, well, it does have Ms. Cates giving it extra points...so there's that. Eh, it's still better than the majority of the "Gremlins" knockoffs out there.
Notable Moment: Probably when Gizmo finally gets tough and kills Mohawk in his spider form. Mohawk was definitely the coolest looking of the gremlins even if he was defeated a little too easily.
Final Rating: 5.5/10
Ms. Cates still looking oh so deliciously sexy!
