Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: After a young man is given a strange pet as a Christmas present, a quaint town is tormented by little creatures that wreak nothing but havoc.
Review: This is another of those films that possesses that '80s magic that allows the plot to work somehow even though it wouldn't during any other era; there's just this sort of charm and heart that shines out through the presentation and story. "Gremlins" is probably the penultimate family-horror movie out there, and, perhaps, even solidified the existence of the sub-genre itself. I know many label this movie as comedy-horror, which I most certainly agree with that, but this movie was marketed more toward the kiddies than, say, something like "Ghostbusters" was. It's also a widely known fact that this film, and a few others, helped establish the PG-13 rating in the USA due to wimpy parents being thrown off by the amount of violence. It's of note that the script went through multiple phases as it transitioned more away from straight horror and incorporated more kid-friendly ideas like Gizmo's character; originally, Gizmo was meant to turn into the Stripe character in gremlin form among many other alterations. If someone is interested in learning much more about the history of this film, the DVD commentary is educational and worth a listen. But before moving forward, there's something I wanted to mention that is near and dear to my heart. So, I have been talking about '80s hotties quite a bit on this blog, but I've been holding back on the one who is the hottest of them all. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I present you with the beautiful, talented, and sexy Ms. Phoebe Cates! Now while Ms. Cates has that bodacious body hidden away in this film, I can't ignore her presence. Is there any other girl who truly defined sexy in the '80s more than my dear Ms. Cates? All I have to say is "pool scene." 'Nuff said.
It's not that the story was original as the multiplying little creature plot had been done before and, at this point, has been copied endlessly, but the oddity to the presentation created a special blend of ideas that came together perfectly; applying Christmas as a backdrop definitely enhanced the charm I was discussing earlier. The town itself has this cozy feel accompanied by a wide variety of characters who felt mostly believable. However, the story begins in some random China town (I don't care that the sequel claims it was New York...clearly it was not) where an inventor named Rand Peltzer discovers Gizmo, who is a creature known as a mogwai, at a local antique shop. Convinced he must have Gizmo to give as a gift for his son, Billy, played by Zach Galligan, Rand convinces the grandson of the owner to give him Gizmo but explains there are certain rules one must abide by in order to take care of a mogwai. Those being: they hate bright lights and sunlight can kill them, don't let them get wet, and never feed them after midnight. Okay, let's address this now, we all know the so-called rules are one big plot hole and if you can overlook these glaring inconsistencies then the film will be much more enjoyable. Yes, I know, there's water vapor in the air, there's snow on the ground, there's water in the drinks the gremlins consume, Stripe in the pool should have multiplied infinitely, and well, the whole after midnight thing is nonsensical to say the least. But one way to forget all of this is to assume these are generic rules explained by a little boy and not necessarily 100% accurate. Also, it's worth mentioning that in the novelization of the film, the mogwai are actually genetically manufactured lifeforms by aliens so there's that to think about!
Billy makes for an okay lead since he's your typical nice guy. The relationship between him and Gizmo is cute but could have been explored more thoroughly. Likewise, Billy's romance with Kate, played by Ms. Cates, should have been developed better, but, as it stands, Kate makes for an excellent girl next door kind of love interest which was the vibe Ms. Cates typically invoked. The background characters are a nice touch and make the town feel more real and lively; Rand provides some decent scenes through his asinine inventions as well. One thing that always bothered me about the mogwai was why no one ever questioned what on earth they were or why was Gizmo the only non evil one? Well, as one would easily guess, all the rules are broken revealing that the cute and cuddly mogwai transform into grotesque gremlins who live to wreak havoc; actually, it's better to consider them agents of chaos than truly evil. I can see why some parents may have been bothered by the violence because the initial gremlins are dispatched of quite graphically with the likes of one being shoved in a blender, exploding in a microwave, and even a decapitation with the head landing in the fireplace. Once Stripe, the leader of the gremlins, multiplies hundreds of other gremlins, the real antics ensue as we see a wide variety of gags and setups. Even though most of the gremlins look exactly alike, there was this attention of detail to individualize as many of them as possible which I love; the quirky personalities of the random gremlins I think is one of the main reasons people remember this film so fondly. The true heart of the film is at this point when the gremlins are running amok and only Billy, Kate, and Gizmo can end the madness. While blowing up all the gremlins at once felt a bit convenient, the final showdown against Stripe was cool and enhanced the climax. Finally, the old man from the beginning coming back to collect Gizmo and provide some insightful wisdom made for a satisfying conclusion to add a certain layer of depth.
Overall, this film had a lot of advantages going for it that made it such a classic. The pacing is strong, the characters are likable, fantastic special effects for the gremlins, the main musical theme is catchy and appropriate, the action is good, the comedy and horror elements are balanced well even if some would disagree, it's heavy on the nostalgia, and it has Phoebe Cates! Sure the acting could have used some polishing, a little more character development, and obviously the aforementioned plot holes are glaring, but none of this really detracts much from the experience. I mean, seriously, how many other films out there are their entire premises a plot hole and the film is still as good and beloved? I definitely recommend this film since it works on many different levels whether it be horror, family, '80s awesomeness, creature feature, or even a holiday movie. Honestly, if it weren't for the huge ass plot holes, I would have rated this film even higher.
Notable Moment: When Kate tells us the tale of how she learned there was no Santa Claus and why she doesn't like Christmas. I can see why so many felt this scene is out of place, but it was maybe the most powerful moment in the film, and I'm glad the director fought to keep it in.
Final Rating: 8/10
The '80s goddess in the flesh: Ms. Cates!
