The Franchise File 2: The one with Gremlins in an arcology skyscraper

 

 

Title: Gremlins 2: The New Batch

What Year?: 1990

Classification: Weird Sequel

Rating: It’s Okay! (3/4)

 

As I write this, it’s Halloween, and I haven’t done nearly as much as I usually would with movies on or off the blog. I still have time for one more shot, and there is something I’ve been waiting for. It’s another case of a 1990s sequel to a 1980s movie (see Predator 2), one which never seems to have been either well-regarded or particularly notorious. To me, however, it has always been the most interesting and in many ways the best. I present Gremlins 2, a movie about monsters in an arc scraper, and that’s just the start of the fun.

Our story begins with a developer trying to buy the mysterious shop of the original film, where a certain creature called Gizmo has settled back into a peaceful life watching TV. When the old shopkeeper dies, a skyscraper soon rises on the grounds of the old property. It’s not an ordinary building, but an AI-controlled artificial ecology with a range of businesses, including a genetics lab where Gizmo is held prisoner. When his old friend Billy is hired by the developer Mr. Clamp, the do-gooder helps the creature escape. Before they can complete their getaway, the Mogwai gets splashed with water, causing him to spontaneously reproduce a group of mean, warped offspring. Soon, the spawn transform into scaly Gremlins intent on mayhem. When they get into the lab’s projects, they mutate further, into the likes of a flying gargoyle, a giant spider and an intelligent Brain ready to act as leader and spokesman in their conquest of the world. It’s up to Billy and Gizmo to save the day- with a little help from Dick Miller!

Gremlins 2 was a 1990 film by Warner Bros and Amblin Entertainment, a direct sequel to the 1984 film Gremlins (see also Critters). The film was again directed by Joe Dante (see InnerSpace), with writer Chis Haas replacing Christopher Columbus. The film starred Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates, returning as Billy and Kate, with John Glover as Daniel Clamp. Other cast included Robert Picardo (Dead Heat), Christopher Lee (Horror Express) and Dick Miller (Night of the Creeps, Terminator), the last returning as Mr. Putterman despite the character’s implied death in the first film. Effects were created by Rick Baker (see King Kong 1976). The soundtrack was composed by Jerry Goldsmith (see Deep Rising, Link, etc, etc.). A novelization was written by David Bischoff, with a significantly different ending. An NES game was released by Sunsoft. The movie was a box office disappointment, earning under $42 million against a budget of up to $50M. It is currently available for streaming on multiple platforms.

For my experiences, was a film I was aware of at an early age but didn’t see firsthand until adulthood, which I suppose contributed to my feelings about it. After I did see it, it quickly came in very high on my list of movies that people would probably expect me to like far more than I do. I don’t by any means dislike it, but I find it to have a strange vibe that probably would have failed to connect with me as a 1980s kid or an adult. Meanwhile, I was interested enough in the sequel to watch it at about the same time as the original. It immediately impressed me as a sequel that went in different and creative directions. Beyond that, it fit my tastes better than the first film ever did, in no small part because it really is more of a “straight” monster movie. Whether that makes it “better” is exactly what I have been asking myself going into this review.

Moving forward, the obvious upgrades are the arcscraper environment and the ensemble supporting cast. On both fronts, there are things to nitpick. The arcology angle isn’t that developed, but as a playground for the Gremlins, it’s as fleshed out as it needs to be. (I'll admit I pretty much ripped this off for the Eurypterids adventure.) In certain respects, the modesty is a plus; it’s especially noteworthy that the building isn’t played up as bigger than anything actually in existence then or now. There’s more to criticize in the uneven use of the cast, especially Lee as Gizmo’s captor. To me, the character feels like a “twist villain” in reverse, shoehorned into the beginning instead of the end. His high point comes in the faceoff with the Brain, alas never followed up with redemption or comeuppance in the finale. On the flip side, there are delights I couldn’t shoehorn into my cast list, including Keye Luke, whom I shouted out in Dead Heat, as Gizmo’s original owner and Robert Prosky as Grandpa Fred, a sort of cross between April O’Neal and John McClain. Glover handily steals the movie as the semi-sympathetic Clamp, even if his real-life counterparts are no longer funny. (It gets a lot more awkward in the deleted scenes…) The real highlight is Miller in a fairly substantial role. (Well, the Gremlins don’t kill him with a gun he just sold them…)

Then there are the creatures, and this is where the back and forth comes in between the two films. The Gremlins aren’t quite as menacing as they were in the original, though that means a more even tone for the technological mayhem, and the most dangerous of the lot feels like he was written to be far more prominent. On the other hand, the mutants are mostly an improvement, except for the female (who judging from the book must have been toned down from earlier versions of the script). Many high points come from the Brain, voiced by the late Tony Randall of The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao; “one scene” honorable mention is definitely in order for his psychotic “interview” with Fred. (“Was that civilized?...”) For me, it’s Gizmo who comes up a little short, perhaps more so than before. What I could never buy into was the many pop culture references with the Gremlins, if anything ramped up here. I have never found it more worthwhile than the underexplored questions raised when the concept is considered straight. It would have been especially intriguing to see an exploration of the real relationship between Gizmo and his (???) offspring. Do they turn on him because he is not like him? Is he vulnerable simply because he feels enough parental love that he doesn’t want to fight back? Or is this all as “natural” as black widows eating their mates and unborn sharks devouring their siblings? (Yeah, that happens…)

Now for the “one scene”, I’m going with an early moment. Gizmo is in the lab, being examined by a pair who could be either twins or clones. In fact, that’s Don and Dan Stanton, the twin brothers who appeared as the ill-fated guard and the T1000 in Terminator 2. When Lee’s Dr. Catheter (I did not want to print that) comes in for a tour, they let Gizmo out. The pair then turn on music, and bob along as Gizmo does a dance. It all feels as natural as his behavior left to his own devices in the first movie. However, he slowly gets closer to the edge of the table, until he suddenly makes a break for it. He barely builds up speed before Lee catches him. We get a perfect closeup of Lee as he holds up Gizmo for inspection. It’s a great moment, and perhaps enough from a great actor.

In closing, I come as usual to the rating, and this is one I could have rated even higher than I have. I just couldn’t quite talk myself into giving this the highest rating. On the whole, I would probably have given the original movie no less and no more, which I will admit is the fairest assessment of their quality. There are many ways in which the present film improves on its predecessor, but the real reason it does as well as it does is because of how many good ideas the original film offered to work with. My verdict on the franchise is that this is a case of “good enough” being just fine. These may never have been great movies, but they are memorable enough to endure as classics. That’s enough for me to end the Halloween season on a high note.

Image credit GoodReads.