Gremlins Review

MPAA Rating: PG
Released: 1984

Gremlins was a classic slice of 80's cinema that detailed the story of a teenage boy and his Mogwai, an adorable and rare creature that requires three rules of the caretaker: don't expose him to bright light, don't get him wet and never, ever feed him after midnight. Unfortunately these rules are soon broken, and an entire small town must face the consequences.

Equal parts comedy and horror, Gremlins is a film that will appeal to both young and old as you will soon see in the Feature Attraction.

Steven Spielberg is responsible for a long line of timeless movies ranging from action-adventures like Raiders of the Lost Ark to war epics like Saving Private Ryan. Although he did not serve as the director for Gremlins (Joe Dante has that honor), he was the producer for this 80's film with a serious split personality.

Gremlins is generally labeled as a comedy, though it can be better compared to a home-cooked stew. Toss in a good helping of comedy, stir in plenty of horror for extra oomph, add a smattering of romance and finally top it off with a dash of Christmas. Stir well, allow to simmer and you'll then have an idea of what Gremlins is about.

Okay… maybe you still won't have a clue until you've finished seeing Gremlins, but suffice it to say this movie is a true sum of its parts. No part of the film by itself shines, but somehow the overall combination merges together into one of the more unique and unexpectedly enjoyable films of the 80's.

As the movie begins we are introduced to a bumbling old inventor, Randall Peltzer (Hoyt Axton), who purchases a unique gift for his son, Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan): a Mogwai named Gizmo. The cute creature and the likeable lead characters lend the movie a Christmas family film aura. Nothing is particularly funny or exciting yet… it's just a pleasing feel-good movie.

Ah, but don't get too comfortable just yet. You see, there are three rules that must be followed when you own a Mogwai. The first rule, never get them wet, is soon broken, which leads to a batch of five new Mogwai being reproduced. The only problem is these newcomers aren't as well behaved as Gizmo; in fact they are downright ornery little buggers.

Eventually the evil Mogwai trick Billy into feeding them after midnight, causing them to metamorphize into little green beasts called Gremlins. It's at this point that the film makes a metamorphosis if its own, donning the cloak of a horror film as the nasty little critters decide to turn their attention towards Billy's mother (Francis Lee McCain), who is stuck alone in the house with them.

Her battle for her life could actually be considered rather graphic for a PG movie, were it not for the fact Gremlin guts are green rather than red. One of the would-be attackers finds itself in the wrong end of a blender while another is tossed in the microwave and cooked. Billy returns home just in time to save his mother, then turns his attention towards the last of the original five Gremlins… the leader named Stripe.

But things can never be easy, for Stripe manages to jump into a pool of water, unleashing hundreds of new Gremlins on the sleepy country town. Before we can become too horrified by the events occurring on screen, heavy doses of comedy are suddenly injected into the movie. One zany highlight is a bar scene, where we get to watch chain-smoking, boozing Gremlins gamble, sing, carouse and misbehave. It's a hilarious display.

You will need to watch the film to see how the story pans out, for there's more action and fun to be had. Although I mentioned the horror elements of the film, they are not so extended or intense that most children would not be able to handle it. Perhaps the movie may be a bit rough in spots for very young or particularly sensitive children, but otherwise it's a movie that the whole family can enjoy. If the PG-13 rating existed when the movie was released, it would likely have been the equivalent of that.

The movie was such a success that it spawned an arsenal of toys as well as a sequel in 1990 that shed any sense of its former horror and became a pure comedy. Since Gremlins II missed the 80's deadline by a year a review of it will not appear on this site, but if you're a fan of the original you'll probably enjoy the quality sequel too.

Think of Gremlins as a twisted Christmas movie. Think of it as a comedy. Think of it as a horror. Or think of it as all of the above. Just make sure you take the time to experience this 80's gem if you haven't already, for it's quite the fun and unique little film.

Movie rating: 8 stars

If you enjoyed Gremlins you may also find the following films to be of interest:

• Ghostbusters
• Adventures in Babysitting

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