Review – Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Gremlins 2: The New Batch opened on June 15, 1990. The Amblin sequel starred Zach Galligan & Phoebe Cates. Gremlins 2: The New Batch was directed by Joe Dante.
Synopsis:
Billy (Galligan) & Katie (Cates) are now living in New York City after the events of the first Gremlins film. They now work at a media mogul’s high-tech building. One day they find their old friend, Gizmo, and they are once again facing off against the pesky Gremlin creatures.
Positives:
- Gremlins 2 is a bigger movie than the first Gremlins film. The scope and size of the film is noticeably bigger.
- The Gremlins and Gizmo look much more impressive than they did in the first film. The creature work and special effects are vastly improved.
Negatives:
- Gremlins 2 is far too silly to take seriously. Unlike the first film, there is no presence of danger in the sequel.
- The meta jokes in the film really take you out of the narrative. Gremlins 2 presents itself as a much cleverer project than it actually is. The filmmakers try to reference the original film in ways that don’t make sense and often seem to show a real disdain for Gremlins. You get the feeling Joe Dante doesn’t have much reference for the first film, which he also directed.
- The acting and performances in Gremlins 2 are a major step down from the original.
In Closing:
Gremlins 2: The New Batch is a mess of a film. It tries hard to be subversive but it’s mostly just a headache to watch. There are a ton of ideas presented but they rarely work and usually just go for cheap laughs. Gremlins 2: The New Batch is a major step down from 1984’s Gremlins.
Rating: D