Gremlins 2: The New Batch
"Now was that civilized? No, clearly not."
Summary Capsule
A new breed of gremlins run amok in a high-tech skyscraper
Justin's Rating: gremlins in my stinkin' computer, grumble grumble...
Justin's Review: From the start, Gremlins 2: The New Batch has a few problems being a sequel. Even though they retain their heroes Billy (Zack Galligan) and Kate (Phoebe Cates), they have lost the innocence of their youth, the 80s, and a quiet little town. Instead, they both work in a NYC highrise, making such a meager living that yet again one wonders why anyone would move there.
But as the years march on, we are treated with innovations in puppet technology. Now Gizmo can walk and dance, and even stick out his tongue! It only makes you wonder what will happen when they come out with Gremlins 3: I Know What You Ate After Midnight and use CGI to have them performing complex dance sequences.
The filmmakers at least recognized that the true stars are the nasty little Gremlins, and there is such a splendid variety to choose from. I'm reminded of the Garbage Pail Kids (did anyone else have their mom forbid them from collecting these?) and their various genetic makeups. We have dopey gremlin, hyper gremlin, lady gremlin, spider gremlin, phantom of the opera gremlin, bat gremlin, and even a sort-of sequel to Stripe. Since the gremlin's main talent is screwing with machinery, naturally they end up in the most technological "smart" highrise in the city. It's kinda like Die Hard with... um... no Bruce Willis and... hm... green guys. Okay, crappy analogy.
It makes you wonder why Billy and Kate don't just throw their hands up, say "screw it", and walk away from the situation when it goes bad. Not like they *caused* the gremlins to happen. Why do horror movie heroes feel compelled to continually throw themselves into the line of fire when they know that even if they survive, no one will give them any big reward?
If you can throw rationality to the wind (and not into the prevailing wind, mind you), Gremlins 2 makes for a good watch. Brainy Gremlin is absolutely the best, and I could listen to him talk for hours. There's also a great moment when Leonard Maltin is reviewing the original Gremlins and gets attacked by the sequel. What delicious irony, indeed. And you absolutely cannot miss the final musical number!
Perhaps you could say that Gremlins 2 is far inferior to the original. But I think it'd be just as easy to say that Diet Dr. Pepper tastes more like chemicals than anything else. G2 resurrects a sense of hysterical mayhem that has not been seen in movies for years. If you have the chance to pick one up, I highly recommend it. It's so choice.
 1990 Rated PG-13 Director
Starring
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Robert Picardo, who plays Doctor in Star Trek Voyager, is one of the bad guys here
Rambo's influence on Gizmo
Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny fight it out over the Warner Bros. logo
The twin research scientists are the same guys who played the guard that got spiked through the eye by the lookalike in Terminator 2
Lab monkeys are named Theodore and Alvin (after the chipmunks)
The great Canadian-themed restaurant!
Mimes being locked away at a police station... yes!
Bat gremlin punches a Batman logo-sized hole in the side of the wall
Kate is flashed by a gremlin, which happened in the first movie as well
How gargoyles are made
The Lego gremlin
We need more rampaging camels in the halls!
Gremlins take control of the film and start doing shadow puppets
A clip from the classic Bugs Bunny "gremlin" episode is shown
Kate gets a Lincoln's Birthday monologue, to parody her Christmas monologue from the first movie
Daffy Duck reappears during the closing credits
The Movie Store!
Gremlins 2: The New Batch: Movie [VHS]
Gremlins 2: The New Batch: Soundtrack [CD]
Intermission!
Two different versions of this film: one for the theatre, one for video. The difference is that in the theatrical version, it appears that the film begins to burn, however, in the video version, this segment is replaced by a segment which simulates a broken VCR machine.
Official and Not-So-Official Websites
Gremlins Fan Site - In German. Kinda sad this is the only Gremlins fan page on the web.
Groovy Quotes
Doctor: Rabies? I already have rabies. When are we supposed to get the flu?
Assistant: Next week.
Scientist #1: Think of it, millions of rats in New York City. And everyone hates them!
Scientist #2: But if one of them could power a portable radio for a month!
Speaker Voice: Hey mister! Welcome to the men's room!
Clamp: Let's lose the elm trees. People see elm, they think Dutch, disease...
Speaker Voice: Tonight, on the Clamp Cable Classic Movie Channel, don't miss Casablanca! Now in full color, with a happier ending!
Waiter: Sir! This is a favourite Canadian dessert, the chocolate moose. Can I cut you an antler?
Brainy Gremlin: We're advising our clients to put everything they have into canned food and shotguns.
[Kate pulls the fire alarm]
Speaker Voice: Fire! The untamed element! Giver of warmth! Destroyer of forests! Right now, this building is on fire! Leave the building! Reenact the age-old drama of self-preservation!
Tape Voice: Because of the end of civilization, the Clamp Cable Network now leaves the air. We hope you've enjoyed the programming, but more importantly, we hope you've enjoyed life.
Brainy Gremlin: Now, was that civilized? No, clearly not.
Kate: Don't mention Lincoln! Something terrible happened to me on Lincoln's birthday! I was six or seven, and there was a day off from school, and momma let me go to the park. She made me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich... I was going through a peanut butter and jelly sandwich phase, and this man with this beard and this hat and he looked just like Lincoln...
Billy: Honey, I don't think we have time for this right now.
Kate: And he said, "Hello, little girl..."
Leonard Maltin: Ow! I was just kidding! Ah! It's a ten! It's a ten!
If you liked this movie, try these:
Gremlins
Waxwork II: Lost in Time
Return of the Killer Tomatoes
Soundtrack Review
This is one of the first movie soundtracks I ever bought, mainly for the Gremlins theme and nothing else.
