Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Joe Dante

Writers (WGA):

Chris Columbus (characters)
Charles S. Haas (written by)

Release Date:

15 June 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Take Your Batch to See the New Batch.

Plot:

The Gremlins are back, and this time, they've taken total control over the building of a media mogul.

Plot Keywords:

Gremlin | New York | Monster | Skyscraper | Reverse Footage

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Zach Galligan	...	Billy Peltzer
Phoebe Cates	...	Kate Beringer
John Glover	...	Daniel Clamp
Robert Prosky	...	Grandpa Fred
Robert Picardo	...	Forster
Christopher Lee	...	Doctor Catheter
Haviland Morris	...	Marla Bloodstone
Dick Miller	...	Murray Futterman
Jackie Joseph	...	Sheila Futterman
Gedde Watanabe	...	Mr. Katsuji
Keye Luke	...	Mr. Wing
Kathleen Freeman	...	Microwave Marge
Don Stanton	...	Martin
Dan Stanton	...	Lewis
Shawn Nelson	...	Wally

Also Known As:

Gremlins 2 (USA) (original script title)
Monolith (USA) (fake working title)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Iceland:10 | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Netherlands:6 | Netherlands:6 (DVD) | South Korea:All | UK:12 (cut) | UK:PG (2008 re-rating) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #30326) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12/9 | France:U | Norway:10 (original rating) | Norway:11 (video rating) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

101 Park Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Most of the scenes where Gizmo (or the other mogwai) were on their own, were filmed with double scale puppets.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When one of the gremlins picks up the brain hormone beaker and tips it up to drink from it, the liquid can be seen stopping at the mouth of the beaker just before his ear blocks it from view, showing that it is sealed.

Quotes:

Dr. Catheter: I've got ordinance in here that will bring down a charging Puma at fifty feet!

Movie Connections:

Spin off Gremlins: Unleashed! (2001) (VG)

Soundtrack:

RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD

More Humor Makes This A More Appealing Gremlins Film

When this came out, it was an amazing movie because these Gremlin creatures looked so lifelike. They still look pretty real. What I like best about this film is that it took the hard edge off the first one and made it more of a comedy. To me, this sequel was more entertaining than the first film and one I would watch a lot more times.

There are so many jokes and wild scenes in here it would many viewings to catch them all. For movie buffs, it's especially fun with all the references to other films in here.

However, it should be pointed out that there are still plenty of scenes where the gremlins are nasty and attack people, so the film is still horror-like in that respect. It may be played for comedic purposes, but these creatures are anything but friendly. In other words, there is still a bit of a hard edge in here for people who want that.

After three viewings of this film over the years, the only person who wore thin on me was John Glover's character, "Daniel Clamp," an obvious Donald Trump-imitation but grossly overacted by Glover. He winds up just being too silly.

Phoebe Cates and Zach Galligan reprise their roles as the cute, small-town, wholesome (despite not being married, however) couple who live together who, of course, know all about these gremlins.

It was nice to see Jackie Joseph (of the original "Little Shop Of Horrors") again as well as some other well-known characters such as Christopher Lee, Robert Prosky, Dick Miller and Keye Luke.

The film just flies by, which tells you it's entertaining.