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Gremlins 2 – The New Batch

Billy Peltzer and Kate Beringer move to New York City and meet up with their Mogwai friend, Gizmo, when a series of accidents creates a new generation of diverse gremlins. Billy, Kate, and Gizmo must once again use all their experience to prevent another catastrophe. Zach Galligan, the star of the first Gremlins, is back, along with Phoebe Cates, his girlfriend from the first film. They’re both working in an ultramodern skyscraper owned by a Donald Trump clone (a hilarious John Glover). Galligan’s furry little buddy is captured by a mad scientist, who not only helps it multiply, but invests the nasty, scaly offspring with intelligence and the ability to talk. (Watch for the one that has Tony Randall’s voice.) What follows is imaginative mayhem that spoofs old movies, modern television, and the conveniences of postmodern technology. In some ways, the sequel is even more inventive and laughter-inducing than the original. –Marshall Fine

Rating: (out of 102 reviews)

List Price: $ 14.97

Price: $ 6.89

Related Topics:Batch Gremlins

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4 Comments

Scott

October 17, 2010 at 12:33 pm

Review by Scott for Gremlins 2 – The New Batch
Rating:
This was one of my favorite movies as a kid. I think it’s a lot better than the first Gremlins actually. The special effects are improved quite a bit at the very least. It also has a much more lighthearted tone than the first film.

What I like about this film is it’s like a violent family film. It’s pretty unique. Monsters killing tons of people, and then getting melted into goo at the end. Sounds pretty violent. Even looks pretty violent. Still, it has a family film feel to it. The gremlins do a lot of cheesy comic routines, appropriate for every member of the family.

I can’t see how the good guys were able to play these role with a straight face, because the gremlins are goofy as heck. I like the gremlins. Gizmo is all right too.

If you have kids around the age of 12, rent this for them and see what they think of it.

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The Tweeder

October 17, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Review by The Tweeder for Gremlins 2 – The New Batch
Rating:
Director: Joe Dante.

Cast: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, John Glover, Robert Prosky, Robert Picardo, Christopher Lee, Dick Miller, Jackie Joseph.

Rated PG-13 for cartoonish monster violence and language.

Running Time: 107 minutes.

Perhaps one of the most perfect blends of horror and comedy, this sequel to the 1984 cult hit is arguably even better than original. Those crazy flesh-eating marsupials branch out from just tormenting small towns and promote themselves to the big-time–New York City. Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates return to take on the fiendish ghouls as they invade and terrorize the futuristic New York City high-rise that Billy Peltzer (Galligan) works.

Joe Dante, director of the original “Gremlins”, as well as other horror-comedy romps such as “Piranha” and “The Howling”, does a stupendous job using the gremlins as not only horrific threats to the main characters, but exploits them for social satire and surprise in-jokes. Superb supporting cast, including Dick Miller once again as the estranged hillbilly who believes that the gremlins are truly the World War II staples that the name infers. An incredibly hilarious, yet terrifying mixture that is underrated, unappreciated, and unbelievably enjoyable. Simply a campy work of art. Note: The gremlin’s rendition of “New York, New York” is stupendous.

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Inspector Gadget

October 17, 2010 at 11:39 am

Review by Inspector Gadget for Gremlins 2 – The New Batch
Rating:
Gremlins 2 has a bigger scope than the first film. It takes place in Manhattan and deals with a lot more than the original did. The main difference is that Gremlins 2 is kind of a spoof of the first. With frequent references to it (even by Leonard Maltin at one point) and only 2 characters (or 3 if you include Gizmo) it’s not really continuing the Gremlins story but using it to make fun of early ’90s big city culture.

There are a gazillion in-jokes and dozens of cameos all over the place. Including Jerry Goldsmith who’s music is even better in this movie than in the first. It is such a cool and catchy little theme. I love it.

The Gremlins seem cuter and funnier in this one. My fave Gremlin is Daffy, he’s insane. The other main ones are George (the frowner), Lenny (the dumb one) and Mohawk (the one with the uh…mohawk). And of course there’s Gizmo. I wish so much that Mogwai were real because he’s so cute and adorable.

Rent this movie or catch it on TV. If you like it wait for Warner to release the DVD. The opportunity for extras and invention is endless.

One last thing. Stay with this film until the end of the credits.

Give us a Blu Ray NOW Warner!

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Rocco Dormarunno

October 17, 2010 at 10:37 am

Review by Rocco Dormarunno for Gremlins 2 – The New Batch
Rating:
I’m not saying this just because I am a New Yorker, but GREMLINS 2–THE NEW BATCH is slightly better than the original. First, it’s a much less mean-spirited film than the first (which I also gave five stars, but for different reasons). Just the fact that a character who was crushed to death in the first film, shows up in the sequel (wearing a small cast) because he really was likeable, shows that Joe Dante and the scriptwriters were going into this film for the fun of it. Second, the casting was flawless. Whoever chose Tony Randall to do the voice of the strangely-William F. Buckley-sounding, intellectual gremlin was responding to nothing short of divine inspiration. Everyone involved in this production had their hearts in the right places and the effect shows. GREMLINS 2–THE NEW BATCH is an astounding piece of comic fantasy and horror that should endure.

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