GREMLINS 2 - THE NEW BATCH

Have you ever heard of the expression "Second times a charm"? It is a reference which bestows luck into a second instance compared to the first. What? No? Then I suggest that you splash some water on your face, eat after midnight, avoid direct sun-light, and watch this film Directed by Joe Dante; and Starring: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, John Glover and Christopher Lee. It was made in 1990 and lasts for 106 minutes.


Gremlins 2 - The New Batch


THE STORY:
Now Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) thought that his brand new life in New York City would be a good thing for him and his girlfriend, Kate Beringer (Phoebe Cates). But no. The 'smart' building they both work in is full of glitches. Billy's boss, Marla Bloodstone (Haviland Morris), is a b*tch. The chief of security, Forster (Robert Picardo), is a tyrant to say the least. Plus by chance of fate, Billy discovers that this old fury pal, Gizmo, is in the science lab belonging to Doctor Catheter (Christopher Lee).

So what does Billy do about Gizmo? Take him home before anything happens to him? No - he can't - because Marla forces him to go out on a 'business lunch' with her - and he has to get Kate to take him home instead.

However, before Kate is able to do this, by mistake, Gizmo gets splashed with some water, causing the little sod to replicate in the process. Worst still, is that some of these replicated 'Gremlins' throw Gizmo down the rubbish shoot before they scavenge for food, whilst a rather wired looking Gremlin gets taken home by Kate by accident. Moreover, once Billy comes home and recognises' that the Gremlin Kate has taken isn't Gizmo, they panic, and both of them run back to their place of work to sort matters out themselves.  

Ooops! Big mistake. Well, when Billy initially tries to prevent Gizmo getting wet again, he gets detained for the night by the police. And the following day when he then tries to explain to Forster how dangerous the Gremlins can be - BANG - too late.

Yep, I am afraid to say that during the interim, the replicated Gremlins have eaten some food after midnight, and are now the grotesque little b*stards that Billy still recollects from all those years ago.

Plus to make matters even more dire, some of these ugly critters get into Doctor Catheter lab, and enhance their abilities to a rather strange level! Bat-Gremlin - Electro-Gremlin - Talking-Gremlin - Tomato-Gremlin - Spider-Gremlin - Lady-Gremlin - plus many-many more. All of them go on a rampage, causing havoc in their own amiable way. 

Now can anybody do anything about this? Maybe Grandpa Fred (Robert Prosky)? Because he does have a Chinese cameraman in toe. Or what about Billy old neighbor from out of town, Murray Futterman (Dick Miller)? He's seems like a do or die kind of a guy. Or better yet, what about the visionary behind Billy's place of work, Daniel Clamp (John Glover)? As he does have very shiny hair.

Possibly? Especially with Billy, Kate, Marla, and Gizmo by their sides.

And that is why what next transpires is a right stain on the environment I can tell you. As plans do a double take - neighbours get a recipe to bake a new cake - Gremlins get decked - and Clamp has found a new project.

Who wants a kiss? Come on. Gimme a kiss.

THE REVIEW:                       

Now before I give you my 411 on 'Gremlins 2 - A New Batch' please allow me to squirt some facts in your face first.

OK. Here goes. (1) When 'Gremlins 1' director, Joe Dante, initially refused to make a sequel, the producers then planned to make a second film by committee, and suggested that they should set it in such places as Las Vegas or even Mars. Thankfully, this never came to pass. (2) The original ending had Billy father, Randall Pelzer, giving Gizmo a special wet suit, so that 'the problems' would never arise again. This scene was never shot. (3) At one point during post production, a combat-type character was suggested to be involved in this movie, so that he could chase the Gremlins all over the place. Charles Napier was their first choice for this character. (4) Daniel Clamp was supposed to me a more sinister and villainous character. (5) When the previous creature specialists, Chris Walas and Rob Bottin, refused to be apart of the sequel, Rick Baker was enlisted with one special proviso - he could make the characters more diverse. (6) The opening aerial shot of New York City was stock footage taken from 'Superman IV: The Quest for Peace'. (7) As soon as Christopher Lee was cast in this film, he apologized to Joe Dante because he appeared in an unsuccessful sequel of another film he directed the first part of 'The Howling'. (8) There were two scenes in this film which was based on some of the feedback Joe received from the first movie. The first scene was the interlude in which the mother complained to the theater manager about 'Gremlins 1'. And the second scene was when the guards joked to Billy about 'The Three Special Gremlin Rules'. And (8) There were three deleted scene in this film which had to be omitted due to the running time. The first scene involved the Gremlins freeing the animals from Doctor Catheter's lab. The second scene involved Doctor Catheter examining the Bat-Gremlin, and then saying to his aide "I'm told they sometimes feed on blood", in reference to Christopher Lee's Dracula movies. And the third scene was when the three main gremlins (George, Lenny and Daffy) helped Grandpa Fred host his show.

Opps! Was that too many facts for this film? Damn! I thought so too. I do get carried away with myself at times you know, just as I did with my review of 'Gremlins 1' [click here for review] as well. Still, in someway, I suppose my over eagerness is ironic on a certain level, because I do feel that 'Gremlins 2 - The New Batch' is somewhat over eager to entertain rather than to tell a story.

Well, I don't mean this in a bad way of course, but I am afraid to say that the story did get lost within all of the mayhem presented, and by in large this movie did come across as a collection of scenes cobbled together just to tantalise, thrill, and poke fun out of itself.

Please note, as just said, this isn't a bad-bad thing. Rather, it is a stylistic choice of construction over substance, which does make the movie a bit hollow in the through-line, whilst making it bloody fantastic where anarchy and fun is concerned.

You see, although there are some very fine actors in this film - such as Zach, Phoebe, John, and Christopher - all of whom really do put on a show. The most memorable characters all in all, are those pesky little Gremlins! Especially now they come with added 'texture'! Here, have a look at this...

Now how can I top that, huh? What can I now say that will make my feelings for this classic movie even more apparent? I am speechless, honestly I am.

Oh! I know. Gremlins 3 is in the pipeline, and I can not wait to see that.

Overall this is a really great film, with bold characters, memorable scenes, and just something to kick back to and watch for the sake of frivolity. Go on - be a Gremlin. Bite back!!

THE RATING: A