Movie Review # 333: Gremlins (1984)

Good morning everyone, and welcome to another session of movie reviewing. Today, we dive into some older territory, as we review a movie that happened to be directed by one of the most famous movie directors by the name of Steven Spielberg. Some of his works included movies like 1982’s E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, 1986’s An American Tail, 1988’s The Land Before Time, 2005’s War Of The Worlds, and today’s subject, 1984’s Gremlins.

Plot: When an inventor named Randall “Rand” Peltzer (Zach Hoyt) brings back a strange creature known as a mogwai from Chinatown as a gift for his son Billy (Zach Gallaghan), they must follow some careful steps in order to keep the creature safe. Can they pull it off, or will the mogwai have to go back where it came from in the end?

Now, for some of us who saw this movie, we more than likely may know that there are some aspects of this movie that will be outdated like the clothing, as this movie took place in the 1980s. Now, of course that’s not something that will bog the movie down, as of course we had movies like The Patriot that took place during colonial times, and those clothes will be outdated as a result. But anyway, is Gremlins a film that will come down as a classic film? Maybe to a degree. However, Gremlins doesn’t seem to have that same awe and charm that some of Spielberg’s other works like E.T. appeared to have. As a matter of fact, 1984’s Gremlins seemed to have quite a few plot holes in it. So much so that people who watch it may have some questions to ask once they finish watching the film. For example, where did the creative creature known as the mogwai come from before ending up in Chinatown? Are we to assume that it came from outer space, or somewhere else? Well, like I said, there are other questions to ask too. What’s more is that while there are some fun elements in this film, there doesn’t appear to be as much excitement as there was in some of Steven Spielberg’s other works. Additionally, for a film that seemed to act more like a family film, this particular movie seems to act a little too dark and scary for kids. Now, if this was aimed for a more adult audience, that’s fine. Still, Gremlins might feel a little confusing as to who the target audience is. Finally, some of the messages might feel a little, dare I say it, confusing

Now, are there some good things to enjoy about this movie? Very much so. For one, there are some rather creative elements to enjoy when it comes to watching Gremlins. Even if one will probably be curious to know more about how the story works, people will still get some enjoyment out of this movie. In addition to all of this, there are quite a few cute, and funny moments as Gremlins progresses. The music is also fun to listen to. What’s more is that most, if not all, of the characters are developed really well. One will probably even like the chemistry with Billy, and his girlfriend Kate Beringer. The action is also handled really well. I mean with these particular moments, even if you find yourself tired, and tempted to fall asleep as a result, one will most likely want to stay awake, and keep his/her adrenaline pumping, just to stay awake and see the outcomes of this movie to the very end.

And that’s my review for Gremlins. While it may not quite match the creativity of films like E.T., or even any other really good film in the end, there is still plenty to recommend in this movie. It still has some creative elements, a fun story, well-written characters, and other good elements too. If you haven’t seen Gremlins yet, try to make an effort to do so. People will probably still have fun with it.

Final Grade: B+

P.S. Happy 35th anniversary to Gremlins!