For those of us who actually saw Gremlins 2: The New Batch in theaters back when it was released, it probably meant something other than what Joe Dante meant to convey with his sequel. Most of us probably overlooked the general spirit of the film, as we were too excited to get the Gremlins back in theaters, and while we enjoyed their blatant derision of everything normal, we actually missed the point.
It’s something to be considered in retrospect, as the cult status of the film basically made us see it the other way. We may call it a film that was ahead of its time, or the result of absolute creative control given to someone who wasn’t aiming to make a successful film. The reality is, Gremlins 2 was decisive in the franchise. It made for a fantastic statement of its premise, but it actually signified the end of everything Gremlins.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Digging deep into the personality of it, we find ourselves in a film that goes against everything that made it possible. From the corporate aspect of the film industry, to the direct jab to Warner Brothers’ innards, Gremlins 2 is a critique like none other. Let’s take a look at some of the most notorious things about it.
Gremlins Went Meta When Meta Wasn’t a Thing
Warner Bros.
For those of you who don’t know, Gremlins 2 is a direct sequel to Joe Dante’s Gremlins, which was made in 1984. Being a successful entry in the Spielberg universe of Amblin Entertainment, they set out to make a sequel. But no idea was good enough and no one dared to touch the script. Dante came back with one condition: Full creative control. And boy, did he make use of that.
In Gremlins 2, Gizmo is in New York, where Billy and Kate also live. They’re part of the workforce of the city’s most advanced building. Through a series of unexpected events, Gizmo gets wet, and Gremlins are born again in the heart of New York’s modernist era. This is how Billy again must do the impossible and stop the reproduction of the little monsters, before more and more spawn.
Now, Gremlins 2 could be just… that. Only, Charles Haas as a screenwriter took Dante’s orders to twist the wheel and make a sequel that parodied Hollywood, America itself, and American society entering the end of the century. Every single scene in Gremlins 2 is a direct punch in the stomach of corporate yuppies, film executives or not. From film critics to the audience itself, everyone is subjected to the magnific (and quite cinematic) chaos produced from the creatures that no one dared to question.
A Hilarious Collection of Gags
Gremlins 2 makes fun of progress by going all-in on explaining our dependence to technology; it’s a commentary that seems truly relevant by today’s standards. In the center of that commentary stands an idiotic but ultimately charismatic leader whose only goal is to get richer, but his ambition is way more emotional and narrow-minded. The depth of the Daniel Clamp character is very, very effective, and he ends up being the most interesting character in the film.
However, the film goes further in its vision to stay cool while destroying our expectations. Warner Bros. becomes a target with the inclusion of twists to its traditional agenda. The cartoon that is usually played before films is a sharp and short shift in the Bugs and Daffy traditional fight. Then Haas also includes a wink at the marketing for Tim Burton’s Batman, and a message to all critics out there when Leonard Maltin himself is attacked for denigrating the original Gremlins. All on camera.
Now multiply that by whatever degree of angry absurdity you want, and you will start to imagine Gremlins 2. It is so, so much more than this.
Gremlins 2: The New Batch Would Not Be Made Today
It’s amazing that Warner Bros. didn’t scrap Gremlins 2, and doesn’t dig it up and get rid of it today. Perhaps they’re just afraid of a massive reaction by fans, cult film followers, and enthusiasts of the franchise. It’s unclear how even HBO Max, with its disgusting removal of titles, hasn’t done more to clear its aisles of the most “offensive” sequel ever.
But aren’t we exaggerating a bit with this analysis of a film whose purpose is to entertain, and perhaps nothing more? We know films of this nature simply aren’t made today, but canceling the past just because it doesn’t make the studio look good? Let’s pray the current culture of erasing the past doesn’t come to obliterate the existence of the fantastic ghouls that dared to take over New York and destroy the future of modern society.
Gremlins 2: The New Batch is available to stream on HBO Max.
