Gremlins 2: The New Batch

MOVIE #1,883 •🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿• 08.13.24 I already wrote about my near bout with hypothermia for my Gremlins review and how I didn’t get to see this one on the big drive-in screen. In fact, I didn’t end up rewatching it all for this review, as I’ve seen this probably half a dozen times over the years (as recently as last year for a rare non-critique viewing). There’s SO much brilliant stuff out there on The New Batch — including the wonderful ½-satirical Twitter account — that I didn’t feel like mindlessly adding to the noise here. Maybe one day I’ll do a deeper dive on this extremely meta, very fun and smart sequel. I also feel like why it’s so great — its said meta elements and its skewering the capitalist nature of sequels in general — is all right there in the picture. You don’t really need to unpack anything (which is part of why it’s so great).

It’s part of a rare canon of films that can be enjoyed in two ways: at total face value as a piece of entertainment and by picking apart or analyzing individual moments, scenes or vignettes. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it ‘better’ than the original (though I wouldn’t quibble with anyone who feels that way). It’s part of one of franchise cinema’s finest 1-2 punches (that stopped right there before getting stale). And if we do ever see a Gremlins 3, man… these are some big shoes to fill and large shadows to step out of.

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Gremlins 2: The New Batch is a 1990 American comedy horror film, and the sequel to the 1984 film Gremlins. It was directed by Joe Dante and written by Charles S. Haas, with creature designs by Rick Baker. Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Dick Miller, Jackie Joseph, and Keye Luke reprise their roles from the first film; Belinda Balaski also returns, this time playing a different character. New cast members include John Glover, Robert Prosky, Haviland Morris, Robert Picardo, and Christopher Lee; additionally, the film features Tony Randall providing the voice for one of the gremlins. The story continues the adventures of the creature Gizmo (once again voiced by Howie Mandel), who spawns numerous small monsters when wet. In the first film, Gizmo's offspring rampaged through a small fictional town. In Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Gizmo multiplies within a skyscraper in New York City after his owner dies. The new creatures thus pose a serious threat to the city should they be able to leave the building and the story revolves around the human characters' efforts to prevent this disaster. It was released on June 15, 1990.