Classic Christmas Movie Review: Gremlins (1984)

Post date: Dec 7, 2016 1:09:29 PM

By: Robby Timmler, Staff Writer

Posted December 7th, 2016

Gremlins is the Steven Spielberg-produced dark comedy Christmas movie about Randall Peltzer (played by Hoyt Axton), an inventor and father who’s looking for a gift for his son Billy (played by Zach Galligan). The gift that Billy gets is Gizmo (voiced by Howie Mandel) a creature called a Mogwai that’s furry, has long ears, and big puppy-dog eyes. There 3 rules to taking care of a Mogwai. One: don’t put it in the sunlight, or else it will die. Two: don’t get it wet, because then they multiply. The most important rule of all is rule three: don’t feed it after midnight. Havoc ensues when Gizmo gets wet and later on the most important rule is broken: Gizmo is fed street midnight. Gizmo’s multiples become a new form of Mogwais called Gremlins, and are led by Stripe (voiced by Frank Welker). The Gremlins cause chaos in Billy’s home town, so now it’s up to Billy, Gizmo, and Billy’s girlfriend (played by Phoebe Cates) to save the town.

Gremlins is a not only a great Christmas movie, it’s a great movie in general. Gremlins has great characters, great make-up and puppet work, and humor. The best part of the movie is Gizmo, the gremlins with Gizmo’s cuteness, and the gremlins’ personalities/humor. Also the puppet design of Gizmo and the gremlins are amazingly detailed and unique. Gremlins has a lot fun with the gremlins’ personalities. The thing that might turn people off to the film is the dark antics the Gremlins do to the town folks. Gremlins gets 4.8/5 stars.