"Gremlins 2" is a film that's all about its attitude. No, not that try-hard, corporate-approved-rebellion attitude. Oh no, this is very specifically Director Joe Dante's attitude toward what he knew was an utterly unnecessary sequel green-lighted by Warner Brothers (quite possibly in favor of a new project that he actually cared about) to cash in on their 1984 hit. And that attitude goes a little like this: "Alright, you want a Gremlins sequel? I'll give you a goddamn Gremlins sequel, take all your money and you'll pay for a movie with every single crazy idea I can possibly think of, that never stops making fun of itself - and you."
Remember when Conan had his last week on NBC and announced that since he was on his way out he was going to spend every last dime of NBC's money that he could? So his last week was filled with the most outrageously, unjustifiably expensive stunts he and his writing team could think of, like pouring a jeroboam of Veuve Cliquot over an original Picasso while licensing a Rolling Stones song for 1.5 seconds? Yeah, it's kind of like that.
So if Joe Dante wants to start (and end) the film as an old-school Looney Tunes cartoon, then bring on Chuck Jones (yes, the Chuck Jones), Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig. And if Joe Dante wants to have a sex-changed Gremlin with outrageously bee-stung lips all-but-rape Robert Picardo? Well pucker up, Robert Picardo. If Joe Dante wants to have gremlins burn through a frame of the film and replace the movie with a 1960's nudie picture until Hulk Hogan threatens to kick their asses? Put in the call to Hogan's agent, pronto.
And if Joe Dante wants to have a gremlin drink a brain serum made by mad scientist Christopher Lee and become a pseudo-intellectual voiced by Howie Mandel who expounds upon the next evolutionary steps his species plans to take before bursting into a cover of "New York, New York," supported by a full-on Busby Berkely troupe of gremlin dancers?
Well, then that will be in there, too.
"Gremlins 2" is filled with one idea after another after another, and while it nominally has a plot (something about a Trump-style entrepreneur's ultra-hi-tech skyscraper being infested by the titular critters), it really is just about those increasingly weird, in-jokey moments. If I'd seen it when it had first came out, I would have thought it was the funniest thing I'd ever seen.
24 years on, I'd have the say the hit-or-miss jokes end up being more on the 'miss' side - the comedy's too broad, the satire's too scattershot and too obvious and a lot of it's now been done better since (although gremlins taking down an oblivious Leonard Maltin as he gives the original "Gremlins" a snootily thumbs-down review still puts a grin on my face). However, even if the individual gags don't always work, the film's irrepressibly anarchic spirit and cheeky feeding-hand-biting are hard not to love.
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