Overview
When adorable pets turn into mischievous monsters, chaos reigns in a small town during the holidays.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- irreverent
- festive
- christmas movie night
- late night horror comedy
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Gremlins as an inventive, entertaining collision of holiday fantasy, creature horror, dark comedy, and practical-effects spectacle.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The cute mogwai premise and Christmas marketing give way to violent, grotesque gremlin mayhem, a contrast Joe Dante uses as a central tonal strategy.
The three care rules governing Gizmo directly structure the creature's transformation and the ensuing escalation.
The mogwai and gremlins are realized through practical puppetry and animatronic effects rather than digital creatures.
The monsters invade homes, shops, bars, and appliances in the seemingly idyllic town of Kingston Falls, turning domestic convenience into chaos.
Films like Gremlins, and why
The Nightmare Before Christmas
shares a playful blend of supernatural creatures, comedy horror, holiday atmosphere, and practical-effects mayhem
Critters
shares small-town creature chaos, irreverent humor, practical effects, and accessible horror
Ghostbusters
shares comedy horror, supernatural monsters, fast-paced destruction, and an entertaining ensemble tone
The Little Shop of Horrors
shares a cute-animal premise turning into darkly comic creature horror with practical effects
Movie Details
- Director
- Joe Dante
- Release Date
- 1984-06-08
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (7173)
Cast
- Zach Galligan
- Phoebe Cates
- Hoyt Axton
- Frances Lee McCain
- Corey Feldman
- Keye Luke
- John Louie
- Dick Miller
- Jackie Joseph
- Polly Holliday
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Gremlins about?
- A Christmas gift with three simple rules unleashes a mischievous army of monsters on an unsuspecting small town.
- What is Gremlins like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Gremlins as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Gremlins violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Gremlins as moderate.
- What did critics think of Gremlins?
- Critics broadly regard Gremlins as an inventive, entertaining collision of holiday fantasy, creature horror, dark comedy, and practical-effects spectacle.
- Which films are like Gremlins?
- Films with a similar feel include The Nightmare Before Christmas, Critters, Ghostbusters, and The Little Shop of Horrors.
- How long is Gremlins?
- Gremlins runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch Gremlins?
- In United States, Gremlins streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
