69
Metascore
28 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The New YorkerMichael SragowThe New YorkerMichael SragowThis uninhibited and uproarious monster bash, directed by Joe Dante, is more quick-witted and ironic than the original; it sets forth a savvy, slaphappy agenda before the opening credits and follows it straight through to the end, and even beyond.
- 75Entertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanEntertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanGremlins 2 is a limited achievement — it’s nothing but the sum of its own whirring pop-culture mechanics. But that’s more than enough to keep you occupied, and occasionally exhilarated.
- 75The Seattle TimesJohn HartlThe Seattle TimesJohn HartlWhat lends it novelty and makes it such wicked fun is the change of locale from a Capra-esque small town to rude, hectic New York City.
- 70Chicago ReaderJonathan RosenbaumChicago ReaderJonathan RosenbaumSolid, agreeable entertainment, this basically consists of plentiful gags and lighthearted satire spiked with Dante's compulsive taste for movie references, humorously scripted by Charlie Haas but without the darker thematic undertones and the more tableaulike construction of the original.
- 70Los Angeles TimesMichael WilmingtonLos Angeles TimesMichael WilmingtonGremlins 2 is better than the original, though it lacks the same archetypal horror-movie drive.
- 70The New York TimesJanet MaslinThe New York TimesJanet MaslinGremlins 2: The New Batch speaks to the gleeful hell-raising monster in each of us, and it speaks with much more verve, cleverness and good humor than the film on which it is based. Add this to the very short list of sequels that neatly surpass their predecessors.
- 70NewsweekDavid AnsenNewsweekDavid AnsenGremlins 2 has its horror-movie side, but the grisly is definitely subordinate to the gags. Only a snob could resist such a generous level of lunacy.
- 63Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertYes, it has some big laughs, and yes, some of the special effects are fun, but the movie has too many gremlins and not enough story line.