Obey the rules, or else !

Rating: 7/10 (11 November 2017)

I hadn't watched 'Gremlins' for a good few years but remembered it as a pretty funny, yet scary, film. watching it now, probably 20 years since my last viewing, I have to say that it's aged rather well.
It's a fast moving film with few quiet moments. It's scary and funny at different times and actually scary and funny at the same time as well. It also benefits from the lovable little 'Gizmo', the Mogwai who has rules attached to his keeping. Unfortunately, an accident with some water soon reveals that 'Gizmo' can produce some horrible offspring if the rules aren't observed.
Whether it was meant or not, there's an underlying message about the danger of not adhering to rules as the monstrous Gremlins wreak havoc upon a small town at Christmastide. However, it's also the case that some of the Gremlins' bad behaviour mirrors that of some of the less well behaved people that we all may know; I'm pretty sure that sitting in a bar, getting drunk and tormenting the bar girl isn't something that's restricted to Gremlins, though they make it all very amusing.
This film is fun though whether today's children would enjoy it is debatable. I suspect that many would find it dated, and younger ones would find it too scary. Nonetheless, I still think it's one of the better comedy horrors, well worth watching and one I'll happily watch again.