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[Review] ‘Gremlin’ is Too Serious for Its Own Good

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When you name your monster movie “Gremlin“, it’s pretty damned hard to avoid comparisons to Joe Dante’s family-horror masterpiece. However, strangely enough, Ryan Bellgardt’s low budget monster movie has nothing to do with the 80s Christmas classic other than its temporarily diminutive antagonist, and is instead a new, completely original creation with hints of films like Hellraiser, The Ring and Critters for good measure!

Believe it or not, Gremlin is, at its heart, a serious family drama that just happens to feature a tiny murderous monster. Starring Adam Hampton as the Thatcher family patriarch, the movie revolves around a mysterious box that was gifted to the already troubled family by a disturbed uncle. They eventually discover a horrific tiny being that exits the box at regular intervals, intent on killing the family of whoever it was gifted to, one by one. The Thatchers must then learn to put their differences aside in order to get rid of the beast and survive.

While the plot centers on what might as well be the physical manifestation of a chain letter from hell (and a particularly nasty one at that, which you can only forward to your loved ones), Gremlin actually takes itself excruciatingly seriously. Most filmmakers associate tiny monster movies with trashy horror-comedy flicks, but Bellgardt was hell-bent on making the titular monster a real threat to this dysfunctional family. The idea is commendable, but the film just doesn’t have what it takes for this serious approach to be even remotely effective.

A confused script is mostly to blame for this, as the supernatural elements and mundane drama don’t mesh as well as they should. At times it feels like the film is actually a fan edit of two completely unrelated movies from entirely different genres. That’s not to say that the concept of a terrible curse that can only be passed on to someone you love isn’t a great idea, but the film just doesn’t do enough with it.

That being said, the monster’s design and backstory is interesting enough, despite more than a passing resemblance to the Cloverfield monster. Sadly, the execution once again sours what was a genuinely interesting idea, as stilted acting and sub-par digital effects prevent Gremlin from living up to its goal of being a competent thriller. The ending is an especially unfortunate example of this with its baffling ambition, in light of these limitations.

If the filmmakers had decided on a lighter tone, or perhaps if they had come into possession of a larger budget, Gremlin could have been an extremely entertaining monster movie. Nevertheless, as it stands, the film isn’t entirely horrible, with several (oftentimes unintentionally) charming sequences and some intriguing mythology, but it’s far from a good movie. If you’re searching for an amusing monster flick to liven up your late nights, there are probably better choices out there, though there’s at least some fun to be had with this movie.

Gremlin will be available on VOD on July, 11th!

Born Brazilian, raised Canadian, Luiz is a writer and Film student that spends most of his time watching movies and subsequently complaining about them.

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SCREAMBOX Investigates UFOs and Extraterrestrials: Several Documentaries Streaming Right Now!

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As someone who is obsessed with UFOS (or more recently known as UAPs) and the concept of extraterrestrials, I love a good documentary. Sightings have been on the rise since the 1940s, with the atomic bomb seemingly acting as a catalyst for new visitors. But what are these UFOs/UAPs? Is there an explanation or are they simply beyond our explanation? Why are they here? Who are they? How much do our governments know? The questions are endless and so are the documentaries that attempt to uncover the secrets behind decades of sightings and alleged confrontations.

Whether you’re a seasoned viewer or new to the rabbit hole, there’s always a handful of interesting documentaries to get your neurons firing and leave you with sleepless nights. SCREAMBOX is investigating with the addition of several docs, all streaming now on the Bloody Disgusting-powered service. Here’s the breakdown:

Aliens (2021): Beam into this unidentified streaming documentary for a glimpse into Extraterrestrial life. Aliens are hypothetical life forms that may occur outside Earth or that did not originate on Earth.

Aliens Uncovered: Origins (2021): Before Area 51, hidden deep in the desert, the military discovered a hidden gem that helped them create Project Bluebook.

Aliens Uncovered: ET or Man-Made (2022): The crash of Roswell wasn’t meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug.

Aliens Uncovered: The Golden Record (2023): In the late 70s, the US government launched a message to our distant neighbors.

Roswell (2021): This high-flying documentary examines the July 1947 crash of a United States Army Air Forces balloon at a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Theories claim the crash was actually that of a flying saucer, but what is the truth?

Also check out:

The British UFO Files (2004): Since the 1940’s the British Government has been investigating the Flying Saucer phenomenon. High-ranking military and government personnel, speak out for the first time, offering unique eyewitness accounts and inside information.

Alien Abductions and Paranormal Sightings (2016): Amazing Footage and stories from real people as they reveal their personal encounters of being abducted by Aliens.

And do not miss Hellier (2019): A crew of paranormal researchers find themselves in a dying coal town, where a series of strange coincidences lead them to a decades-old mystery.

These documentaries join SCREAMBOX’s growing library of unique horror content, including Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Here for Blood, Terrifier 2, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, The Outwaters, Living with Chucky, Project Wolf Hunting, and Pennywise: The Story of IT.

Start screaming now with SCREAMBOX on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.

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