I don't think anyone would call Gremlins a masterpiece. It worked, often surprisingly well, as a chaotic blend of unrelated genres and unrestrained mayhem, and that was enough. Its sequel, arriving a full six years after the original, is both a spiritual successor and a tonal departure, if that makes any sense. It retains the wicked laughs and playful, no-holds-barred character that made the first so much fun to watch, but completely disregards any shred of nuance. Granted, there's nothing all that subtle about microwaving a slimy green monster until it bursts, a particularly memorable scene from the first film, but by comparison that brand of development seems sophisticated.

Gremlins 2 is like a doomed sketch comedy show, all distracted energy and crazy ideas without much focus. We've got mutated Gremlins with only the loosest of explanations (example: a veggie monster who's sampled tomato DNA). There's an ultra-shallow satire of Donald Trump, an out-of-touch media mogul who somehow does an about-face to play one of the story's heroes. Hulk Hogan directly addresses the camera. Grandpa Munster leaves the set of his late-night movie marathon to conduct a live interview with the monsters' leader (this one sipped from a bottle of brain juice, granting him refined tastes, a revolutionary's vision and a British accent). It's just way, way too much; dozens of patches to cover for a rather simple, stupid script.

One caveat: it's hidden behind the crush of outrageous ideas and unhinged madness, but the film boasts a sharp sense of humor that regularly caught me by surprise. There's some genuinely witty, laugh-worthy material here, and that merits mention. Otherwise, consider this a case study for unnecessary sequels. Underthought and over-budgeted.