Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai uncovers the past of our hero Mogwai, Gizmo, and Sam Wing, whom we saw older in the first film! Gremlins (1984) was a charming twist on Americana suburbia with horror dashed in. It was directed by Joe Dante who previously directed The Howling (1981). It was one of the first films written by Chris Columbus who also wrote The Goonies (1985) before his career as director. Father and failed inventor, Randall Peltzer, is sold something special. It was kept by, Mr. Wing (Keye Luke), the owner of a New York Chinatown antique shop. Randall takes it home to his son, Billy (Zach Galligan) as a birthday present. The Mogwai,translated as “demon”, is a cuddly lil’ guy whom Randall names Gizmo. There are three rules for the Mogwai and it unless the mischevious, reptilian Gremlins! The sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), cranked up the Gremlins to absurdity. The animated series is developed by Tze Chun who was writer and producer of the Gotham television show. The series is streaming on Max. We start with snowy, cloud wrapped mountains complete with the Chinese flute playing.
In a cluster of peaks, we see a paradise of trees and greenery. There is a gaping hole and within it is a circular stone looking out to the moon. Walking up to it is our loveable Mogwai with puppy-like patches of brown and white fur, big eyes, and big ears. There is a mossy village inside nestled in the cavern kinda like the Smurfs. I like seeing the homeland of the Mogwai. Gizmo (his voice is by A.J. Locascio) begins to sing, the other Mogwai join in, the first time we have seen other Mogwai that are not the spawn of Gizmo. A bearded vulture, Kaiju-sized like the mythical Roc compared to the Mogwai, lands! It goes to peck at the roofs of the Mogwai huts. The beast is about to attack lil’ Mogwai, but is pelted by pebbles thrown by Gizmo! The vulture claws and pecks at Gizmo who ends up on its back. They fly into the night sky and then the vulture tries to brush off Gizmo soaring through a forest. Gizmo ends up in a river and finds a floating tree branch. The bearded vulture rises up, but is thwacked by Gizmo using a tiny branch! This is the Lost World adventures with Gizmo wandering from his homeland!
There is a leafy top that hangs over Gizmo on the branch that protects him from sunlight in the morning. It begins to rain and he leaps away from the water droplets! Night again, when the branch drifts to a shoreline. He ends up before the campfire of the Seven Brothers Circus! They wonder about Gizmo and the sinister Circusmaster (SunWon Cho) says, “That is our new star.” It shifts to a dock where we see that it is “Shanghai, 1920.” There are busy streets as we move to Wing Family Medicine. Inside, ten-year old Sam Wing (Isaac Wang) is preparing ingredients for some medicine. Wang played Owen in Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021). This is a much younger Mr. Wing from the antique shop. His father, Hon Wing (B.D. Wong), offers another ingredient a kiss meant for his wife. Henry Wu in Jurassic World: Dominion (2022) was portrayed by Wong. Sam is making scalp cream for Mr. Shao. He reminds his mother, Fong Wing (Ming-Na Wen) that Mr. Shao is allergic to liquorice root. Wen is of course the voice of Mulan in the 1998 animated movie. She gives Sam a bowl of medicine for his grandpa. Sam takes the bowl to the dark back room, he pulls back the cover, and finds a skull!
His ankles are also grabbed by Grandpa under the bed. He is voiced by legendary James Hong who also voices Mr. Ping in the Kung Fu Panda films. Sam has brought him arthritis tea. Once they return to the medicine store, Fong gives Sam a list for ingredient shopping with his father, Grandpa tells him about his adventures as a treasure hunter. Sam goes a song and dance with Hon about shopping! Grandpa wants to take Sam shopping and shows the Adventures Box. Sam carries it as a backpack and Grandpa wants them to go to the dangerous South Market to save money for adventure! Sam has a twenty-one year plan(!) to be a doctor like his mother. Grandpa says he should “discover the world’s mysteries” which Sam says he is saving for year thirteen! Funny, to see a young boy has his life planned out! Grandpa is amazed that there is a circus, it’s the Seven Brothers Circus. The Circusmaster introduces from the North, the Yeti, kinda unimpressive. Sam says he is just a white monkey. He doesn’t believe in magic. Next, the Circusmaster introduces the Singing, Dancing, Cat Dog.
The curtains part to show Gizmo with hat and held by a rope. Circusmaster yanks the rope so Gizmo starts singing and dancing. A young boy sees the performance and contacts his network. He runs into a taller girl with a scarf, Elle (Gabrielle Nevaeh) who was going to steal from a wedding. Nevaeh voices Clawdeen Wolf in the Monster High animated show. He points out Gizmo whom Elle says looks like “the thing the boss was searching for.” Elle takes a place next to Sam. Gizmo’s dance has the circus weapons fall slicing his rope. He is still caught by the Circusmaster. Gizmo looks at Grandpa who recognizes him! Grandpa takes Sam backstage where the Circusmaster has thrown Gizmo into a cage. He knows that he is a Mogwai and tells Sam that they are “mystical creatures” last seen centuries ago when “cities burned”! They have to save Gizmo. Elle faces the Circusmaster and offers a handful of money for him. Grandpa takes out a knife to cut tent ropes, but his back goes out climbing a pole! Instead, he takes out a shiny ball to throw at Circusmaster, it explodes! Elle is about to take Gizmo in his cage, but he bites her finger and then begins to run on the spinning cage! Grandpa sends Sam to save the Mogwai! Sam mispronounces his name and ends up with Gizmo. Grandpa shows a book of Gizmo’s home, the Valley of Jade, where he has to be returned! Elle reports to the boss, Riley Greene (Matthew Rhys), who seems to have mysterious powers! Rhys starred as the title role in Perry Mason. The adventures and the rules of the Mogwai have begun with Sam’s journey in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai!
Four Adventures Boxes out of Five!
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