First off, Gremlins is a great movie, and although it's fantastic, it's very violent for a PG movie.
Tools for this page
Gremlins
-
Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 9, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 9. -
Is it any good?
-
Common Sense says
A comic horror movie classic.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 9–10
What to watch out for
-
Violence:
-
Sex:
-
Language:
-
Consumerism:
-
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Gremlins
Parents need to know that this horror film has many scary scenes, including a mom chopping up a Gremlin with a kitchen knife is scary, a Gremlin-in-blender and classic Gremlin-in-microwave scenes.
Read our full review by Randy White
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about the movie's message. What do you think the point was? Do most horror movies have messages? What are some others you can think of?
Our Members Say
See all 33 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Good, but Could Scare Young Kids
- I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give itMy concerns are:
It's OK, if your kids don't believe in Santa!
It's been awhile since I have seen this movie. My 9 year old does not scare easily and I new she would love the cute little Gremlin that never changed. However, I deeply regret showing this movie to my daughter who still holds onto a belief in Santa Claus. There is a scene where a young woman is telling her boyfriend why she hates Christmas. She explains her father died in her chimney when he was dressed as Santa attempting to surprise her one Christmas. The woman states, "That's how I found out there is no Santa Claus". My daughter was very upset by this. If your children still believe in Santa, don't show them this movie!
- I rate this title on for age 15 and give it
Gremling Love
Might scare young viewers, great movie overall. Deffinitely scared me when I was younger, but I love it now!
- I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
- My highlights are:
Joe Dante Classic
A Terrific Kid's Horror Film! it was PG at the time, but some parents found it too scary for kids, but i don't think it's a big deal! depends on the kid you have, but i reccomend it for all ages
- I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
Have to carefully judge for yourself regarding "right" age to watch
We were looking for a "scary" movie for my daughter's birthday sleepover. The clerk recommended Gremlins as a classic, and assured me it was rated PG. I now understand that some 80's movies with PG ratings were rated before PG-13 existed, and therefore I need to be suspect of PG from that era. My biggest complaint is that the story line begins by humanizing the first "good" gremlin, so when the killing and horror begins, it feels really disturbing in an almost "human on human" kind of violence. I also was very uncomfortable with the casual inclusion (and glamorization/humor) of smoking and alcohol use. In the long run, we watched "Arachnophobia" for our party, which I would love to review but is not currently listed on this site. My 10 yr old and I did watch Gremlins together alone after the party, and she did enjoy it for the most part--she just is a kid who kinda likes gross and scary things. But I would have been horrified to have accidentally hosted it for a large group of 10 yr olds, some of which could easily been bothered by the content.
- I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
This is the funniest movie ever! I own it, but I cannot see at all why the Canadian rating is 14A. I'm only mostly concerned over the language: words like "g-dd--n", "a-s", "d--n", "h--l", "s--t", and "b---h" are used pretty infrequently.
- I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
Depends on the child
My 6 yr old and I watched this movie when he was 5 and he loved it so much he begs to let him watch it over and over. We discussed it in great length, he knows movies aren't real, never has nightmares, knows he's not allowed to use adult language and he laughs at most of it because the 'gremlins' aren't real, now he can pretty much tell me the whole story, and somehow the 'Santa' reference gets unnoticed every time he watches. Every child is different and has a different level of comprehension, it should ultimately be up to the parent to know their child well enough to know what they can handle and what they can't. I never considered this a 'horror' flick ever and actually told my son when we watched it that it's a super funny movie and laughed during most of it myself - ergo why he laughs at most of it. It's important for parents to always watch any kind of movie for the first time with their child and to really know their child. I know dozens of kids I wouldn't dream of letting watch this movie but I know my own kid and know he can handle it. And I was going to be one of those parents who censored everything and sheltered my kid from all of these things, only to find out that won't help him in the long run. There has to be open discussion about everything and the younger the better.
- I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Depends on the kid.
This movie does have a fair amount of violence. I remember watching this with my sister when we were young and she was really disturbed by it and had to sleep in my parents room for a week. I think she was eleven or twelve at the time but I loved it. It has some minor sexual nuances and innuendo but nothing too serious. It is said that a man died in a chimmney and was left there to rot for about a week until they noticed the "smell". I would say about 10+ You should know your kids before you let them see it.
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
really good!
I'n ten and I saw this ! It didn't scare me at all! And it's funny
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
Inappropriate For Under 12
Movie is fine for 12+ but no younger. Not only is there violence (done mostly to the morphed gremlins), but there is also a reference to the death of a parent which is mentioned, and is how the female lead "found out there wasn't a Santa Claus". Watch with your younger teens, though, as some might find it helps to have someone there to assure them it's all make believe. If treated as lark, kids should be okay.
- I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
A must see children's horror classic
This movie is somewhat violent and thrilling but all in a funny way I think its a great first horror movie because its about funny brown fluff balls and little green men. This movie is definitely a classic!
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
lheweg
YOU THink this is scary ha wow
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
STAY AWAY YOUNGSTERS!!!
Do not let your child watch this rubbish. I allowed my 17 year old grandson watch it, and he wet the bed. He hasnt worn Pampers since the 4th grade, so it was nightmares from this movie that caused him to have that little "accident" shall we call it. So do not let your children of any ages see this, unless you can afford them to have private counseling and extra sheets for their bed.
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
STAY AWAY YOUNGSTERS!!!
Do not let your child watch this rubbish. I allowed my 17 year old grandson watch it, and he wet the bed. He hasnt worn Pampers since the 4th grade, so it was nightmares from this movie that caused him to have that little "accident" shall we call it. So do not let your children of any ages see this, unless you can afford them to have private counseling and extra sheets for their bed.
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE HORROR FILMS!!!!!!! THEY SCARE ME!!!!!!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I DON'T EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT IT!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
- I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it
cool
- I rate this title off for age 12 and give it
DO NOT ALLOW KIDS UNDER 10 YEARS TO SEE!!!!! VERY DISTURBING
I got this for my kids to see. Scary but fun I thought. Watched on New Years Eve with my 8 and 11 year olds and I cried myself to sleep. What were the writer and directors thinking with the whole Phoebe Cates story as to why she hates Christmas. I couldn't get my remote fast enough to shut it off, I could tell where it was going but it was even worse than I thought with her last line. I had to do a little explaining to my eight year old that night, New years eve, I explained and than cried myself to sleep over the loss of his innocence. This did not even tie in with the movie at all. It was put the intentionally to be disturbing. This is a dark and disturbing scene. I hate myself for allowing my kids to see it because of that one scene. Her father stuck in a chimney in a Santa Claus outfit with gifts in hand to be found by the smell of decay and thats how she found out there was no santa claus. Steven Speilberg should be ashamed!!! Absolutely not age appropriate.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Okay
This was an okay movie. There was some violence, but I wouldn't call it gory. When they say a mom blends and chops a gremlin, it's pretty much off screen. You see the gremlin in the blender, but really only its legs, and some goopy stuff flying from the bowl (we assume guts, but I didn't even catch it. Only my dad did). There is definitely some smoking and drinking. Mentioning of suicides. SEVERAL swear words (like fifteen or so, counting the Lord's name taken in vain). I highly recommend an edited version, such as ClearPlay. Really, though, not a very scary movie, though the gremlins with red eyes would scare kids under ten, probably.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Cool yet grusom horror comedy!!
This's probably the coolest horror/ comedy I have ever seen! (come to think of it this is the ONLY horror comedy i have ever seen),well on to the issues! 1. lots of grusom violence,gremlins are beheaded,explode,burn,and one gets choped up in a bleneder,People are also killed and hurt, little human blood, but there is alot of gremlin blood (all green though), the gremlin leader grusomly has his skin burned off. 2.Moderate language including: D--n,Go---mn,and H--l. 3.Alittle comicialisim,"Snow white","burgur king",and"it's a wounderful life". 4.The gremlins smoke and drink profusely, they even semm to enjoy it!?! Over all this is one cool movie! any Brave kids 10 and up should love it!
Give Recommendations, Get Them, Too!
Become a member and get recommendations from other parents based on your child's age.Tell us your child's age:
Already a member? Log inOur Members Rate It
Ratings at a Glance
| 40% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 30% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
| 30% | of parents say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking |
Have you seen it? 
For Your Family
Get age-based recommendations for your kids:
Customize based on your child's age
