Family entertainment has long walked a fine line between appealing to children and keeping parents engaged. Beneath its chaotic surface, Gremlins 2 serves as a biting commentary on corporate culture, genetic engineering, and media sensationalism. The film also features surprisingly violent death scenes played for laughs, including a gremlin being brutally liquidated in a paper shredder and another being electrocuted into a skeleton.
Even the genetic splicing subplot takes on disturbing new meaning when viewed through adult eyes, with numerous jokes about pharmaceutical testing and mutation that feel particularly dark today.
No wonder an R-rated version of the movie exists. The Mask himself is essentially a walking id, constantly making sexually charged comments and wolf-whistling at women. Even more shocking are the gangster elements, which include genuine violence and death threats that somehow made it into a supposed family film. Few films hide their adult content behind pure wholesomeness quite like George of the Jungle. DreamWorks Animation pushed boundaries with The Road to El Dorado , packing their ancient civilization adventure with surprisingly mature content.
The film is essentially The Godfather with fins , featuring Robert De Niro as Don Lino, a great white shark mob boss, and Martin Scorsese as Sykes, a puffer fish running what amounts to an underwater protection racket. The movie is filled with adult references that parody classic gangster films, from fish sleeping with the humans to loan shark jokes that take on darker meanings. The introduction of Lola Bunny voiced by Kath Soucie sparked controversy with her Jessica Rabbit-inspired design and overtly flirtatious personality, complete with scenes that made Bugs Bunny Billy West visibly hot and bothered.
Warner Bros. Sultry Jessica Rabbit voiced by Kathleen Turner slinked her way into animation history with a design and performance that pushed the boundaries of family entertainment. Videos by ComicBook. Related Posts.
