The Gate (1987/Lionsgate DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: C Feature: C-
The 1980s
saw a wave of family-friendly horror movies featuring children warding off
diminutive creatures. Among films like Gremlins,
Critters, Ghoulies, and the later Small Soldiers, The
Gate is very often overlooked. Siblings Glen and Allison, along with Glen's
friend Terry, have accidentally opened a gateway between worlds. Tiny demons
begin running rampant through their suburban home preparing for the arrival of
Hell on Earth. The three kids are the
ones who can send the demons back through The Gate.
The plot is lackluster and derivative of better films of the same ilk. The special effects used for the demons are
the highlight here, but get surprisingly little screen time and none of the
playfulness that Gremlins did so well. The widescreen picture is decent
for a twenty year-old film, but not particularly impressive. The same goes for
the audio in Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. The special features include a commentary
track with the filmmakers and recent interviews with the cast and crew.
With every successful and innovative film there will inevitably be a wave of
imitators. After Jaws came Orca:
The Killer Whale and within a few years after the release of Easy Rider
the motorcycle flick had devolved to the point where someone thought Werewolves
on Wheels was a good idea. The
Gate is just another movie riding on the coattails of a better film, in
this case Gremlins. It's a decent movie for undiscerning kids, but
adults will want to stay away.
- Matthew Carrick
