Gremlins: The Movie That Created PG-13—Is It Still Too Scary for Your Kids?
TL;DR: Gremlins was so controversial when it dropped in 1984 that it literally forced Hollywood to create the PG-13 rating. It's a weird, dark holiday movie that blends comedy with genuine horror—cute fuzzy creatures turn into violent monsters who microwave each other and get blended alive. Best for ages 11+, though your mileage will vary wildly depending on your kid's tolerance for creature violence and dark humor. If you're wondering whether it's too much, it probably is—but if your tween is already watching Stranger Things, they can handle it.
Let's set the scene: It's 1984. Steven Spielberg produces this "family-friendly" Christmas movie about an adorable creature called a Mogwai. There are three simple rules: don't expose it to light, don't get it wet, and never feed it after midnight.
Naturally, all three rules get broken immediately.
What follows is chaos. The cute Mogwai spawns a bunch of evil Gremlins who terrorize a small town in increasingly violent and creative ways. We're talking:
- A Gremlin exploding in a microwave
- Another getting blended in a kitchen blender
- Gremlins melting, burning, and generally dying in graphic ways
- A traumatic monologue about how Santa Claus isn't real (told by a character explaining how her father died in a chimney while dressed as Santa)
- Creatures attacking people, including elderly women
All of this was rated PG. Because in 1984, PG was the only option between G and R.
Parents lost their minds. The outcry was so intense—along with similar complaints about Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom—that the MPAA created the PG-13 rating just months later. Gremlins literally changed movie history.
Here's the thing about Gremlins: it's become a cult classic, and nostalgia is powerful. Parents who watched it as kids (probably too young) want to share it with their own children. It shows up on every "Christmas movie" list, right alongside Home Alone and Elf.
Plus, the Gremlins themselves are genuinely iconic. They're mischievous, funny, and chaotic in a way that appeals to kids who love rule-breaking characters. The practical effects hold up surprisingly well—these are puppets and animatronics, not CGI, which gives them a tactile realness that modern movies often lack.
And Gizmo, the original Mogwai, is legitimately adorable. Kids see clips of Gizmo and want to watch. They don't realize that Gizmo represents about 15% of the movie's runtime.
The official rating: PG (but would be PG-13 if released today)
The Screenwise take: Ages 11+ for most kids, 9-10 for kids with high tolerance for creature violence and dark humor.
Here's what you need to know:
The violence is cartoonish but graphic. Gremlins die in creative, visible ways. It's played for dark comedy, but it's still a creature exploding in a microwave or getting decapitated. If your kid gets nightmares from Coraline or couldn't handle the button eyes, Gremlins will be too much.
The tone is all over the place. One minute it's a cute Christmas movie, the next it's a horror comedy. Kids who need predictable narratives will find this jarring. Kids who love weird, genre-bending stuff (think Gravity Falls fans) might dig it.
The Santa monologue is genuinely traumatic. Even if your kid can handle the violence, be prepared for the scene where a character explains in detail how she learned Santa isn't real because her father died in the chimney dressed as Santa and they didn't find him for days. It's played straight, not for laughs. If you're still maintaining Santa magic, this could be a problem.
There's some mild language and adult humor that goes over kids' heads but isn't particularly problematic.
The pacing is slow by modern standards. Kids raised on Marvel movies and YouTube might find the first 30 minutes boring. The Gremlins don't really show up until halfway through.
Ages 6-8: Too scary, full stop. The violence and chaos will be overwhelming, and the tonal shifts won't make sense. If they want cute creatures, try Lilo & Stitch instead.
Ages 9-10: Maybe, if they're already comfortable with mild horror. Think kids who've watched Goosebumps or The Spiderwick Chronicles without issues. Watch together and be ready to pause or stop if it's too much.
Ages 11-13: This is the sweet spot. Most kids this age can handle the violence in context, appreciate the dark humor, and won't be traumatized by the Santa story (because they probably already know). They might even think it's funny how "not scary" it is compared to modern horror.
Ages 14+: Totally fine. At this point it's more of a cultural literacy thing—understanding why this movie matters in film history.
Set expectations. Tell your kids this is a weird movie that's both funny and scary, and that the cute creature doesn't stay cute. If they're expecting a cozy Christmas movie, they'll be blindsided.
Watch together the first time. This isn't a "start it and walk away" movie. You'll want to gauge their reactions and be available for questions or comfort.
The sequel is worse. Gremlins 2: The New Batch is somehow more violent and more cartoonish at the same time. If your kid struggles with the first one, skip the sequel entirely.
It's not actually a Christmas movie. I mean, it takes place at Christmas, but it's not about Christmas. Don't expect heartwarming holiday messages. It's more like Die Hard in that way—Christmas is the setting, not the point.
The practical effects might actually help. Because everything is puppets and animatronics, there's a slight remove from reality that can make it less scary than modern CGI. Kids can see it's "fake" in a way that helps them process it.
If your kid wants creature chaos but Gremlins is too intense, try:
- The Mitchells vs. The Machines: Robot uprising with actual heart and way less violence
- Monsters, Inc.: Creatures that are scary but ultimately sweet
- Hotel Transylvania: Monster mayhem that's genuinely kid-friendly
- Paranorman: Spooky but thoughtful, better for kids who want mild scares
If they can handle Gremlins and want more in that vein, try Beetlejuice (similar dark comedy tone) or The Goonies (adventure with some scary moments but less violence).
Gremlins is a legitimate piece of film history—a movie so controversial it changed the rating system. It's also a genuinely weird artifact of 1980s filmmaking, when "family movies" could include graphic creature violence and traumatic Santa reveals.
Should your kid watch it? If they're 11+, comfortable with creature horror, and you watch together, probably yes. It's a cultural touchstone, and understanding why it matters is valuable. Plus, the practical effects and dark humor might actually resonate with kids who are tired of sanitized, predictable content.
Should you stress about it? Absolutely not. If you watch 20 minutes and your kid is hiding behind the couch, turn it off. If they think it's hilarious and want to rewatch, great. There's no award for exposing your kids to age-inappropriate content just because you watched it at age 7 and "turned out fine."
The truth is, we probably all watched Gremlins too young, and we probably all remember it as scarier than it actually is. But that doesn't mean your kid needs the same experience. You have better information now. Use it.
And if you're still on the fence, ask the Screenwise chatbot about your specific kid's tolerance levels
—because ultimately, you know your child better than any guide can.