Gremlins
7.7/10
jumps
4
gore
4
dread
2
Tap a dot to add your rating.
Where to watch: Streaming on Max (US, subject to change)
How it scared people
The vibe
Three rules, and Joe Dante spends the movie gleefully watching a town break all of them. The Christmas setting is the joke and the knife: Phoebe Cates' monologue about why she hates the holiday is a genuinely bleak thing to drop into a family creature feature. Along with Temple of Doom, this is why PG-13 exists.
Gremlins (1984) Parents Guide
| MPA rating | Rated PG |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 106 minutes |
| Jump scares | 2/5 — on the gentler side — it favors mood and atmosphere over hard scares |
| Gore | 2/5 — only light gore |
| Dread | 1/5 — the mood lifts as soon as the credits roll |
| Themes | monster attacks; graphic bodily transformation |
Gremlins is rated PG by the MPA. We score it 2/5 for jump scares, 2/5 for gore and 1/5 for lingering dread, over 106 minutes. Fine for younger teens who already like being spooked.
We rate what the film does — scares, gore, dread — not scene-level content like language or nudity, which we don't track.
Before you press play
- How scary is Gremlins?
- On our intensity scale, Gremlins rates 4/10 for jump scares and 2/10 for dread. It is on the gentler side — it favors mood and atmosphere over hard scares.
- How gory is Gremlins?
- Gremlins rates 4/10 for gore — expect only light gore.
- How long is Gremlins?
- Gremlins runs 106 minutes (1h 46m).
- What is Gremlins rated?
- Gremlins is rated PG by the MPA. On our own scale it rates 4/10 for jump scares, 4/10 for gore and 2/10 for dread — the PG tells you what it was certified, those tell you what it will do to you.
- Where to watch Gremlins (1984)?
- As of our last update, Gremlins is streaming on Max in the US (checked 2026-09-04). Availability changes, so check your service before settling in.
