Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Munchie Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 6, 2019

There are many great mysteries of filmmaking. What did Bill Murray whisper to Scarlett Johansson at the end of “Lost in Translation”? Is Deckard a replicant in the “Blade Runner” universe? And why is “Munchie” considered a sequel to “Munchies”? Only producer Roger Corman knows for sure, with his New Concorde studio needing something, anything to help support this family film offering from a company that typically specializes in more aggressive entertainment. 1992’s “Munchie” has nothing to do with 1987’s “Munchies,” from tech credits to creature design, with co-writer/director Jim Wynorski tasked with engineering his own take on the genie in a bottle premise, making a cinematic mess with a three-foot-tall monster voiced by Dom DeLuise. The helmer isn’t out to scare with this supposed second chapter in Corman’s “Gremlins” rip-off universe, and he mercifully avoids trying to build on what came before, preferring to craft his own B-movie distraction that’s admittedly painful to watch at times, but also offers periodic inspiration, emerging in the form of wisecracks, casting, and general impishness.

A recent transfer to a new junior high school, Gage (Jamie McEnnan) is having trouble adjusting to his surroundings. He’s struggling with math, has a crush on Andrea (Jennifer Love Hewitt), and is targeted for punishment by bully Ashton (Scott Ferguson). At home, things are worse, with Gage watching his mother, Cathy (Loni Anderson), cozy up to creep Elliott (Andrew Stevens), who’s preparing to propose and become the man of the house. While out on an existential hike one day, Gage discovers a special box hidden from view, home to magical being Munchie (voiced by Dom DeLuise), who’s grateful to be released from the wooden prison. Eager to repay the debt, Munchie offers Gage a chance to fulfill all his wishes, using his special powers to make life easier for the boy. However, instead of righting many wrongs, Munchie makes things worse for Gage, who struggles to contain his new sidekick while the creature goes crazy trying to give his rescuer the life he’s always wanted, which includes a complete deletion of Elliott from his house.

Again, this is no sequel. “Munchie” doesn’t even acknowledge the events of “Munchies,” electing to begin its own saga with the previous owner of Munchie, with the battered man speeding in a truck to a bottomless pit in rural California to drop off his wisecracking wish-granter, showing signs of distress and extreme focus on completing his mission. There’s no payoff to the pit gag, which is a small part of Wynorksi’s throw-everything-at- the-screen-to-see-what-sticks approach to the making of “Munchie,” launching jokes and mischief whenever he can just to keep the endeavor active. There’s a plot of sorts, with Cage feeling the burn of being the new kid in school, prone to Walter Mitty-esque daydreams to help him cope with such troubles as bad grades, bullies, and a mean authoritarian in Principal Thornton (Ace Mask). The fantasy sequences are short and stop in the first act, with the screenplay switching attention to the menace of Elliott, a university researcher (he experiments on animals, just to make him more hissable) who’s ready to marry Gage’s mother. Potential charm from strange psychological areas explored by the script is replaced by a formulaic villain, but human concerns aren’t really the point of the effort.

Munchie is an ancient trickster with a Catskills Comic personality, delighted to assist Gage in cleaning up his problems. He’s capable of wondrous things, but Wynorski keeps mischief contained to kid-pleasing moments, including the magical ability to fly a pepperoni pizza from a local Italian restaurant to Cage’s bedroom, serving up dinner for the pair. Munchie also works his way into the school system to change the boy’s grades, and handles the bully issue during a talent show, making Ashton’s participation in a scene from “Romeo and Juliet” a series of humiliations. Gage loves the results, but he can’t control his pet monster, with Munchie delighting in all the madness he’s summoned, even turning himself into a military general as he orchestrates ways to destroy Elliot’s plans to propose to Cathy.

Wynorski strives to revive certain classic comedy traditions with “Munchie,” watching as the titular demon delivers a hotfoot prank on Elliot, and there’s actually a joke concerning a character slipping on a banana peel. The picture also sets some type of record for the most uses of the sad trombone music punctuation, keeping the feature thoroughly cartoon for the short run time. Heck, Stevens even breaks the fourth wall as Elliott. There’s a certain lawlessness to “Munchie,” but the fun of it comes from Wynorski’s efforts to entertain himself, keeping the film on the move with madcap incidents, and filling bit parts with B-movie celebrities such as Angus Scrimm (of course playing a funeral director), Becky LeBeau, Brink Stevens, Toni Naples, and Monique Gabrielle. And for additional entertainment, there’s Arte Johnson in the Doc Brown role of Gage’s older, scientifically-minded pal, giving the boy a harmless adult who believes him.

Munchie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As with "Munchies," "Munchie" makes its Blu-ray debut with a satisfying AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. It looks to be a recent scan, presenting the low-fi antics of the movie with encouraging clarity, finding detail with Munchie's rubbery appearance and stiff mechanics, while human elements are also open for study, including facial surfaces and costuming. Sets are also ready for survey, delivering a full sense of decoration, including school visits. Colors are vivid, with brighter primaries pushing through with care, while more extreme hues, like Anderson's golden appearance, are handled without concern. Skintones are natural, and Munchie's monstrous appearance is preserved. Delineation is comfortable, never solidifying. Grain is fine and filmic. Source is in good shape, without damage.

Munchie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix handles the essentials of "Munchie" without issue. It's not a complex track to begin with, delivering basic but clear dialogue exchanges, handling various performance speeds, including DeLuise's shtick and Stevens's emphasis, with ease, keeping everything intelligible. Scoring is defined, delivering thin but effective synth that sells the mood, with a chirpier push for slapstick entanglements. Sound effects are capable, providing squealing tires during chases and assorted whooshes for Munchie's magic.

Munchie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Trailer (2:30, SD) is included.

Munchie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's futile to pick at the logic of "Munchie," but there are questions left behind at the end of the picture, many concerning the randomness of Munchie's powers (it's established he can teleport when he needs to get out of sight, but the movie ends with a car chase, with Munchie sitting peacefully while being hunted at top speed). Such mysteries are better off left unanswered, which helps Wynorski in his mission to entertain kids on rainy afternoons, hastily assembling a wish-fulfillment feature that's big on wackiness, revenge scenarios, messiness, and has absolutely nothing to do with "Munchies." I don't care what New Concorde has to say about the matter.