Glenn (a young STEPHEN DORFF), his pal Terry and his big sister “Al” (CHRISTA DENTON from NOT MY KID) are shouldering some new found responsibility, not only are they spending the weekend sans guardians, but they’ve also accidentally, through a string of missteps that include bloodletting, animal sacrifice and incantation, kinda-sorta opened the doorway to hell. That doorway is a bad thing cuz the creeps who plan to use it are “the old ones” — ancient Lovecrafty monsters that used to inhabit our world and are itching to get it back. (Thankfully Terry is a metal head and got a heads up by playing an LP backwards.) Can they close THE GATE and save the planet from an eternity of darkness? Well it’s either that or re-title the picture DON’T TELL MOM THE WHOLE WORLD IS DEAD! This fun nostalgic romp will instantly bring you back to the time of first sleepovers complete with basement wreck rooms, flashlights, ghost stories and levitation experiments. Brimming with some of the most creative special effects ever put to screen, it’s easy to overlook the script’s earnest attempts to tackle its characters less fantastic dilemmas. Terry has lost his mother recently and siblings Glen and Al’s age difference is coming into play. An awkward time is perfectly captured as big sis Al throws away her dolls in exchange for trips to the mall, and Glen is left fending for himself and sweating the mortality of the family dog. These psychological demons are battled alongside miniature imp creatures, a relentless zombie and an enormous kraken-like overlord beast that tears through the house. Unabashedly soft-hearted (love saves the day), THE GATE is still no slouch when it comes to the gore, and you simply have not lived until you’ve seen somebody stabbed in the eye with a Barbie doll leg!

INDELIBLE SCENE(S):

• Dead mom turns into dead dog
• Bumpy moving walls and the hands under the bed
• The parents return evil… “YOU’VE BEEN BAD!“
• Terry falls into the gate, imps attack his leg
• Terry’s made up story about a construction worker being stuck in the wall becomes real
• Giant demon breaks through the living room floor!
• Weapon of choice? Toy rocket!