Ghoulies
Performance & Direction: Ghoulies Review
Last updated: January 27, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is Ghoulies (1985) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 4.9/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Comedy.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Comedy is often anchored by its ensemble, and Ghoulies features a noteworthy lineup led by Peter Liapis . Supported by the likes of Lisa Pelikan and Michael Des Barres , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
In summary, our editorial assessment of Ghoulies (1985) is negative. With an audience rating of 4.9/10, it stands as a decent one-time watch.
Story & Plot Summary: Ghoulies
Quick Plot Summary: Ghoulies is a Comedy, Horror, Fantasy film that brings laughter through sharp writing and comedic timing, providing amusement while touching on deeper societal themes. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict and narrative structure.
Ending Explained: Ghoulies
Ending Breakdown: Ghoulies attempts to tie together its various plot elements. The finale presents its approach to comedy resolution.
The conclusion addresses the core thematic questions, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the comedy themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of Ghoulies reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Who Should Watch Ghoulies?
Consider Watching If:
- You're a completist for Comedy films
- You're curious despite mixed reviews
- You have low expectations and want casual entertainment
Box Office Collection: Ghoulies
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $5.5M |
| Worldwide Gross | $35.0M |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
Ghoulies Budget
The estimated production budget for Ghoulies is $5.5M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: Ghoulies
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Where to Watch Ghoulies Online?
Streaming Hub🎟️ Rent on
Amazon VideoGhoulies Parents Guide & Age Rating
1985 AdvisoryWondering about Ghoulies age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of Ghoulies is 81 minutes (1h 21m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 4.9/10, and global performance metrics, Ghoulies is classified as a AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 1985 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ghoulies worth watching?
Ghoulies is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Comedy movies. It has a verified rating of 4.9/10 and stands as a AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find Ghoulies parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for Ghoulies identifies it as PG-13. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of Ghoulies?
The total duration of Ghoulies is 81 minutes, which is approximately 1h 21m long.
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How Ghoulies Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for Ghoulies
Not enough Ghoulies!! If the cover of your movie has a creature popping out of toilet. I your movie, you better have a creature popping out of a toilet. It’s Chekhov's gun. There was no ghoulie that ever popped out of a toilet. I was waiting the entire movie for a puppet to pop out of a toilet, and never got it! Aside from that this movie is still pretty bad. The main actor has some weird green eyes that glow when he “invokes” them (I guess). I don’t really know, because they don’t explain it, and they show up when he is “more” menacing than he normally is. I also didn’t understand why they had to wear sunglasses towards the end. He could turn his weird green eyes off when he wanted. He didn’t need the sun glasses. I also didn’t get why the main character decided he had to quit school to clean up a house. Why wouldn’t you just clean up the house after school??? It didn’t make any sense. The movie is filled with pretty subpar acting. For some reason a female costar that seems like she was already in her fifties, but her actual age hadn’t caught up to her yet. The ghoulies were the best part, but you only see them for maybe, maybe, 10 minutes out of the whole movie. There were also these two dwarves that showed up for no real reason except to drink some liquid, and fight against their original master (maybe?)
Almost seems like someone had an idea for a bland cultist horror flick script, but was told "Gremlins are big, you gotta put some little dudes in this!", so they wrote in a couple of midgets, were subsequently told that didn't count, so wrote in some slimy puppets, but forgot to get rid of the bit they'd written about the midgets, and somehow made their bland idea straight-up bad. This came out the same years as _Gremlins_ though, so I have no idea how it was allowed to happen. _Final rating:★½: - Boring/disappointing. Avoid where possible._
The ghoulies get a few kills in, but this is mostly focused on Jonathan becoming obsessed with acquiring power and knowledge in occult fashion. It's a good, silly B-movie with plenty of Satanic nonsense, just don't expect the ghoulie puppets to be front and center.
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
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