Decades after I first saw the iconic VHS box cover with a little green suspender-wearing monster popping out of a toilet, I finally watched Ghoulies today. Wow, was that ever not what I expected, and awful. It's all satanic rituals, domestic disputes, dwarf slaves, and possessed college students, with the Ghoulies as little puppet minions that only jump at people occasionally. Yes, one Ghoulie does pop out of a toilet, but the scene is of no consequence and he is not wearing suspenders. A dull, dismal, total disappointment.
Frustrated, I immediately watched Ghoulies II, and it turned out to be exactly the PG-13 1980s creature feature slasher that I wanted. They don't even bother connecting anything to the first movie, they just jump right to tiny slimy rubbery monsters shanking jerks at a carnival. The Ghoulies puppets are much improved, with fun stop-motion sequences, the acting is better, the script actually has setups and payoffs, they redo the toilet scene so it actually matters, and the Ghoulies shoot things, cackle, and high-five each other. It's a delight.
