The Gate

The Gate is a 1987 fantasy horror film about a group of children who discover a mysterious hole in the yard of their suburban home. When Glen, his older sister Al, and their friend Terry investigate, they unknowingly open a passage that lets small demonic creatures into the world. With their parents away, the children are left to deal with the growing supernatural threat on their own and must find a way to stop it before it spreads beyond the house.

The film was directed by Tibor Takács, marking the first of fourteen features he would direct, followed by Sabrina the Teenage Witch in 1996. Michael Nankin wrote the screenplay, and John Kemeny produced. Stephen Dorff plays Glen, with Christa Denton as his sister Al, Louis Tripp as their friend Terry, and Kelly Rowan, Jennifer Irwin, and Deborah Grover among the supporting cast. Made for a modest three million dollars, it went on to take in roughly fourteen million worldwide, a strong return for its budget.

Audience response has been steady over the years, with a rating of 6 out of 10 on IMDb from more than nineteen thousand votes and 6.1 out of 10 on TMDB. A film critics' rating of 5.2 out of 10 from ten reviews places it somewhat below the audience scores, suggesting viewers have been more receptive to it than critics.