Plot: What’s it about?
Danny O’Shea (Rick Moranis) has always lived in the shadow of his brother Kevin (Ed O’Neill), which has caused him much unrest. Kevin was a high school football star, won three state championships, a national college title, and even a Heisman Trophy, before coming back home to open his own business. In the town of Urbania, Kevin is a legend and even has his image on the town’s welcome sign, while Danny is pushed to the side. Now Kevin is starting a peewee football team, which means he wants only the best players and of course, that means some kids will be left unpicked. This upsets Danny, as he knows the kids just want to play, even if they’re not the stars of the team. So with some encouragement from his daughter Becky (Shawna Waldron), also known as The Icebox, Danny starts his own team. This sends Kevin for a spin, as the town can only have one team and as such, the two teams must have a playoff. With two weeks to go, Danny and Becky start to form their ragtag assortment of players, which are outmatched in every aspect. But they work hard and have fun being able to play, even if the impending doom of facing Kevin’s team remains fresh in their minds. Can Danny’s haphazard players manage to put up a good fight, even with some help from John Madden and friends?
This is a premise we’ve seen a thousand times before, the outcasts rally together to take on the popular kids. If they win, they overcome immense odds and if they lose, at least they had the drive to stand up for themselves. Of course, this premise has been used in some great movies, but it has also yielded some real stinkers. On the surface, Little Giants looks like just another Bad News Bears clone, but I think its more than a simple lift. No, this movie is no classic and has ample flaws, but it is a pleasure to watch and provides more than solid entertainment. Little Giants deals with family relationships, missed chances, coming of age, gender identity, and social class rules, but it never dwells on these topics. But having these issues in the storyline gives the movie some depth, which makes the comic moments more effective. So expect a brisk, silly movie with Little Giants, but there is also some genuine emotion here and that’s important. On a sheer comic basis, I found Little Giants to be very humorous, with a lot of well handled situations. Yes, some stereotypes are thrown in and some impossible sequences unfold, but for a movie of this kind, Little Giants proves to be one of the better installments. So the movie is good, which means Warner’s terrific presentation isn’t wasted, so be sure to check out Little Giants.
His career is packed with roles as a bookish, but likable underdog, so Rick Moranis seems like a natural for the lead role in Little Giants. In a lot of these movies, the focus is more on the kids than the adults, but Little Giants spends much time on Moranis’ character. Instead of glossing over his own issues or creating a lame backstory, Moranis’ character has a solid and effective past, one that enhances the movie’s impact. And of course, with experience in similar roles, Moranis has no trouble pulling off a good performance. As his character has been given some depth, his turn isn’t as cartoonish in Little Giants, which lends a more realistic texture. I like Moranis’ work in this movie, as he brings his usual effort to the table, but adds a little something extra. So his performance has the same kind of feel as his traditional turns, but thanks to some solid material, Moranis is able to up the ante a shade in this picture. He might not get much credit for his work, but Moranis is a skilled performer and it shows in Little Giants. Other films with Moranis include The Flintstones, Little Shop of Horrors, Strange Brew, Ghostbusters, Spaceballs, and Brewster’s Millions. The cast also includes Ed O’Neill (Dutch, Tv’s Married with Children), Shawna Waldron (The American President, Aftermath), and Devon Sawa (Final Destination, Slackers).
Video: How does it look?
Little Giants is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a good, solid effort from Warner and fans should be pleased. The print is clean, with only minor nicks and debris, while grain is never an issue. The colors come across as bright and crisp, with no signs of errors, while flesh tones remain natural throughout. I found contrast to be well balanced, so black levels have a smooth and refined appearance. There is some softness evident in this presentation, but detail is solid and never dips too low. So this might not be a dazzling visual treatment, but all the bases are more than covered here.
Audio: How does it sound?
A new Dolby Digital 5.1 surround option is found here, but this material doesn’t allow for much dynamic presence. Yes, the dialogue is clear and never hard to understand, while sound effects are crisp and well placed, but all these elements remain anchored in the front channels, which limits dynamic presence. A spark or two of surround use is evident, but not much and not enough to make for a memorable experience. The football scenes are the most active, but even then, don’t expect too much. Even so, it all sounds solid and as such, I can’t see complaining too much here. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround option, a French language track, and optional English subtitles, just in case you might need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The extras kick off with a special introduction with star Shawna Waldron, who returns on the included audio commentary track. Waldron is joined by director Duwayne Dunham and screenwriter Robert Shallcross, who combine to offer some great insights. The session is a light one, but ample discussion is present and fans of the movie should be pleased. This disc also includes some talent files, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
