Plot: What’s it about?
Globotech, a firm known for it’s involvement in military affairs, has just purchsed Heartland Play-Systems. Globotech owner (Denis Leary) wants to bring the technology of the military into the toy field, making smarter, more advanced toys. Two Heartland designers have very differerent directions in mind for the next line, as one (Jay Mohr) envisions rough ‘n’ tough soldiers, The Commando Elite, and the other wants to make a band of peaceful aliens, The Gorgonites, researching Earth, not destroying it. Leary goes with the soldiers, and produces the Gorgonites as cannon fodder. Mohr uses the other designer’s password to order a large amount of powerful military chips to install in the toys, chips that unknown to him, enable the toys to learn, and act out their programming beyond normal limits. So, the chips are unknowingly placed in the toys, and the first shipments are sent out.
Enter Alan Abernathy (Gregory Smith) who works in his father’s toy store, and has a troubled past. The store is not making much money, so when a driver drops off his delivery, and Alan sees the Commandos and Gorgonites, he sees a chance to make his dad some money. The driver gives Alan one of each toy, with the condition he pays him back after the sale. Well, during the night, the Commandos go berzerk, and try to hunt down the Gorgonites like dogs, and eliminate them, and anyone/anything that is with them. The Gorgonite leader Archer, voiced by Frank Langella, manages to escape by going home with Alan, but Chip Hazard, voiced by Tommy Lee Jones, will stop at nothing to ensure the end of the Gorgonites. Oh yeah, this means WAR!
One of the best parts of this movie are the action figures themselves, with their own unique personalities and purposes. On the Gorgonite side, all of which were voiced by the members of the band Spinal Tap, are a motley group of low self esteemed creatures, looking more like typical monster type bad guys then peaceful guys. Each has a quirk, like Insaniac, who spins around all the time and spurts out cheesy old comedy bits, like “Are you a kid or an oil painting.” And Slamfist, whose slow-witted, insecure mannerisms are unlike his tough-as-nails exterior. The Gorgonites watch TV, and browse Microsoft Encarta, to learn more about Earth, just like they were programmed. On the flip side, are the Commando Elite, who are voiced by the stars of The Dirty Dozen. These guys are less on personality, and more on purpose. Demolition expert Nick Nitro for example, and his constant attempts to blow up Alan, and the consequences he suffers through are pretty funny. Brick Bazooka, Link Static, and the others all fill some jon slot, forming the perfect military unit. And the best Commando of all is their leader, Major Chip Hazard, who uses corny old war movie lines, usually combining two lines actually, and stands in front of a huge American flag, ala’ Patton, to inspire his troops.
The emphasis with these action figures is on ACTION, as these are no normal toys. They think, speak, and act on their own, with no human guidance. They squabble amongst themselves, formulate complex plans, and build massive (at least to them) weapons of destruction. While some may scoff and say there is no way all this looks real, if you’ve seen this movie, you know differently. The figures are brought to life through a unique partnership, with ILM doing the digital effects, and Stan Winston working on the models and animatronics side. Between the two sides, the figures are stunning, seen doing everything and anything, with no strings or wires attached. They always have that fake, plastic look, but hey, they are plastic! The movement is superb, and they move like action figures, very blocky and rigid, like action figures should. If they would have had a fluid feel, it would have seemed fake, but these toys move only within the limits of their points of articulation.
Aside from the voice talents, Small Soldiers also features some nice live action performances, with a great ensemble cast. Smith is iffy as the main charcter, but he is decent at least. Co-starring as Alan’s love interest is Kirsten Dunst, who is excellent, and gives her character just enough spunk to spice up the movie. As mentioned, Denis Leary has a small role, which he plays with his usual take-charge type acting, perfect for this ruthless business man he portrays. Also rounding out the cast is Jay Mohr, Kevin Dunn, and in his last picture, Phil Hartman. Hartman gives a humorous performance, and a great last film.
All in all, this movie is a great one for kids and adults alike. The action scenes can get kinda heated, so smaller kids may be scared. These soldiers really try to kill the people, using everything from flaming tennis balls to rivet guns, so it’s not all fun and games. While some dismissed this as children’s movie, I disagree, it has very adult anti-war tones to it, and the language/tone of the Commando Elite and their violent actions are strong enough for most movie-go-ers. It is action packed, with many moments of humor, so it packs a double whammy. So, if you want to go to war with boredom and “same-old same-old” movies, enlist the best, enlist Small Soldiers.
Video: How does it look?
This transfer is incredible, capturing all the colors and shadows of the film perfectly. This is an anamorphic widescreen only DVD, so you better like the best possible transfer, or you’re SOL. No artifacts, and the vibrant colors are awesome.
Audio: How does it sound?
Another home run here, with every little “ping” from the rivet gun resounding loud and clear. Dolby Digital 5.1 is used, so get ready to hear even the smallest details, like the sound plastic joints make when they move, and every loud explosion at an ear-shattering rate! The dialogue is well seperated, so during the battle scenes, you can make out every order.
Supplements: What are the extras?
You get a nice selection here, with a behind the scenes package, which reveals some well…behind the scenes stuff. Also included are some deleted scenes, featuring the action figures mostly. Fairly detailed production notes, a game demo, Cast/Crew Bios, and Trailers are also packed on the disc. Now, I don’t think these are enough to be a “Signature Selection”, but it’s still nice to have them.
