Small Soldiers (1998)

When missile technology is used to enhance toy action figures, the toys soon begin to take their battle programming too seriously.

Director:

Joe Dante

Writers:

Gavin Scott, Adam Rifkin

Stars:

Kirsten Dunst, Gregory Smith, David Cross

3 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Cross	...	Irwin Wayfair
Jay Mohr	...	Larry Benson
Alexandra Wilson	...	Ms. Kegel
Denis Leary	...	Gil Mars
Gregory Smith	...	Alan Abernathy
Dick Miller	...	Joe
Kirsten Dunst	...	Christy Fimple
Jacob Smith	...	Timmy Fimple
Jonathan Bouck	...	Brad (as Jonathan David Bouck)
Kevin Dunn	...	Stuart Abernathy
Ann Magnuson	...	Irene Abernathy
Wendy Schaal	...	Marion Fimple
Phil Hartman	...	Phil Fimple
Archie Hahn	...	Satellite Dish Installer
Robert Picardo	...	Ralph, Clean Room Technician

Storyline

Fifteen-year-old Alan Abernathy, the son of a toy store owner, tries out some new action figures: The Commando Elite versus The Gorgonites. But three months ago, a toy company believes it is onto something when it employs the latest government military technology in a series of action figures, enabling them to talk. They underestimate the power of the special micro chips they've employed, however, as the two opposing sides of the toy line start thinking for themselves and engaging in real combat! The Commando Elite vow to wipe out the Gorgonites in a suburban neighborhood. Alan, his neighbor Christy Fimple, (on whom he has a massive crush) with the help of the kind Gorgonites, must protect his home and family from the Commandos.

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Plot Keywords:

child gagged | parody | childhood dream | comic book | internet | 

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Taglines:

Big Movie Small Soldiers

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some menacing action/violence and brief drug references

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jim Cummings' fifth live-action voice role after The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987) Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) Cabin Boy (1994) and Babe: Pig in the City (1998). His sixth one will be Christopher Robin (2018).

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Goofs

At 1:28:50, Irwin says that they have to get into [Christy's] house to "wedge the breakers open." Electrical breakers are considered "open" when turned on, and "closed" when turned off. If they wanted to force the breakers to allow current even when there is an overload, then they would actually want to "wedge" the breakers "closed."

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Quotes

[first lines]
Irwin Wayfair: He's here! He's early! He's not supposed to be here now. He said... okay, here's the copy of... check.
Larry Benson: Pretty exciting, huh?
Irwin Wayfair: I don't know. I think it's kinda sad, I mean you know Heartland Toys has a long tradition of bringing joy to kids, ya know? Gil Mars isn't going to care about any of that. He's just gonna care about profits. I think it sucks.
Larry Benson: Welcome to Earth, Irwin. You may not be familiar with our company, but this is pretty much the way things work down here in the real world.
Irwin Wayfair:

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Crazy Credits

The MPPA rating screen at the end reads "PG," but the movie is actually rated "PG-13."

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Alternate Versions

The DVD features some deleted scenes:

• Alan meets the principal of his new school, who tells him he doesn't like troublemakers.
• An extended version of the scene where the dish technician tells Phil a lot more about the way the dish works and why the tree has to be moved.
• Some added dialogue for Stuart and Irene about their old home Chicago right before Phil starts to saw off the branch.
• The Gorgonites search Alans encyclopedia for Gorgon. Instead of their home they find the daughter of the Greek God Phorcys.
• A discussion between Alan, Christy and their parents about what happened.
• Phil and Stuart discover that Alan and Christy get away through a window.
• The Toys discover Christys parents, her brother and Irene in the storeroom and ask for "any last requests".

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Connections

References Pinocchio (1940)

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Soundtracks

The Creation
from Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Written by Franz Waxman

User Reviews

Bemusing movie with action starred by toys figures and aimed for teens

Thanks to error, a toys store of Winslow Corners - a small and quiet town from Ohio- receives a shipments of war action figures. Former defense supplier Globotech and his chairman(Dennis Leary) and employees(David Cross, Jay Mohr)have transformed into dangerous soldiers toys to being mistakenly implanted with military intelligence chips.Commanded by Chip Hazard(voice of Tommy Lee Jones)take under siege the town and battle their rival toys , the Gorgonites, led by the pacific Archer(voice by Frank Langella). Meanwhile the Gorgonites join forces two adolescents Alan(Gregory Smith) and Christy(Kirsten Dunst). The commando Elite create wreak havoc into town and besiege the teen's house.

The film packs a combo of noisy action,thrills, spectacular images, and being quite entertaining. Nicely main cast and agreeable supporting cast with Kevin Dunn, Phil Hartman,Wendy Schaal,Robert Picardo and Dick Miller, a secondary actor usual of Roger Corman and Joe Dante, among others. The Commando Elite is attacking like the 'Dirty dozen' movie, in fact the voices are played by original casting, Ernest Borgnine,Jim Brown,George Kennedy and Clint Walker. Furthermore, an enjoyable homage to 'Patton' movie as on images as brilliant musical score by great Jerry Goldsmith. Colorful and evocative cinematography by Jamie Anderson. Special effects are top-notch, the puppets are well brought to life, they're made by David Andrews's computer generator and Stan Winston's animatronic. The motion picture is imaginatively directed by Joe Dante. Rating : Good and amusing.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Commando Elite

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Warner Bros. Ranch - 411 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,047,592, 12 July 1998

Gross USA:

$54,682,547

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$54,682,547

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, DreamWorks, Amblin Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1