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:

parody | wolf whistle | watching tv | wilhelm scream | product placement | 

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Taglines:

The few, the proud, and the small.

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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

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

The murder of Phil Hartman before the premiere caused some minor changes before release.

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Goofs

Christy appeared to have curly hair in the hostage video the commandos forced her to do, only to have relatively straight hair only minutes later when Alan found her bound and gagged in her bedroom. She was tied up during that entire span of time, meaning she couldn't have been able to fix it.

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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 ...
[...]

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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

Featured in 2nd Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review (1998)

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Soundtracks

Wannabe
Written by Spice Girls, Richard Stannard & Matt Rowe (as Matt Rowbottom)
Performed by Spice Girls
Courtesy of Virgin Records America, Inc.

User Reviews

A Solid Answer to Disney/Pixar's Toy Story

Let's be honest, the concept of Small Soldiers(toys coming to life) came from Toy Story. However, DreamWorks came up with a MUCH different plot and the result is a great-and grossly underrated-family movie/action flick with top notch CGI.

I'm sure many say DreamWorks is a poor man's Disney/Pixar, and I agree, but this one movie in which DreamWorks shines. One might argue that the Commandos are glorified G.I. Joes, but I will gladly look past that because, c'mon, they're awesome.

Small Soldiers is a fine piece of entertainment and some of DreamWorks' best work to boot. I am begging you, don't pass it up. You won't regret giving it your time.