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 film has a Marvel comic book connection with some of it's cast members: Gregory Smith starred opposite Emily VanCamp and Chris Pratt in Everwood (2002). Emily VanCamp played Sharon Carter in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Captain America: Civil War (2016). Chris Pratt played Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 (2017), and Avengers: Infinity War (2018). Kirsten Dunst played Mary Jane Watson in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, and Tommy Lee Jones starred in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).

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Goofs

When Joe makes the delivery to Alan at The Inner Child, Joe hands a box to Alan. A second later, Alan takes the same box off the truck floor.

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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

At the end, there's a short clip of 'Phil Hartman' and the legend "For Phil".

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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 At the Movies: Lethal Weapon 4/Whatever/Small Soldiers/Madeline/Pi (1998)

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Soundtracks

Rock And Roll (Part 2)
Written by Gary Glitter & Mike Leander
Performed by Gary Glitter
Remixed by Rick Dutch Cousin (as Dutch)
Courtesy of Snapper Music PLC

User Reviews

Hey Chucky, eat this!!!

I know the summary doesn't have anything to do with this comment, but I thought it would be funny to start this review. "Small Soldiers", believe it or not, it's more valuable that it appears to be. Yes, it may be a flawed movie, but considering that it is a movie born in the heart of Hollywood studios and intended for small audiences (and not so small), "Small Soldiers" takes his chances to create successfully a political satire, a very dark one.

Joe Dante (a very underrated director) is a specialist in filtrating that kind of political message. And that's no wonder why decided to direct this movie. The best of all is that also works as a family flick, where the characters are likable enough to care about and it's really entertaining.

Anyway, I really like it.