When I think about the films that had a biggest influence on me when I was a child, Toy Story is undoubtedly one of the first that comes to mind. For a child, a film about what their toys get up to when they aren’t looking is completely captivating. I think my parents knew how much of a chord Toy Story struck with me and I remember being given Small Soldiers on VHS when I was probably around five or six years old. The first couple of times I watched it I remember it terrified me, but it had that same allure of Toy Story in that it was about toys that came to life. I don’t think my parents realised quite how violent and disturbing the film could be, despite only being rated PG, but I think this may have also been an early spark for my interest in horror films. I found a DVD copy of the film a little while back and I simply had to revisit this film that had such an impact on me as a child, and it was so weird watching this as an adult.
Following the acquisition of toy manufacturer Heartland Toys by defence contractor GloboTech, the toy makers now have access to cutting edge technology to enhance their products, allowing them to ‘play back’.
Alan Abernathy (Gregory Smith) is tasked with looking after his dad’s toy store whilst he’s away on business, and he orders in a set of the new ‘Commando Elite’ toy line in the hopes of being able to finally get the store to make some money. The Commando Elite have been fitted with a military grade processing chip, allowing them to walk, talk, and learn in relation to their primary directive. Unfortunately, their directive is to eliminate the Gorgonite ‘threat’, a race of peaceful alien creatures. With the help of his neighbour Christy (Kirsten Dunst), Alan helps Archer (Frank Langella), the Gorgonite leader, reunite with his allies. Meanwhile the Commando Elite, led by Major Chip Hazard (Tommy Lee Jones), cause havoc and turn lethal.
The comparisons to Toy Story are clear as day, but I feel that does a disservice to what Small Soldiers is, and what it could have been. As it stands, I admire the film with rose tinted glasses, and I like what it was going for as an edgy horror family film in the same vein as Gremlins. But Small Soldiers does suffer pretty significantly from tonal issues and not really understanding the demographic it’s going for. In all honesty it wouldn’t surprise me if this was caused by studio interference, as for the most part the film feels to be aimed squarely at teenagers, but it does feel like some of the sharp edges were shaved down to get it to pass below the MPAA’s PG-13 (BBFC 12) rating.
The opening scene of the film depicts an industrial takeover of Heartland Toys by GloboTech and honestly, I can’t think of a more boring way to have opened this film. It provides all the exposition we need in order to understand why the toys come to life, but it’s done so heavy handedly and in such an inorganic way. It’s ultimately a boardroom scene that is just as exciting as being in an actual boardroom meeting. This shouldn’t be in a family film, even a film aimed at teenagers should have had a more interesting opening than this. I distinctly remember fast-forwarding my VHS through this scene as a child because it was so dull.
What would have made more sense would have been to open with Alan, introducing his dad’s toy shop, their financial troubles, and him receiving these seemingly innocent soldier toys. Then by revealing that the toys are actually capable of moving, thinking, and behaving with intelligence it would have been a great reveal that sets up the rest of the film. Then delve into the GloboTech/Heartland Toys problem later on in the story once Alan makes contact with the company to warn them of the dangerous programming.
Following the acquisition of toy manufacturer Heartland Toys by defence contractor GloboTech, the toy makers now have access to cutting edge technology to enhance their products, allowing them to ‘play back’.
Alan Abernathy (Gregory Smith) is tasked with looking after his dad’s toy store whilst he’s away on business, and he orders in a set of the new ‘Commando Elite’ toy line in the hopes of being able to finally get the store to make some money. The Commando Elite have been fitted with a military grade processing chip, allowing them to walk, talk, and learn in relation to their primary directive. Unfortunately, their directive is to eliminate the Gorgonite ‘threat’, a race of peaceful alien creatures. With the help of his neighbour Christy (Kirsten Dunst), Alan helps Archer (Frank Langella), the Gorgonite leader, reunite with his allies. Meanwhile the Commando Elite, led by Major Chip Hazard (Tommy Lee Jones), cause havoc and turn lethal.
The comparisons to Toy Story are clear as day, but I feel that does a disservice to what Small Soldiers is, and what it could have been. As it stands, I admire the film with rose tinted glasses, and I like what it was going for as an edgy horror family film in the same vein as Gremlins. But Small Soldiers does suffer pretty significantly from tonal issues and not really understanding the demographic it’s going for. In all honesty it wouldn’t surprise me if this was caused by studio interference, as for the most part the film feels to be aimed squarely at teenagers, but it does feel like some of the sharp edges were shaved down to get it to pass below the MPAA’s PG-13 (BBFC 12) rating.
The opening scene of the film depicts an industrial takeover of Heartland Toys by GloboTech and honestly, I can’t think of a more boring way to have opened this film. It provides all the exposition we need in order to understand why the toys come to life, but it’s done so heavy handedly and in such an inorganic way. It’s ultimately a boardroom scene that is just as exciting as being in an actual boardroom meeting. This shouldn’t be in a family film, even a film aimed at teenagers should have had a more interesting opening than this. I distinctly remember fast-forwarding my VHS through this scene as a child because it was so dull.
What would have made more sense would have been to open with Alan, introducing his dad’s toy shop, their financial troubles, and him receiving these seemingly innocent soldier toys. Then by revealing that the toys are actually capable of moving, thinking, and behaving with intelligence it would have been a great reveal that sets up the rest of the film. Then delve into the GloboTech/Heartland Toys problem later on in the story once Alan makes contact with the company to warn them of the dangerous programming.
Once the film does get going and the Commando Elite escape Alan’s dad’s shop, the film becomes so much more fun. Having these bloodthirsty playthings running around a quaint town in middle-America is really funny to me.
But things do get very graphic, very quickly, and it surprises me that it managed to get away with a PG rating. The dolls themselves get graphically dismembered, disfigured, and gruesomely frankensteined together (not to mention that frankly terrifying Gwendy brainwash scene). Then the human characters are subject to all kinds of torture and bloody injury from the Commando Elite. It’s pretty hard stuff for a family film, but I have to admit it’s extremely entertaining to watch.
The previously mentioned Gwendy scene is one of the best in the entire film. The Commando Elite stumble across Christie’s Gwendy dolls (voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar & Christina Ricci) and create a machine that will bring them to life. When the process is interrupted by Christie, the Gwendy dolls spring into action and gang up on her. It’s so well done, balancing elements of horror and comedy perfectly.
The performances aren’t anything to write home about. Smith and Dunst are competent enough but it’s clear that their inexperience holds them back. There aren’t an awful lot of adults in the film, and really the only adult character that is properly engaging is toy designer Irwin (David Cross). The voice work is reasonably good, I’d say Jones takes the spotlight as Chip Hazard, but he doesn’t have an awful lot of competition.
It feels like Small Soldiers is caught between two demographics. On the one hand it wants to be a family film, so it keeps the tone generally light and the comedy elements high. But on the other it wants to aim for teen audiences and so amps up the violence and threat. The problem is that it doesn’t quite nail either of these, and whilst the film is overall pretty enjoyable, it’s just all over the place tonally. It’s a strange little oddity from the late-90’s that might be worth revisiting for those in the mood for an edgy family film, and honestly I’d say the property is ripe for revival as there’s so much potential here.
But things do get very graphic, very quickly, and it surprises me that it managed to get away with a PG rating. The dolls themselves get graphically dismembered, disfigured, and gruesomely frankensteined together (not to mention that frankly terrifying Gwendy brainwash scene). Then the human characters are subject to all kinds of torture and bloody injury from the Commando Elite. It’s pretty hard stuff for a family film, but I have to admit it’s extremely entertaining to watch.
The previously mentioned Gwendy scene is one of the best in the entire film. The Commando Elite stumble across Christie’s Gwendy dolls (voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar & Christina Ricci) and create a machine that will bring them to life. When the process is interrupted by Christie, the Gwendy dolls spring into action and gang up on her. It’s so well done, balancing elements of horror and comedy perfectly.
The performances aren’t anything to write home about. Smith and Dunst are competent enough but it’s clear that their inexperience holds them back. There aren’t an awful lot of adults in the film, and really the only adult character that is properly engaging is toy designer Irwin (David Cross). The voice work is reasonably good, I’d say Jones takes the spotlight as Chip Hazard, but he doesn’t have an awful lot of competition.
It feels like Small Soldiers is caught between two demographics. On the one hand it wants to be a family film, so it keeps the tone generally light and the comedy elements high. But on the other it wants to aim for teen audiences and so amps up the violence and threat. The problem is that it doesn’t quite nail either of these, and whilst the film is overall pretty enjoyable, it’s just all over the place tonally. It’s a strange little oddity from the late-90’s that might be worth revisiting for those in the mood for an edgy family film, and honestly I’d say the property is ripe for revival as there’s so much potential here.