Small Soldiers (1998)

Director:

Joe Dante

Writers (WGA):

Gavin Scott (written by) and
Adam Rifkin (written by) ...

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The few, the proud, and the small.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Toy | Computer | Action Figure | Military | Battle

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

The Commando Elite (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

108 min | USA:110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Philippines:G | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12/9 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The movie is meant to take place in fictional Winslow Corners, Ohio, and the producers made an effort to represent Northeastern Ohio accurately: Alan rides his bike past a newsstand selling The Plain Dealer, a Cleveland-centered newspaper. Later he leaves his phone number on the Globotech voice mail system and gives the Akron area code of 330. The Heartland delivery truck appears to have 90s-style Ohio license plates and is a reference to the state generally, "Ohio: The Heart of it All!"

Goofs:

Continuity: In the final scene, when Alan launches the boat, Archer is on the side closer to land. In the next shot, the boat has been turned around and Archer is facing downstream.

Quotes:

Christy Fimple: Any sigh of the Gorgonites?
Alan: No, not a thing.
Phil Fimple: [calling off shot] Come on Christy!
Christy Fimple: [kisses Alan on cheek] I'll see ya.
[Alan grabs her dramatically and kisses her]
Gil Mars: [getting into helicopter, looking at wreckage] Too bad. This would have been a hell of a commercial.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Bone Thugs n Harmony: The Collection Volume 2 (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Another One Bites The Dust (Small Soldiers Remix)

The Good & Bad Of 'Small Soldiers'

BAD NEWS - Typical Hollywood family in that the film features stupid parents, annoying teens who are too worldly for their age and think they get no respect from their parents. Also, there are the usual anti-military messages and anti- Republican cheap shots. The story has The Commandos (military, which means bad guys, of course) against the Gorgonites (peaceful, different-looking creatures.)

GOOD NEWS - A very clever animated-live action computer animated film (at least for 1998) in which the toys come to life and look real. Once the action starts, it's a very interesting story with fun special-effects, some good, funny dialog and some neat references to past films. Sometimes it's tough to catch them all.