Small Soldiers (1998)
Toy Story created a whole new genre of film that could never have been produced before the 90s technological boom. Using state of the art computers, the film incorporated 3D characters in a computer-generated world. Well, it's time to up that standard by placing the computer animation in the real world. Watching SMALL SOLDIERS, I got the distinct realization that this film was not cheap to make, and probably wouldn't make all of its money back. Why not? Two reasons: advertising and the PG-13 rating.
The PG-13 rating is probably mostly to blame, considering this is the type of film parents would want to take their kids to. However, they can, and I say they should. The PG-13 rating is a very mild one, and I don't quite understand how it got that. The content is nothing more than anything you would see in a TV cartoon with Wile E. Coyote, but it takes place in the real world. Little children who are easily impressionable may find it scary, but those above, say, six will find everything thoroughly enjoyable. And if you are an adult, there is even more to enjoy.
SMALL SOLDIERS begins with a major toy corporation trying to come up with a new kind of toy. The assignment is given to Larry Benson (Jay Mohr) who discovers a secret military micro-chip. He orders hundreds of thousands of them and puts them into the new action figures. The "Gorgonites" and the "Commando Elites" are two competitive figures. Going by appearances, it's hard to tell who's the good guy. The Commando Elites are humans while the Gorgonites are monsters. However, this does allow the film to slip in a low-brow moral about how looks are deceiving. The Commandos really are the villains, led by Chip Hazard (Tommy Lee Jones). The Gorgonites are led by Archer (Frank Langella), a simple-minded and well-meaning creature. By the end of the film, we have actually grown to care for him.
The toys are shipped out but two boxes of them land in the hands of Alan (Gregory Smith), a young rebel who is in charge of his father's store for a few days. Alan has his eyes set on Christy (Kirsten Dunst) but she already has a boyfriend. This relationship is merely a cheap way to add some depth to the thin plot. Then again, who expected this movie to be complex? SMALL SOLDIERS is not merely an action film--it's a pop-culture icon. The toys are the result of modern technology going too far. And yet, human substance saves in the end. Don't worry... I haven't spoiled anything for you. This film is not one of surprises, and the ending is cheerfully gaggy. Thankfully, it's all done with good intentions. If it had gone the way of, say, Gremlins, it would have been a failure. But by maintaining a consistent tone throughout, the film is easy to like.
Despite the plot's meagerness, the film is quite intelligent. Five screenwriters contributed to this movie so it was expected to be somewhat funny. What I didn't expect was the amount of incredibly witty references. This is what makes the film extremely enjoyable for adults. While watching, adults can laugh at the clever slamming of modern day culture icons. From the Energizer Bunny (almost too subtle to catch) to the Spice Girls, SMALL SOLDIERS packs quite a punch. However, the film wanders without much of a direction. It's mostly just the Gorgonites and the Commando Elites duking it out. Well, more like the Gorgonites hiding while the Elites try to find them. While this may seem boring, the computer animation keeps everything fresh and original. Kids are likely to have fun just watching the toy figurines interact with humans, something they probably wish their own dolls would do. Of course, this film will obviously produce an entire line of Small Soldier merchandise, and kids will be disappointed when the dolls don't respond and react the same way. In fact, I'm kind of disappointed. The purely fantastical elements reach such an inner desire that everyone has. We have all wanted our toys to talk with us, and this film uses that desire effectively. By the end, it's actually sad to see it go. This is what brings repeat business, of course.
What's really funny about the movie is its self-mocking irony. The film contains gags and puns and references to other things, that we forget to see that this movie is merely just adding more things to the list of modern day icons. The Gorgonites will spawn a slew of action figures which will more than likely be spoofed in other movies. Even the movie's slogan "Size Doesn't Matter" slams motion pictures of today. One visual treat is watching Chip Hazard stand in front of a puzzle-piece flag and give a speech. Adults will recognize this as a scene from Patton, and if they are really knowledgeable, they'll even notice the music is the same. I bet parents will probably have more fun at this movie than kids will.
Director Joe Dante is responsible for the unusual Gremlins and tops himself here. The style is brilliant to say the least as it takes a comic twist to the usual war story. The computer generated images are incredible, and it's almost impossible to tell what's real and what isn't. Sometimes the toys are produced by Stan Winston's electronics and sometimes entirely by computer. The computer imagery tops everything seen in Toy Story but only because technology has improved. What is the real accomplishment is how Dante was able to get the characters into the three-dimensional world. The camera work had to be excruciating considering that adjusting the angles means redrawing the characters everytime. If the character isn't right, they have to adjust the character's position in the screen. Computers have helped immensely, allowing the characters to be fully rendered before being put into the shot. This movie puts Who Framed Roger Rabbit? to shame (in technology only). Just thinking about the amount of work this movie required is dizzying. Cinematographer Jamie Anderson could easily get an Oscar nomination for the work done here. And composer Jerry Goldsmith creates a light and upbeat score that gives the film a very fun feeling.
Casting is critical for a movie of this sort. You have to find actors that appeal to every viewer. So it's no surprise that Gregory Smith is the lead. Smith is actually very good in the role, although it is merely just a flat character. Kirsten Dunst is good as his love interest, but again, flat character. Phil Hartman is one of the most memorable on-screen actors, and being his last performance, reminds us how much he will be missed. His dry delivery is impeccable. Jay Mohr gives a suitable performance as the weasel and Denis Leary appears for a small part as the companies' President. But the stars here are Tommy Lee Jones and Frank Langella. Jones is a great actor and his voice suits Chip superbly. More importantly is Langella who's sad, almost monotonous voice makes the character excellent. When the film ended, I had a growing depression which made me realize that I wouldn't see this character again. I think that's one of the more bad aspects of film, but it also shows some great acting on Langella's part. The character's visuals are pleasing to the eye, but with Langella's voice, the character is transformed into the most lively character. The rest of the Gorgonites are voiced by the "Spinal Tap" guys. The rest of the Elites are voiced by celebrities such as Ernest Brigantine, George Kennedy, Christina Ricci, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. And yes, that's Harry Shearer (from Godzilla) as one of the Gorgonites.
SMALL SOLDIERS is rated PG-13 for some violence and slight language. The film is suitable for kids that can handle morning TV cartoons, and parents will enjoy the stabs at pop-culture. While it doesn't approach the excellence of Toy Story, the movie is more than good enough for summer entertainment. Containing enough comedy, action, and those wonderful cheesy moments, you won't be disappointed. One line towards the end of the film sums up everything in the movie nicely: "It's one hell of a commercial!" You can say that again.