Small Soldiers is a 1998 adventure film about military technology that is used to enhance toy action figures, making the toys begin to take their battle programming a little too seriously.
A few years after Pixar’s groundbreaking animated feature Toy Story had just about changed everything anyone accepted about computer animation, along came DreamWorks in their attempt to cash in on the art and the premise. Directed by the legendary Joe Dante, this mix of live action and CGI follow a line of toys designed by a defense contractor who are programmed to fight each other, but what the makers don’t realize is the figures have become sentient and are committed to their battle orders. When they land in the home of teenager Alan Abernathy (Gregory Smith), the son of a toy store owner, well, things get out of hand as the Commando Elite, led by Chip Hazard (voiced by Tommy Lee Jones) are hell bent on destroying the Gorgonites. With mayhem running rampant, roles are reversed as it’s discovered the monsters are actually the good guys, and now Alan has to figure out how to save them and keep himself alive.
THE LAST WORD
Some excellent visual effects lead the charge here, with a great mix of live action and CGI. The seamless interaction is believable and a lot of fun, with plenty of gags that play into the the enemies being toys.
This is hardly a young kid’s movie as the severely dark tone is not anything like Toy Story, especially since it seems directed at children.