Rating: 
Summary: More than small soldiers
Review: This is a great movie for the family to watch. It has action that would be enjoyable for all ages. Those who love 80's machine movies will love "Small Soldiers". The writers thought of a unique storyline that makes it more entertaining and bring hopes for the loners. The beginning accurately desplicts how the toy industry is being treated today.Gregory Smith(TV's "Everwood"), who plays Alan, wonderfully performs his role as a loner who finds toys in a truck. Alan sneaks them home. Little does he know that the toys are alive. He meets a girl at the toy shop, played by the fabulous Kirsten Dunst. The chemistry between the characters give the movie that added spark. The characters' secret about the toys helps build the storyline, readying the war eruption. The two actors prove that "Small Soldiers" is little about toys who fight; rather, it's about the importance of breaking out of one's shell. The special effects team made the alive toys more entertaining to watch. Those who provided their voices gave it the added humor, especially the female dolls. Computer animation wonderfully combined them and the real-life people. This was especially crucial in the war scene because of the weapons used. Though no child would ever fight a war in real life, "Small Soldiers" will never leave their audience disappointed. Note the two rising stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Flawless entertainment
Review: This movie got a bit of a bad rap when it came out, because people were expecting another "Toy Story", which is great in it's own way, but far from the spirit of this picture. In this story, the toys not only can die, but they can kill. It shows what would happen if supercomputers the size of a doll's head were placed used as the "brain", and then they were programmed to kill other toys. If humans get in the way, well, I believe the term is "collateral damage". Surrounded by this story are a lot of comments on corporate greed. Dennis Leary gives yet another (see "The Ref") terrific performance with his no-nonsense look at the world. In this one he's the CEO of a conglomerate who wants to make toys that actually do what the commercials lead on to. With an unlimited budget and a tight deadline, the results are not quite what people hoped for. You see, there are two sets of toys: one is a peace-loving set of oddballs, and the other is a group of soldiers. Even though the oddballs are intellectually interesting, they are merely cannon fodder, as the soldiers are programmed to kill them. Since this is what the toy-buying populace will want, that's what the company gives them. It goes a bit off-kilter when the soldiers do their job way too well. The special effects that show this are state-of-the-art for their time, and still hold well today. There is humor all around, both for kids and adults. When the soldiers discover a group of Barbie dolls, and one observes with a leer that they're bendable, mom and dad get the joke while still keeping it OK for kid viewing. Now I know a little bit about programming, and the movie does take a few liberties with what computers can do in the spirit of advancing the plot. A computer, no matter what the size, is still a big calculator that does what it's told. Some programmer had to tell the dolls to reek havoc. The movie blames the bad behavior on a batch of "aggressive" computer chips, which is like blaming an auto accident on an "aggressive" car. This is a great movie, but I just wanted to point this out. Why? Because I can.
Rating:
Summary: Flawed but entertaining fantasy.
Review: When a overeager New Toy Executive Marketer (Denis Leary) wants to make New Toys for his new company. When the Company create the Commando Elite-Toy Action Figures with Attitude and the Gorgonites, which they are kindhearted but unusual creatures, created by two different people (Jay Mohr & David Cross). When a once troubled teenager-Alan Abernathy (Gregory Smith), when he active the Toys, those two different Type of Toys goes on a War. Especially the Commando Elite, thier only mission is to destory and those who help the Gorgonites. Although one of the toy creators has been putting Military Mircochips into new Combat Figures. Directed by Joe Dante (The Burbs, Explorers, Gremlins 1 & 2) made a clever, entertaining, comic adventure flick. This has a good premise-written by Gavin Scott (The Borrowers), Adam Rifkin (Detroit Rock City), Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio (Aladdin, Godzilla-1998, The Mask of Zorro). One of the few most amazing Highlights are the terrific CGI Animation effects created by Industrial, Light & Magic (ILM), Toy Designs by Stan Winston (A.I.-Artificial Intelligence, Aliens, Jurassic Park Trilogy) and Sereval Scenes in this one-Including doing great homage to Bride of Frankenstein is a stroke of demented genius are one of the great things about the flick. But the film's unexepected grim violence towards the end and the romance between Smith and Kristen Dunst puts the movie someways down. Tommy Lee Jones gives a fun voical comical performance as the leader of the Commando Elite-Chip Hazard. Voice Talents, including:Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown, Bruce Dern, George Kennedy, Clint Walker, Christopher Guest, Micheal McKean and Harry Shearer are the Original Cast Members of two memorable films from The Dirty Dozen and This is Spinal Tap. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Christina Ricci are the voices of the Gwendy Dolls. Frank Langella is the voice of the Leader of the Sentitive-Gorgonites. DVD's has an terrific anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an strong Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are:Behind the Scenes featurette, Deleted Scenes, Outtakes and More. This isn't much of a huge success at the Box Office but this underrated film plays at times like the Bigger Budgeted Remake of Gremlins but it's definitely worth seeing. Phil Hartman's Final Film. Super 35. Grade:B+.
Rating: 
Summary: Who did they make this movie for?!
Review: "Small Soldiers" is basically a remake of the "Frankenstein" formula we have seen in movies a thousand times, i.e. human creation proves to be beyond our control, goes on rampage, yadda yadda. Now, making a movie based on a formula isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if the movie will be any good it needs more than just the formula. An admirable hero would help, but this movie has none. The humans are two-dimensional caricatures, and the good toys, the Gorgonites, are wimps who use their "We Gogonites are peaceful" line to excuse their inactivity. A clever script would help, but this movie doesn't have one. It strings together some corny one-liners, and when things get dull it just has something smashed/blown-up/wrecked to wake the audience up. Seeing the villian get his come-uppance is nice, but in this movie the villian simply buys his way out of any responsibility. In short, this movie has no wit or depth for adults, and is too wildly destructive for children. To answer my own questiuon, this film was apparently made for adults who think like children, who frankly have too many movies made for them already.
Rating:
Summary: A mirror of "Gremlins"
Review: If you ever saw the movie "Gremlins" and enjoyed it, you will have the same reaction to "Small Soldiers". Although it is an action movie with a few rather violent scenes, the similarities between these two movies are unmistakable. Aspects of the story like the fact that the leader of the villians survives until the last 15 minutes of the movie and the fact that the villians manage to come back at the heroes in even greater numbers after they are seemingly destroyed make "Small Soldiers practically a reflection of "Gremlins". As I said before, if you liked one of these films, you will certainly like the other!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies I've seen in a long time
Review: Well, it's a good movie, not the best, but it is good. The DVD has some good special features (condidering this was probably one of the very first movies to ever be put on DVD) that include a behind the scenes documentary (although I think it is too short), a blooper reel, the making of the video game, theatrical trailer, production notes, and cast and crew information. If I left anything out, I apoligize. Now, on to the movie. It is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Altough I was hesitant to purchase it becaue I didn't see it in the theater. So I rented it and watched it over and over and over and over again. I just couldn't stop. Many people say that the story is too predicable and the characters aren't developed that well but the special effects make up for all that. In my opinion, the story is good and too much developmental stuff gets boring after awhile. It takes you in and never lets you out. Although, it may a little violent (then again, what movie isn't violent), I consider this to be a great movie for the entire family. I highly recommend this especially if you're a fan of Phil Hartman. This was, in fact, the final movie he ever starred in. He died about two weeks before it was even released. And though he may not be in as much of the movie as he should, his presence is felt and yes he is funny too. On a side note, being a Cheap Trick fan, I thought I would point out the very good soundtrack including a remixed version of their classic hit "Surrender." It can be heard briefly towards the end of the movie when the commandos attack the delivery man, played by who else but Dick Miller. It wouldn't be a Joe Dante film without him.
Rating:
Summary: No recommendation
Review: No question, the DVD has extras and everything, but the movie itself is nothing. This is a Horror and Violence movie, it should be only for audiences over 21 years. I read all the opinions here on Amazon, before I get the movie, but I was very very disappointed. The Story is flat, and also all the action does not make it an exciting movie. I like Toy Story, because it has class and is made with love. But "Small Soldiers" has the nivel of a washing pulver advertisement.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies I've ever seen!
Review: ...Besides for "Shrek", of course! Then again, I may be biased because I love to work with computers, and I really enjoy most computer-animated movies.
Rating:
Summary: or how a wrong-headed ad campaign can kill a fine movie...
Review: if they had bothered to WATCH the movie prior to launching the advertising campaign, they might have known they had a nice hybrid of adventure and sensitive. some idiots decided to push the toy campaign without realizing they were pushing the villains of the movie, and kids walked out confounded while adults stayed away in droves. thats a real shame, because this movie does a nice job of portraying the travails of the parent/child relationship, as well as the hurt inherent in being an outsider. the film is highlighted by a terrific performance by gregory smith, one of the 2 or 3 best screen actors of his generation, and one who sadly seems to be stuck in "best friend" roles since this -- his supposed breakthrough as a lead actor --was a dismal failure. young gregory, for those who have not seen him, is sensitive, talented, and sexy -- usually a nice combo in a teen aged boi, but sadly underutilized in today's hollywood. get this movie for its "charm" and for the fine performance of the enchanting gregory!
Rating:
Summary: Never, Never try this!
Review: I got this at used CD/Video shop and am not worrying at all because I will get 75% refund when I return this. 25% is good investment for this good lesson. Frankly, this movie was disgusting. I don't know what they had in their minds when it made. For whom, for what? Your children will learn money rules the world. Even after evil toys(yeah, I mean evil small soldiers) almost destroyed their homes, checks of the evil business man can make the parents smile!(Was that 2nd grader who made this?) And the boy/girl, our main characters even smiled to this man. Do they think he is cool because he got power and money and smart plan to sell that deadly toys to south america as warfare? Very very weird. Lots of violence(Ok, there was no blood). The girl looked really wicked/pleasured when she was driving the mower to crush the toy soldiers. In conclusion, this movie seems to have many very critical flaws. Why did you join this crab, Stan?
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