Small Soldiers

1998
PG-13
1h 50m

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

107K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer0:31

Dark Comedy High-Concept Comedy Urban Adventure Action Adventure Comedy Family Sci-Fi

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

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

107K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

2,985

655

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 wins & 4 nominations

Trivia
Joe Dante originally wanted the cast of Predator (1987) to voice the Commando Elite. Arnold Schwarzenegger would voice Chip Hazard, Shane Black would voice Kip Killagin, Carl Weathers would voice Butch Meathook, Jesse Ventura would voice Brick Bazooka, Sonny Landham would voice Nick Nitro, and Bill Duke would voice Link Static.

Goofs
When Archer looks at the other Gorgonites on his box, Troglacon is shown after the Gorgonites rebuilt him. He should look the way Erwin designed him.

Quotes
Major Chip Hazard: Are you scared? We're all scared. You'd have to be crazy not to be scared.

Crazy credits
The soldiers are credited as "The Original Dirty Dozen" and the Gorgonites are credited as "Spinal Tap". Many of the character voices actually come from those two movies.

Alternate versions
The DVD features some deleted scenes:
Alan meets the principal of his new school, who tells him he doesn't like troublemakers.
An extended version of the scene where the dish technician tells Phil a lot more about the way the dish works and why the tree has to be moved.
Some added dialogue for Stuart and Irene about their old home Chicago right before Phil starts to saw off the branch.
The Gorgonites search Alans encyclopedia for Gorgon. Instead of their home they find the daughter of the Greek God Phorcys.
A discussion between Alan, Christy and their parents about what happened.
Phil and Stuart discover that Alan and Christy get away through a window.
The Toys discover Christys parents, her brother and Irene in the storeroom and ask for "any last requests".

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Armageddon/Henry Fool/Gone with the Wind/Buffalo '66/Passion in the Desert/Nights in Cabiria (1998)

Soundtracks
War
Written by Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong
Adapted by Layzie Bone (as Steven Howse), Flesh 'N' Bone (as Stanley Howse), Wish Bone (as Charles Scruggs), Tom Morello, Flea & Damon Elliott
Performed by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (as Bone Thugs-n-Harmony) with Flesh 'N' Bone (as Flesh-N-Bone), and Henry Rollins, Tom Morello & Flea
Layzie Bone & Wish Bone appear courtesy of Ruthless Records
Flesh-N-Bone appears courtesy of Mo' Thugs Records/Def Jam Records
Henry Rollins appears courtesy of DreamWorks Records
Tom Morello appears courtesy of Epic Records
Flea appears courtesy of Warner Bros Records Inc.
Produced by Damon Elliott
(Contains a sample of "War" as performed by Edwin Starr)
Sample courtesy of Motown Record Company, L.P.,
Under license from Polymedia, a division of PolyGram Group Distribution, Inc.
Original recording performed by Edwin Starr
Courtesy of Motown Record Company, L.P.,
By arrangement with PolyGram Film & TV Music

User reviews179

Review

Featured review

Great fun!

Who would have thought? A "family film" that doesn't suck! Small Soldiers, while not perfect, is still great fun. It's success is completely down to Joe Dante, a guy with an obvious love of classic b-grade, sf, horror and exploitation movies. It's no suprise he started his career with Roger Corman. Small Soldiers is basically a variation on his previous Gremlins ( cute, seemingly harmless, kiddie-friendly objects run amok) but I enjoyed it more.

You can always tell how smart a movie is by its supporting cast, and the presence of the legendary Dick Miller ( a Dante mascot), Phil Hartman, Dennis Leary, and Mr Show's David Cross, not to mention the terrific voice talent, emphasize just how cluey Small Soldiers is. And any movie with Bride Of Frankenstein references gets my thumbs up!

I hope Dante brings Dick Miller back to the big screen SOON! We need him!