Opening

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—— After Earth May 31
—— Now You See Me May 31
88% The East May 31
100% The Kings of Summer May 31

Small Soldiers (1998)

tomatometer

46

Average Rating: 6.7/10
Critic Reviews: 13
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 7

No consensus yet.

audience

46

liked it
Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 107,886

My Rating

Movie Info

Joe Dante directed this satirical action-comedy about talking tech toys accidentally juiced-up with military microchips. After the defense industry firm Globotech takes over a small toy company, Heartland Play Systems' CEO Gil Mars (Denis Leary) gives the green light to develop a new line of action figures, requesting an upgrade to more realistic figures from Heartland toy designers Larry Benson (Jay Mohr) and fumbling Irwin Wayfair (David Cross). Mars wants toys that act like the ones in TV

Dec 1, 1998

Dreamworks

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All Critics (50) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (20) | Rotten (24) | DVD (13)

...this smells like a script slapped together around a toy-product launch.

April 12, 2002 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail
Globe and Mail
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Though it starts promisingly, the picture ends as a standoff between the affection Dante and company bring to the project and its increasingly frenetic and tiresome emphasis on what special effects can make its little people do.

February 14, 2001 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
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As with many films in which special effects are the real stars, the technology here commands more respect and interest than the material otherwise warrants.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: New York Times
New York Times
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I can't think of a Hollywood entertainment I've enjoyed as much all year, and both audiences I saw the movie with seemed delighted as well.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

...deliciously perverse...

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Bee
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...wildly entertaining...

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Detroit News
Detroit News
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Smart satirical action-comedy about talking action toys.

April 7, 2007 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

An infomercial with the schmaltz that passes for emotion in family-aimed films.

October 20, 2005 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com
TheMovieReport.com

Typical of Dante's films, Small Soldiers is an unbroken string of pop culture in-jokes.

June 12, 2003 Full Review
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

It looks like the movie was edited down from a much meaner version, to our loss.

December 8, 2002 Full Review Source: Film Threat
Film Threat

...an entertaining romp...

October 15, 2002 Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati Enquirer

The animation is excellent, and the voice cast alone is worth the price of admission...

June 5, 2002 Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine
Boxoffice Magazine

Audience Reviews for Small Soldiers

Major Chip Hazard: If it lacerates or detonates, I want it mobile and I want it lethal. 

"The few, the proud, and the small."

I hadn't watched Small Soldiers since I was 8 years old, but I found a great deal of enjoyment from this fun and satirical Joe Dante film. The movie obviously doesn't come flaw free. In fact if you wanted to keep count of just how many elements of this movie are flawed; it would be a tough job. The fact is though, that I just don't really care about the flaws. There's too much good stuff going on here, that it overshadows everything that is wrong with it.

So, a toy company comes up with a new idea that let's the toys interact. Then they market it around the American heroes killing the enemy aliens. There's a lot of satire going on here especially in that the soldiers are the bad guys. After a neighborhood kid gets his hands on the toys a little early, the battle between the Soldiers and the aliens begins. Dante isn't exactly subtle, but his style works perfectly here. The movie has the same kind of feel that The Burbs had, and both are good films from Dante. The movie is so chaotic and messy, but in the best possible way.

The cast brings out the best in the movie as well. We have Kirsten Dunst, Tommy Lee Jones in a voice role, Dennis Leary, Phil Hartman, David Cross, and a variety of other decent to good character actors. Also, I really enjoyed the jokes that were being thrown at us, either direct or subliminal. Dante had a good eye for what he could exploit with this type of plot and I believe he made good use of what he had.

You can call the movie stupid, you can call the movie ridiculous, and you can call the movie flat out awful; but I'm going to call it one hell of a fun time. It may not be a masterpiece, but it does exactly what it set out to do. It's entertaining, occasionally funny, and never boring. It's quick moving and appeals to more than just children. It's truly an underrated movie in my opinion.
October 5, 2012
blkbomb
Melvin White

Super Reviewer

A strange mix of Gremlins and Toy Story. Anyway, Joe Dante's satirical picture is captivating.
July 29, 2012
Lucas Martins

Super Reviewer

    1. Maj. Chip Hazard: It's a small world after all.
    – Submitted by Matthew D (8 months ago)
    1. Insaniac / Freakenstein: Hey Alan what do you think? Boxers or briefs? Hahaha!
    2. Alan Abernathy: Get those off your head...
    3. Insaniac / Freakenstein: Haha but seriously!.....Actually I'm allergic to plaid.
    – Submitted by Nick S (9 months ago)

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