The Indian in the Cupboard
1995, Fantasy, 1h 36m
24 Reviews 50,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
The Indian in the Cupboard gussies up its classic source material in modern effects without losing sight of the timeless themes at the heart of the story. Read critic reviews
You might also like

Monkey Trouble

Rookie of the Year

Prancer

The Scream Team

Big Top Pee-wee
Where to watch
The Indian in the Cupboard Videos
The Indian in the Cupboard Photos
Movie Info
On his birthday, Omri (Hal Scardino) is given several simple gifts, including an old wooden cupboard and a small plastic figurine of a Native American man. When he locks the toy inside the cabinet it magically comes to life as a tiny, cagey warrior named Little Bear (Litefoot). The boy then places other toys in the cupboard and they too come to life, even engaging in entertaining battles. But after Little Bear is wounded, Omri begins to understand that his animate toys are not mere playthings.
Cast & Crew
Hal Scardino
Omri
Omri
Litefoot
Little Bear
Little Bear
Lindsay Crouse
Little Bear, Jane
Little Bear, Jane
Richard Jenkins
Victor
Victor
Rishi Bhat
Patrick
Patrick
David Keith
Boo-hoo Boone
Boo-hoo Boone
Critic Reviews for The Indian in the Cupboard
Audience Reviews for The Indian in the Cupboard
-
Jul 08, 2012This is a pretty good kid's film that has some wonderful special effects and an interesting story to boot. The film is entertaining and fun. The cast do a good here and they manage to pull off something special. The film isn't perfect, but for what it is, it's a worthwhile family film. The film is something that the family is sure to enjoy and this is an enjoyable that is memorable and worth watching. The cast is good and there are plenty of good things going on here to make the film interesting and entertaining. Frank Oz's directing is wonderful, and he captures something special on-screen. The lead actor is great in his role, but at times the film tends to falter and become a tad uninteresting. Luckily there are more good elements at work on-screen to make The Indian in the Cupboard a good little film. Despite the flaws, you can't help but feel astounded by the great special effects, which add so much depth to this film. This is a well made film with a good cast and story as well as good directing. If you're looking for a wonderful family film, this is the one to watch. Although it suffers from a few imperfections, it still manages to be one entertaining film worth watching. The Indian in the Cupboard succeeds at being an entertaining film, and I thought it was fairly underrated. The cast and story are good, and in the end, that's what makes it worth seeing. Also the special effects make this one stand out among other films in the genre.Alex r Super Reviewer
-
Sep 10, 2011Underrated and highly involving movie for kids. A young boy finds out that his cupboard has magical powers and can turn plastic into reality. He first turns a plastic Indian into a real human being. The movie teaches about responsibility but in an understandable way. It isn't patronizing nor childish, which means older audiences should relate to it also. It also mediates on life and death at certain points, and was the first film in a long time to be genuinely emotionally shocking. The relationship between the Indian and the cowboy was very well developed as they started to bond over their tragedies. The film does have a number of loose edges. Rishi Bhat was particularly annoying at times, but in a way he was necessary to play off Scardino. Even Scardino wasn't always a lovable protagonist. In one scene he kicks his brother's pet rat down the stairs, in an event where the rat clearly would have died. As the film hadn't relied on cartoon logic up until that point it was a bit out of place. Great effects, and seeing Darth Vader vs. a T-Rex kind of made up for those moments. A more innocent time when children's movies didn't have to be loud and crass.Luke B Super Reviewer
-
Jul 30, 2011a seriously enjoyable fun family film that deserves credit for being as strong and innocent as E.T.! AJuan C Super Reviewer
-
Jan 02, 2011Children's movie about a boy who finds a real life Indian in the cupboard.Candy R Super Reviewer
Verified