SMALL SOLDIERS
Small Soldiers is the latest offering from the newly created studio "Dreamworks". This movie is aimed primarily at teenagers, but Dreamworks seems to be establishing itself as a studio willing to be much more intellectual in its approach towards teenagers. Small Soldiers delivers what it promises and more. I was expecting at the very best a movie sort of like Toy Story, but I think Toy Story comes off second best when compared with this film.
Globotech, who are a giant producer of high tech weapons for the US military have decided to branch out into using some of that technology in toys. The people in charge of the project to bring an "elite command unit" and the "gorgonites", order the most advanced chip used in weapons guidance systems to be put in those toys. What the makers don't know is that these chips are so advanced that the toys are able to learn. That is, the technology goes beyond artificial intelligence. Mayhem ensues when only a few of the toys are wrongly given to the outcast teenager running his dad's boring toy shop. There is the Karate Kid like romantic interest for the teenager (it has to be a hollywood film) and the Spielbergian unstable family (though at least the parents are together). However, where the movie shines is not in its narrative structure, but in the movie's multiple messages, movie references (to keep all those grandparents entertained) and largely adult humour put in kids terms.
This movie is really a cry against corporatism, yet is ironic because the first thing you want to do after the film is to buy those action figures from the local K Mart. In a way, this cry against corporatism and towards tradition and the ordinary man is a Hollywood theme (look at the classic movie: It's a Wonderful Life), but the way it is dealt with here is slightly tongue in cheek. In fact, the entire movie has that feel, and this is what makes it great. The elite command unit head provides lots of laughs. Not the least in the classic send up of George C Scott's great speech in Patton. There are the moments where the commander gives bed side comfort to those injured in the line of duty: again, very very funny. Then there are the gorgonites, who come into the picture just as the movie seems to be losing some of its momentum. This bunch of misfits help keep the film on track and add another layer to the film. There's also a brief send up of 2001 a Space Oddyssey which I found to be clever, but more so than the references were the company propoganda films, which looked awfully truthful when compared to corporate videos. The story line of the film doesn't seem to be too unrealistic nowadays. Intelligent toys are probably around the corner, and the film does work because it doesn't base its premise beyond reality. Of course, some of the scenarios were ridiculous (but I think the film makers knew this), however, we are talking film, not documentary.
The voices provided are excellent, especially Tommy Lee Jones as the elite commander. Phil Hartman playing the love interest's father, is excellent in his short stint. Unfortunately, we will never see him in another film again and the movie was dedicated to him (thanks to those who actually watched the credits until the end). There is also a very funny bit involving dolls, and is yet again a send up of both military life and military film. To conclude, there's enough in this film to keep both adults and kids in their seats. The film is clever and treats its target audience much more seriously than another studio might. The ironies that this film highlights are especially interesting. Dreamworks has promised to bring quality back into film: and although it did get off to a slow start, some of the trailers for their other films (ANTZ and Prince of Egypt) will no doubt have the other studios running scared. I mean, even in this film, the quality of the special affects was outstanding and it had the storyline to go with it. Well done.
79/100