Critic Reviews
Small Soldiers (1998) Rank 5 Reviews
Expert Review Summary
based on (118) reviews
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Movie Reviews UK
Every movie has to have a hook, something that spears a potential viewer's attention and reels them into the theatre. Some shout loudly with special effects, others whisper the bittersweet gospel of romance, a few even guarantee to scare you silly. ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Movie Reviews UK
Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)
It should be noted, with great joy on my part, that this score is blessed
with excellent sound quality. I listened to U.S. Marshals again
--the most recent Goldsmith/Varèse collaboration-- and this album
sounds infinitely better. ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)
filmcritic.com enlists Small Soldiers
San Francisco Chronicle (Bob Graham)
Walter Frith
Director Joe Dante is darned if he does and darned if he doesn't. He was criticized somewhat in 1984 for his fantasy film 'Gremlins' in which a cute and fuzzy little pack of creatures that sort of resemble a cross between puppies and bear cubs, became ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Walter Frith
filmfacts (Andreas Edler)
Wolfpack Productions (Sujit 'Chief' Chawla)
Denizine: "A Small Review"
Jam! Movies (John Paul Powell)
The fantasy violence is fast and furious (dolls exploding, people cut and shot) however isn't depicted in a gory or graphic nature. ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Jam! Movies (John Paul Powell)
A Guide to Current DVD (Aaron Beierle)
DVD Review e-zine
The Aisle Seat (Mike McGranaghan)
Ted Prigge
No shock that this is from Joe Dante, the hilarious wizard who directed one of the alltime great kiddie horror films, "Gremlins," a hilarious film that is all the more hilarious the older you get...and, to a slightly lesser extent, "Gremlins 2: The New ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Ted Prigge
Cinematter (Matt Williams)
If Toy Story told the story of what would happen if everyone's favorite childhood toy came to life, then Small Soldiers tells the story of what would happen if today's violent action figures sprung to life. The result is a violence-filled kids movie, ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Cinematter (Matt Williams)
Edward Johnson-Ott
Entering a teenage girl's bedroom, a group of renegade toy soldiers spot her collection of Barbiestyle dolls on the shelf. "Ooooh, fully poseable, " leers one of the plastic warriors, "Permission for R&R, sir!"Based solely on its trailers, "Small ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Edward Johnson-Ott
Scott Renshaw
The kicker is that the Commando Elite figures, led by Chip Hazard (voice of Tommy Lee Jones), are the merciless and vaguely racist bad guys, programmed to seek out and destroy the gentle, noble, homeseeking Archer (Frank Langella) and his insecure ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Scott Renshaw
Homer Yen
This movie is a little boy's imagination running wild. The Commando Elite use tremendous creativity to construct weapons such as a bomb made from aerosol cans, a helicopter that launches bottle rockets and weapons that fire staples and nails. They are ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Homer Yen
ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Although Small Soldiers lacks the simple brilliance and magic of Toy Story, it
works for many of the same reasons, chief of which is the human fascination with toys and
gadgets. The film treads a fine line between cartoonish and ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Steve Rhodes
The Commando Elite are after the "Gorgonite Scum," and they show no mercy to them or their human helpers. In a movie filled with references to older films, the voices of many of the commandos are done by Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown, and others from THE ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Steve Rhodes
ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Critics often say that a movie works on multiple levels, and never has this been more true than with Joe Dante's Small Soldiers, a veritable treasure-trove of in-jokes and sly humor that will go over the heads of most children (and more than a few adults) ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Detroit News (Susan Stark)
filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
Joe Dante's action story, about military-chip-endowed toys that wreak havoc on the neighborhood, is well-intentioned, and with five writers it ought to be. But while Dante would love to recapture the magic of Gremlins, he ends up capturing only the ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
Sacramento Bee (Joe Baltake)
...deliciously perverse... ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Sacramento Bee (Joe Baltake)
artechock (Ruediger Suchsland)
DVD Authority.com ("Fusion3600")
Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan)
Light Views, Reviews & Previews (John Larsen)
Christian Spotlight on the Movies
Cinemaphile.org (David Keyes)
BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)
Sheep Free Reviews
Deseret News, Salt Lake City
The Trades (George Grant)
eye WEEKLY (Tom Lyons)
Dr. Daniel's Movie Emergency
DVD Net (Anthony Horan)
MediaCircus (Anthony Leong)
In Film Australia
City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul
Advocate/Weekly Newspapers Online
NandoNext (Christopher Santucci)
Harvey's Movie Review (Harvey O'Brien)
Albuquerque Alibi (Noah Masterson)
The New York Times - Family Movie Guide (Peter M. Nichols)
Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents
Salon (Scott Rosenberg)
Steve Baker: Barfly Magazine
Salon.com (Charles Taylor)
Images Movie Journal
Images (Gary Johnson)
Reel.com DVD review (Pam Grady)
Kino (Alessandro Bencivenni)
The Cranky Critic (Chuck Schwartz)
LowComDom Online Film Reviews
Nitrate Online (Carrie Gorringe)
Movie Magazine International
Reeling Reviews (Robin and Laura Clifford)
B Movie Reviews (John J. Brassil)
Expanded Cinemah
Fotograma.com
Desde que trabajo junto al maestro del entertainment Steven Spielberg en "Gremlims" el director Joe Dante ha mostrado predilección por los personajes jóvenes envueltos en situaciones fantásticas, con algún toque de nostalgia.
Llegan estos ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Fotograma.com
eFilmCritic
The movie's subtext isn't as self-pitying as Toy Story's was (that movie was about Disney's insecurity in the face of fickle kids who discarded Disney's Woody in favor of the competition's Buzz Lightyear), and it doesn't have the distasteful ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at eFilmCritic
Nathaniel R. Atcheson
When I first saw the trailers for Small Soldiers a few months back, I didn't understand the appeal. Now that I've seen it, I still don't understand. I think this film is being aimed towards children, but I can't imagine why: sure, it's about kids and ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Nathaniel R. Atcheson
David Sunga
Ingredients: Toy soldiers that attack parents and children, families under siegeSynopsis: When a militaryindustrial conglomerate swallows Heartland Toy Company, a bungling toymaker (Jay Mohr) incompetently puts advanced military computer chips into two ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at David Sunga
FOCUS Online
Der spielzeugbegeisterte Teenager Alan Abernathy (Gregory Smith) gelangt in den Besitz von neuartigen Action-Figuren, die es in sich haben. Ein militärischer Microchip hat die einst harmlosen Spielzeugpuppen in intelligente Miniroboter verwandelt, die ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at FOCUS Online
Parent Previews
Small Soldiers' mix of live action and computer animation delivers technical glitzes that may hold viewers' attention, but with all the potential learning capabilities of these toys, why can't screen writers have them being taught to resolve ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Parent Previews
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
``Small Soldiers'' is a family picture on the outside, and a mean, violent action picture on the inside. Since most of the violence happens to toys, I guess ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Apollo Guide (Elspeth Haughton)
Robert Redford shines as a mid-1800s man fed up with society and who heads to wild Colorado to become a real-life mountain man. Ending up with an Indian wife that doesn't speak English and a kid who doesn't speak at all, Johnson seemingly has nothing but ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Apollo Guide (Elspeth Haughton)
Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Laramie Movie Scope: Small ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (Jack Garner)
Dolls go to war inSmall Soldiers, Joe Dante's new and highly derivative summer action comedy.Twelve-inch action figures are programmed with military computer chips by greedy manufacturers. Soon, they disrupt life in a quaint ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (Jack Garner)
David Wilcock
The players try to offset this with some good performances. The two child leads are likeable, and there's some chemistry between them. They both have some goofy charm to them, and act how kids would act. Although what they say is sometimes cliched. The ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at David Wilcock
Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
With its computer-generated toys that move and speak like real people, "Small Soldiers" will most likely be compared to 1995's "Toy Story." However, what it most closely resembles is "Battlefield," a 10-page short story by Stephen ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
Film Quips Online (John R. McEwen)
But I was surprised at how boring it is, considering the potential of such an interesting idea. What lessons do we learn here? That what American military forces do best is destroy peace-loving cultures? That violence is the only way to deal with ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Film Quips Online (John R. McEwen)
Austin Chronicle (Marc Savlov)
Anchorage Press (Erick Hayden)
The Boston Phoenix
UK Press Association (--)
Empire Magazine (Caroline Westbrook)
...for all its shortcomings, the end result is quite entertaining. ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Empire Magazine (Caroline Westbrook)
Empire Magazine (Caroline Westbrook)
...for all its shortcomings, the end result is quite entertaining. ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Empire Magazine (Caroline Westbrook)
25frames.org (Christoph Huber)
Jump Cut. Magazin für Film und Kritik
Cineclub-Filmkritik
Petits soldats : une critique!
Box Office Magazine
Boxoffice Magazine
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
of the film was good, they just had nowhere to go
with it. ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Palo Alto Weekly (Susan Tavernetti)
Andrew Hicks (Andrew Hicks)
SF, Horror and Fantasy Film Review
Joe Dante is clearly an sf and horror movie buff - he even contributed
articles to the seminal Famous Monsters
of Filmland (1958-82) in the 1960s. Dante gained an entry into the ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at SF, Horror and Fantasy Film Review
Mr. Brown's Movies (Michael Dequina)
An infomercial with the schmaltz that passes for emotion in family-aimed films. ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Mr. Brown's Movies (Michael Dequina)
Globe and Mail (Liam Lacey)
...this smells like a script slapped together around a toy-product launch. ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Globe and Mail (Liam Lacey)
David N. Butterworth
"Small Soldiers" starts out promisingly enough. The new hardline head cheese at toy manufacturer Hartland Play Systems seeks innovation. Toys that do what they appear to do in the commercials. Talk. Move. Shoot. Kill. With today's technology it ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at David N. Butterworth
Teen Movie Critic (Vivian Rose)
The Small Soldiers are, of course, action figures who come to life. They were designed with a special computer chip that makes them respond to stimuli - in other words, "these are toys so smart that when kids play with them, they play back". They even ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Teen Movie Critic (Vivian Rose)
Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
Spielberg gave his old pal Joe Dante another shot at making what is essentially a new Gremlins, but apparently lost his nerve in the final print.Small Soldiers is the story of two sets of action figures possessing military artificial intelligence ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
Palo Alto Online (Susan Tavernetti)
Film Values/Family Values (H. Arthur Taussig)
eFilmCritic.com (Oz)
New York Times (Janet Maslin)
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. ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at New York Times (Janet Maslin)
Film Threat (Ron Wells)
It looks like the movie was edited down from a much meaner version, to our loss. ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Film Threat (Ron Wells)
Movie Hell (Michael J. Legeros)
SMALL SOLDIERS sucks. A super-nifty premise-action figures that come to life-is sabotaged by bland casting, weak characters, and a story that's dull, dull, dull. (Even the set-up is a botch. Did they have to explain *everything* beforehand?) Stan ...read the complete Small Soldiers movie review at Movie Hell (Michael J. Legeros)
Movie Parables (Michael Elliott)
User Reviews
by Susan L. Zeigler on January 06, 2009
My grandsons and my Husband just love this movie. I am so glad that I found it on the internet. ...
by Normand D. Beasle... on October 19, 2008
Hope more people on here fallow the way I was given this movie and hope to do more business with this person. ...
by Michael Dautremon... on October 12, 2008
Small Soldiers was so funny its a great movie for monster lovers every ...
This movie is a good family movie. There are these toys that come to life and there is a lot of ...
by D. Danielson "mov... on March 08, 2007
Good for older ...
by Movie Lover on November 24, 2006
This is the best war movie ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! awsome special effects!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the Gorgonites and the Commando Elite, there funny. ...
by R. Bernal "Mommy" on November 02, 2006
My little boy loves soldiers and creatures---this has both. This is one of his favorite movies. I sat down and watched it with him and I really enjoyed it too. Be prepared though, it does have some violence. ...
by Harry Potter on September 03, 2005
Took some time to arrive, but overall a good trasaction. DVD in great new condition. ...
by Len Czyzniejewski on March 26, 2003
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 ...
by John A Carrigan on February 18, 2002
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. ...
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