Introduction

Small Soldiers is a 1998 American science fiction film, directed by Joe Dante and starring Kirsten Dunst and Gregory Smith, and the voices of Frank Langella and Tommy Lee Jones.

It revolves around a conflict between two factions of sentient action figures, the Gorgonites and the Commando Elite. When an adolescent brings the Gorgonites to his home, he and those around him become targeted by the Commando Elite, who are programmed to eliminate the Gorgonites and their allies.

Langella and Jones, who co-star, are the voices of the leaders of the Gorgonites and the Commando Elite, respectively.

Outline

Top defense contractor GloboTech Industries acquires the Heartland Toy Company and as part of the move, Globotech CEO Gil Mars tells Heartland toy designers Larry Benson and Irwin Wayfair to develop actual live action toys capable of “playing back”. Mars selects Larry’s soldiers, the Commando Elite, for the project and Irwin’s creatures, the Gorgonites, for their enemies, with the toy line expected to hit the market in three months. Faced with such a tight deadline, Benson forgoes safety testing, then uses Irwin’s password and chooses GloboTech’s X1000 microprocessor to activate the toys.

Adolescent Alan Abernathy signs off for a shipment of the toys at his family’s toy store without his father’s consent. He and delivery driver Joe activate the leaders, Archer and Chip Hazard. Alan’s neighbour and love interest, Christy Fimple, buys Chip Hazard as a birthday present for her brother, Timmy. Alan returns home to discover Archer in his backpack; he realises Archer is sentient, but in the meantime, the Commando Elite apparently attack the Gorgonites in the toy store. Alan calls the company and files a complaint. Later, when Larry and Irwin listen to Alan’s voice mail, Irwin is terrified to discover the X1000 was designed for smart munitions guidance; a Globotech engineer reveals the artificial intelligence circuit is designed to learn over time, but mass production was scrapped due to issues with electromagnetic pulse shielding.

The Commando Elite pursue Alan to his home and attempt to kill him and Archer in the kitchen. Alan is attacked by Nick Nitro, whom he mortally wounds. His parents, Stuart and Irene, arrive at the kitchen, having been alerted by the sounds of the scuffle there. Alan attempts to explain what is going on, but with Archer not supporting his explanation, neither of his parents believe him. The next day, Alan and Archer find the Gorgonites in a dumpster at the store. At home, Alan learns the goal of the Gorgonites is to seek their home Gorgon, which they mistakenly believe to be in Yosemite National Park. Through tapping the Abernathys’ phone line, the Commando Elite learn of Alan’s interest in Christy, immobilise the Fimples’ household and take Christy hostage to force Alan into surrendering the Gorgonites.

Alan and Archer sneak into the Fimples’ house to save Christy, but run into her Gwendy dolls, whom the Commando Elite engineered into auxiliary troops. The Gwendys quickly subdue Alan. Archer cuts Christy loose from her bonds, and together they save Alan and destroy the Gwendys before escaping. The Commando Elite pursue them in kit-bashed vehicles, but except Chip Hazard are destroyed in a crash. The two adolescents and Archer return to Alan’s house, only to find both their families waiting for them, believing that Alan kidnapped Christy and immobilised the Fimples. This time, Stuart and Irene believe Alan and Christy’s account of the Gorgonites and the Commando Elite, but Phil and Marion, Christy’s parents, remain sceptical. Irwin and Larry arrive and talk to Alan about his voicemail. At that moment, Chip Hazard attacks the house with a new force of Commando Elite from a hijacked recall shipment by Joe and with more improvised vehicles and weapons. The Commando Elite attack the Gorgonites and the humans, resulting in the house’s electricity supply being cut off.

Inspired by Irwin’s advice to create an EMP blast, Alan heads out to force an overload of the power lines. Christy, Irwin, and Larry head to the Fimples’ house to turn on all electronic items inside and wedge the circuit breakers open for a larger surge. The Gorgonites emerge and fight back against the Commando Elite. Chip Hazard flies to the top of the power line pole to stop Alan, where he battles and defeats Archer, but finds himself thrust by Alan into the power transformers, triggering the EMP blast, which destroys Chip Hazard along with the remaining Commando Elite.

Mars arrives in his helicopter during the police and fire department cleanup the next day. He pays Joe, the Fimples, and the Abernathys for damages, as well as buying their silence from the media, and orders Larry and Irwin to develop the Commando Elite for a military use. Among the craziness of the aftermath, Alan and Christy part on highly amicable terms, having agreed to start a relationship with each other. Alan later discovers the Gorgonites have screened themselves from the EMP blast by hiding underneath the Fimples’ large satellite dish. The Abernathys bring the Gorgonites to Yosemite National Park, where Alan sends them out in a large toy boat from his father’s store to find their home of Gorgon.

Trivia

• A remake of Small Soldiers was in development by 20th Century Fox called Toymageddon.
• The script was purchased in January 2014, and director Justin Lin was set to produce the film.
• The story was described to be set in a “toy factory that begins to run amok.” At that time it was not explicitly stated to be a remake of Small Soldiers.
• Due to the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney on March 20, 2019, Disney later in August cancelled the film along with over 200 other projects, which revealed the film was intended as a remake of Small Soldiers.

Production & Filming Details

• Director: Joe Dante.
• Producers: Michael Finnell and Colin Wilson.
• Writers: Gavin Scott, Adam Rifkin, Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio, and Anne Spielberg (uncredited).
• Music: Jerry Goldsmith.
• Cinematography: Jamie Anderson.
• Editors: Marshall Havey and Michael Thau.
• Production: DreamWorks Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Amblin Entertainment.
• Distributor: DreamWorks Pictures (North America) and Universal Pictures (International).
• Release Date: 04 June 1998 (UK) and 10 July 1998 (US).
• Running Time: 108 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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