Overview
Queen Involvement
Cast
Storyline
Directed by Joe Dante
Produced by Michael Finnell and Colin Wilson
Co-produced by Paul Deason
Executive producer Walter Parkes
Released in 1998.
Length 105 minutes.
Filmed at various locations in the USA.
'Small Soldiers' centres around two new types of toy, 'Gorgonites' and 'Commando Elite', both intelligent war robots developed by a toy company but then withdrawn. The toys are at war, with the Commando Elite attacking the Gorgonites, and their human owners. Eventually the humans and Gorgonites overpower and destroy the Commando Elite.
The soundtrack to the film combines rock and hip-hop tracks, and features two versions of 'Another One Bites The Dust'.
The first version appears at around 53:50 into the film, when the Commando Elite are making weapons. This is a unique short version, at 0:55, which is only available within the film, and was derived from the original album version. Full details of this version are available on the 'The Game' album page.
The second version was remixed by Wyclef Jean, and features the original version, with a new dance beat, new instruments, and new vocals by Pras and Free. It was released as a single in 1998, reaching no 5, and was included on the 'Greatest Hits III' compilation. Only 18 seconds of the track appear in the film, during the credits at around 1:42:09, and it segues to and from tracks by different artists. Full details of this remix, and related versions, can be found on the 'Another One Bites The Dust' Remixes page.
Human cast:
Alan Abernathy (Gregory Smith)
Stewart Abernathy (Kevin Dunn)
Irene Abernathy (Ann Magnuson)
Christy Fimple (Kirsten Dunst)
Phil Fimple (Phil Hartman)
Marion Fimple (Wendy Schaal)
Irwin Mayfair (David Cross)
Larry Benson (Jay Mohr)
Toy voiceover cast:
Major Chip Hazard (Tommy Lee Jones)
Kil Killagin (Ernest Borgnine)
Butch Meathook (Jim Brown)
Link Static (Bruce Dern)
Brick Bazooka (George Kennedy)
Nick Nitro (Clint Walker)
Archer (Frank Langella)
Slamfast / Scratchit (Christopher Guest)
Insanadfreakenstein (Michael McKean)
Punch-it (Harry Shearer)
Doll characters (Sarah Michelle Gellar and Christina Ricci)
- TV advert for the GloboTech company
- At a GloboTech meeting, the boss of the company instructs two toy developers, Irwin and Larry, to develop a new two warring types of toy, 'Gorgonites' and 'Commando Elite', which are fully automated and interactive. Larry searches GloboTech databases to order a computer chip to use for the new toys.
- At his father's toy shop, Alan takes delivery of some toys, and convinces the delivery driver to let him keep some Gorgonite and Commando Elite toys. One of Alan's neighbours, Christie, comes into the shop, and her brother sees the toys fighting in the backroom.
- Alan rushes home with his father's airline ticket, whilst Christie's father is trying to chop down a tree to install a satellite dish. Alan gets home to discover a Gorgonite, Archer, hiding in his bag.
- During the night, at the toy shop, the Commando Elite toys escape from their packaging, and Major Chip Hazard briefs them to destroy the Gorgonites.
- Whilst at home, Archer talks to Alan, whilst the Commando Elite toys wreck the toy shop. Alan discovers the damage, and Christie helps him tidy up. As Alan cycles home, the Commando Elite watch him, and Brick Bazooka tries to attack Archer. Alan phones a helpline to complain about the toys destroying the shop.
- The developers of the toys hear Alan's complaint, and discover that the computer chips were intended for military use only.
- At Alan's home, the Commando Elite team come looking for Archer, and attack him. Alan goes looking to see what the noise is, discovers them, and they attack him. Alan kills Nick Nitro, but his parents come in, the toys escape, and he tells his parents about the toys, but they don't believe him. Archer tells Alan that the other Gorgonites are not dead after all.
- The Commando Elite develop new weapons in Alan's father's workshop, whilst at the toy shop, Alan and Archer look for the other Gorgonites, and discover them hiding in the bins outside.
- At the laboratory, the toys developers talk to the chip's designer, and they discover that the chips are sensitive to electro-magnetic pulses.
- The Commando Elite develop better weapons, discover the Gorgonites are still alive, and plan to kidnap Christie. They drop sleeping tablets into her parents drink, then attack her brother. They find Christie's dolls, and use Nick Nitro's chip to charge the dolls to fight for them. Christie returns home and is attacked by them, then her boyfriend is also attacked.
- The Commando Elite then send a video cassette of Christie to Alan, asking for the Gorgonites to be handed over.
- Alan creates a diversion and sends Archer into the house, using a rocket and parachute. Archer lets Alan in, and Alan is attacked by the dolls. Alan and Christie escape, but are chased by the Commando Elite. Eventually, the Commando Elite crash, and many are killed.
- Major Chip Hazard hijacks a lorry which is taking the recalled toys back to the depot. Alan and Christie explain to their parents about the toys, and the toy developers arrive to explain and investigate the defective toys.
- The Commando Elite destroy the power supply to Alan's house, and attack the house.
- The developers realise they need to create an electro-magnetic pulse to defeat the toys. They turn on all of the electronic equipment in Christie's house, and modify the fusebox, to overload the supply.
- The Gorgonites join in the battle, then Alan short circuits the power line transformer, and the toys are all destroyed by the resulting electro-magnetic pulse.
- The next day, the GloboTech bosses arrive, and give money to everybody to hush the incident up.
- Alan discovers that the Gorgonites were protected from the electro-magnetic pulse by the upturned satellite dish, and takes them to a river, where they set sail in a boat to try to find their home, Gorgon.
