Small Soldiers

PG-13

Released Jul 10, 1998

1h 50m

Comedy

Action

Fantasy

List

49%

Tomatometer

47 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

When teenager Alan (Gregory Smith) buys a set of Commando Elite action figures, he's unaware that they have been programmed with military technology. The toys, including leader Chip (Tommy Lee Jones), spring to life and start taking their directives seriously, beginning by "killing" their enemies, the toy Gorgonites. But Archer (Frank Langella) and the Gorgonites won't go down without a fight. Alan gets caught in the middle of the war, as does his neighbor and crush, Christy (Kirsten Dunst).

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Critics Consensus

Small Soldiers has plenty of visual razzle-dazzle, but the rote story proves disappointingly deficient in director Joe Dante's trademark anarchic spirit.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

...this smells like a script slapped together around a toy-product launch.

Rated: 2/4

Apr 12, 2002

Full Review

Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

Though it starts promisingly, the picture ends as a standoff between the affection Dante and company bring to the project and its increasingly frenetic and tiresome emphasis on what special effects can make its little people do.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 14, 2001

Full Review

Justin Harrison

The Spool

Care matters in toymaking. Small Soldiers, all together a solidly good—if uneven—picture, shines in making that argument.

Jul 10, 2023

Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

“Small Soldiers” also joins “Godzilla” in another way. They compete now for the worst film of the year with “Godzilla” ahead, but not far enough to out distance the horrid “The Big Hit.”

Rated: 0.5/4

Feb 6, 2023

Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Begins cynical and sleek and stays that way — and the subtext here is that militarism disguised as kids’ entertainment can backfire, or open fire on you.

Rated: B

Sep 2, 2022

Full Review

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Derek L

Even though Small Soldiers had what could had been a rather interesting concept, it is a real shame that despite this, the film fell after its first hurdle that led to an uninteresting result.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

09/16/24

Full Review

kevin c

Is kinda funny good for the kids

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/11/24

Full Review

stefan G

Love it . One of my fvourite Movies

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/18/24

Full Review

love survives

its one of the best movies I ever seen. kirsten dunst and tommy lee jones ware brilliant in it. its a fun movie for all ages. sure it have its problems but I still love it. 4/5.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/28/24

Full Review

Pet P

Such a great movie! A childhood classic for pre teens of my generation

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/25/23

Full Review

chris C

Looking back on this movie was so much fun. I remember growing up wanting these toys in the hope they would come to life. The cgi and animation was solid for the time but doesn't hold up amazing to today's standard. Overall a fun enjoyable film that will sure to keep you watching and remember.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/15/23

Full Review

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Joe Dante

Director

Kirsten Dunst

Christy Fimple

Gregory Smith

Alan Abernathy

Jay Mohr

Larry Benson

Phil Hartman

Phil Fimple

Kevin Dunn

Stuart Abernathy

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Small Soldiers: Official Clip - The Gorgonites Fight Back

1:52

Small Soldiers: Official Clip - Have I Got a Shock for You

1:42

Small Soldiers: Official Clip - Bombshells

2:12

Small Soldiers: Official Clip - Pitching the Real Thing

1:59

Small Soldiers: Official Clip - Activating the Troops

1:35

Small Soldiers: Official Clip - Bicycle Chase

2:12

Small Soldiers: Official Clip - Phil Surrenders

1:43

Small Soldiers: Official Clip - Speech of Speeches

1:02

Small Soldiers: Official Clip - Keeper of Encarta

2:11

Small Soldiers: Official Clip - I Always Hated These Things

1:59

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Synopsis

When teenager Alan (Gregory Smith) buys a set of Commando Elite action figures, he's unaware that they have been programmed with military technology. The toys, including leader Chip (Tommy Lee Jones), spring to life and start taking their directives seriously, beginning by "killing" their enemies, the toy Gorgonites. But Archer (Frank Langella) and the Gorgonites won't go down without a fight. Alan gets caught in the middle of the war, as does his neighbor and crush, Christy (Kirsten Dunst).

Director: Joe Dante
Producer: Michael Finnell, Colin Wilson
Screenwriter: Gavin Scott, Adam Rifkin, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio
Distributor: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks SKG
Production Co: Universal Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Amblin Entertainment
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Action, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $55.1M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: SDDS, DTS, Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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