Finally
an impressive special effects picture. Small Soldiers does suffer from the same
problem as many special effects films--it doesn't offer a lot of interesting human
interaction--but boy does it deliver technically. Joe Dante, who directed the
equally entertaining Gremlins and Innerspace, has made a very entertaining and
technically advanced film.
Small
Soldiers is about a line of highly advanced toys that wage a war against each
other in a small town. The movie definitely echoes Gremlins, only technology has
advanced quite a bit since 1984 when it was released. The visuals in Small Soldiers
are so impressive, that I was glued to the screen.
Dante
also keeps the pace moving briskly, as he so often does. The fun thing about Dante
is his passion for film. He loves to pay homage to the stuff that inspired him
growing up--which makes his films all the more entertaining to watch.
Although
Small Soldiers doesn't have a completely solid story, it does has a fair share
of humor and inventiveness that sets it apart from the rest of the summer's big
commercial movies. On a final note, Small Soldiers is being marketed as a film
for the whole family, but it has a fair share of violence--granted it is cartoon
violence. Still, it's a fun time.
