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The Movie:
It sounded like a good idea, but the final product turned out to be a mistake on more than one level. Intended as a big "Summer" movie a couple of years back, "Small Soldiers" is a kid's film that's violent enough to be intended for an adult audience. Neither audience cared, and the film was out of theaters in a matter of weeks.
The film revolves around a young boy named Alan who always seemed to get into trouble in his old school. The new kid in town, he takes an interest in his father's toy store, and when the newest shipment of toys comes in, he gets himself into trouble when he asks to keep some of the latest toy. Unfortunately, these toys have been specifically engineered with the latest technology, making them come alive. The action figures are lead by two teams, the Gorgonites(good guys) and Commando Elite(bad guys).
The script has a few funny lines, but the human characters are too bland to carry the movie. The voice actors, though, give it their best shot. Tommy Lee Jones plays the Chip Hazard character with intensity and good humor. The movie may have been intended as satire, but much of it seems more like a commerical for the eventual tie-in products that this movie was going to produce.
About the only thing worth watching in "Small Soldiers" is the special effects, which are fascinating to watch and definitely very well-done. Other than that, the movie is curiously unexciting for a picture where so much is going on.
The DVD
VIDEO: One of the first titles from Dreamworks, "Small Soldiers" offers an incredibly solid looking 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer. There are a few instances during some darker scenes that look the slightest bit soft, but for the most part, this is a very natural and smooth looking image that has good sharpness. Detail is fine, as well. Colors are appropriately cartoonish and vibrant throughout the movie, looking bright and well-saturated. Flesh tones are accurate, and black level is good as well.
Aside from the previously mentioned issues with a few scenes looking soft, there really isn't anything else to complain about with the picture quality for "Small Soldiers". No shimmering and no pixelation are apparent; the print used is also in perfect condition with no marks, scratches or other problematic elements.
SOUND: Although the DTS edition of "Small Soldiers" offers a smooth, clean presentation of the film's audio, it really isn't quite as agressive as I would have liked to have heard. The surrounds are used occasionally, but their use remains pretty unremarkable. There are a few instances where effects are presented with authority, but for the most part, the film isn't noticably agressive.
The musical score by Jerry Goldsmith is rich and lively, but not terribly enveloping. The DTS audio presents the audio with impressive clarity and richness, but the main complain is that the film's sound could have been more agressive - and until the film really starts up, it's mainly a dialogue-driven affair where much of the audio comes from the front. As for dialogue, it remains clear and easily understood with no problems to speak of.
In terms of sound, "Small Soldiers" gets the job done - and this DTS edition presents the audio with fine clarity, but the audio itself could have been more creative during the occasional moment where opportunities are missed for a more enveloping presentation.
MENUS:: Same menus as the Dolby Digital version, offering animation and an animated character swinging by when an option is selected.
EXTRAS:: Although this does not contain the trailer and featurette that the Dolby Digital version contains, it still offers cast/crew bios and production notes.
Final Thoughts: I'm not a big fan of "Small Soldiers", and although the DTS version may present the audio with greater clarity and detail, I wasn't terribly impressed with the sound in general, which could have been more agressive at times.
Film Grade
The Film C-
DVD Grades
Video: 92/A
Audio 87/B
Extras 50/F
Menus 85/B
Value 80/B-
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