Here's the pitch: "It's like Toy Story but these toys that come to life really kick butt!" That's essentially it for this breezy popcorn flick. In a very smart first 10 minutes, new toy-company owner Denis Leary tells his crew he wants toys "that play back." Hence the small soldiers land in Anytown, U.S.A., and the loner kid Alan (Gregory Smith) opens them up before they are supposed to be on the shelves. Those military-grade chips sure make them smart and give the toys plenty of pithy retorts to boot. Plenty of violence, er, action, most of it fun enough. The vocal talents, including Tommy Lee Jones, Frank Langella, and cast members of The Dirty Dozen are inspired characters, the humans less so. With Gremlins director Joe Dante at the helm, it plays like a sequel to that '80s fantasy. Amazing visual effects, of course. --Doug Thomas
Kirsten Dunst | Christy Fimple |
David Cross (II) | |
Gregory Smith | Alan Abernathy |
David Cross | Irwin Wayfair |
Jay Mohr | Larry Benson |
Alexandra Wilson | Ms. Kegel |
Gregory Smith (II) | Alan Abernathy |
Denis Leary | Gil Mars |
Dick Miller | Joe |
Jacob Smith | Timmy Fimple |
Jonathan Bouck | Brad (as Jonathan David Bouck) |
Kevin Dunn | Stuart Abernathy |
Ann Magnuson | Irene Abernathy |
Wendy Schaal | Marion Fimple |
Phil Hartman | Phil Fimple |
Archie Hahn | Satellite Dish Installer |
Robert Picardo | Ralph, Clean Room Technician |
Clint Walker | Nick Nitro (voice) |
Julius Tennon | Toy World Supervisor |
Belinda Balaski | Neighbor |
Jim Cummings | Ocula (voice) (uncredited) |
Rance Howard | Husband |
Tommy Lee Jones | Chip Hazard (voice) |
Ernest Borgnine | Kip Killagin (voice) |
Jackie Joseph | Wife |
George Kennedy | Brick Bazooka (voice) |
Bruce Dern | Link Static (voice) |
Frank Langella | Archer (voice) |
Jim Brown | Butch Meathook (voice) |
Christopher Guest | Slamfist / Scratch-It (voice) |
Michael McKean | Insaniac / Freakenstein (voice) |
Harry Shearer | Punch-It (voice) |
Sarah Michelle Gellar | Gwendy Doll (voice) |
Christina Ricci | Gwendy Doll (voice) |
Marcia Mitzman Gaven | Globotech Announcer (voice) |
Rennie Cowan | Passerby (uncredited) |
Anthony Genovese | F.B.I. Agent (uncredited) |
Cheri Oteri | Globotech Telephone Operator (uncredited) |
Jerry Goldsmith | Composer |
Jamie Anderson | Cinematographer |
Marshall Harvey | Editor |
Michael Thau | Editor |
Denise Chamian | Casting Director |
William Sandell | Production Designer |
Rosemary Brandenburg | Set Decorator |
Carole Brown-James | Custome Designer |
Cynthia Barr | assistant makeup artist (as Cynthia Barr-Bright) |
Judith A. Cory | hair department head |
Karyn Huston | assistant hair stylist |
Christina Smith | makeup department head |
Brian Stiver | mold department |
Paul Deason | Unit Production Manager |
Brad Goodman | post-production supervisor |
Benita Allen | first assistant director (as Benita Allen-Honess) |
M. James Arnett | second unit director (as Jim Arnett) |
C.C. Barnes | first assistant director: second unit |
Dieter 'Dietman' Busch | second assistant director (as Dieter Busch) |
Marisa Ferrey | dga trainee |
Rebecca Strickland | second assistant director |
Nancy L. Ventura | second second assistant director |
Tony Allard | propmaker |
Charlie Araki | construction accountant |
Jim Bandsuh | illustrator |
Jeff Brown | greensman |
Mark W. Brown | property assistant: second unit |
Molly Click | art department coordinator |
Dan Colegrove | propmaker gangboss |
David Gabrielli | general foreman |
Neil Garland | propmaker gangboss |
Travis Huffman | propmaker |
Stuart John | construction foreman |
Kent Jones | paint foreman |
David Lowery | storyboard artist |
Glenn Matayoshi | set dresser |
Frank McEldowney | greensperson |
Robert Misetich | paint foreman |
Jerry Moss | property master (as Gerald Moss) |
Maura Moss | prop coordinator |
Arthur Nichols | character designer |
Harry E. Otto | lead set designer |
Andrew Petrotta | assistant property master |
Paul S. Power | storyboard artist |
Edward J. Protiva | set dresser |
Robin Richesson | illustrator |
Billy Salsberg | Foreman |
Marvin Salsberg | construction coordinator |
Liam Sharp | concept art |
Shana Sigmond | Buyer |
Brett C. Smith | lead person |
Bruce G. Smith | paint foreman |
Jay Smith | drapery foreman |
Bill Taliaferro | Set Designer |
Stan Tropp | Set Designer |
Tracey Wilson | storyboard artist |
Bryan McBrien | Greensman (uncredited) |
Petra Bach | adr supervisor |
Nancy Barker | assistant sound editor |
Ron Bartlett | additional sound re-recording mixer |
Thom Brennan | foley supervisor |
Norval D. Crutcher III | sound editor (USA/Canada TV conform) |