There are dueling sentiments in the cinephile community: not everything needs a new edition and film preservation on physical media matters. Given the shift toward digital consumption which removes ownership from the viewer and keeps it steadily in the hands of the studio or distributor, this reviewer tends to land in the “media matters” camp, hoping that even the razziest of Razz winners is given a restoration. It’s an aspect that’s especially important as art is always at the fore-front of revolution because those who seek to control the masses do so under the guise of protecting them from so-called “inappropriate art,” but I digress. So, whether it’s a title like Spawn (1997) receiving a 4K UHD edition via Arrow Video or The Beast to Die (1980), two films on extreme opposite ends on the quality spectrum, there’s a reason to rejoice. Enter the Joe Dante-directed 1998 action comedy Small Soldiers, a Gremlins-meets-Toy Story riff receiving a first-time 4K UHD Steelbook edition with all the legacy features.
When Globotech CEO Gil Mars (Denis Leary) acquires Heartland Toy Company, he presumes it’ll be another feather in the cap of the military-to-consumer portfolio of other purchases. So when he tasks toy designers Larry Benson and Irwin Wayfair (Jay Mohr and David Cross, respectively) to merge their individual projects into one with the caveat that their toys be able to do everything the advertising proclaims, he presumes it’ll be another slam dunk. But when a case of the new toys (a set of soldiers known as the Commando Elite and a set of aliens known as Gorgonites) are procured by Alan Abernathy (Gregory Smith) in hopes of bolstering sales at his father’s toy store, no one could predict the war that would be unleashed in the suburbs.
The following review is based on a retail copy provided by Alliance Entertainment for Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment.
Going to take a big swing here and say that the interest level in Small Soldiers on 4K UHD is low, so, if you’re here, you want to know the details on the film before digging into anything else. (Seeing as I’m sitting here drafting this review listening to the soundtrack on CD (not available on digital), I’m among those curious about this new release.)
The first thing to address is the steelbook design which embraces the conflict aspect of the film. The 2021 Blu-ray merely included Chip Hazard and Archer (voiced by Tommy Lee Jones and Frank Langella, respectively) standing under the title with three of the Gorgonites resting atop it. The steelbook, however, features a blue/orange color scheme with Chip and Archer shown in profile facing-off with the logo of the film and title under them, and a few of the Commando Elite soldiers walking forward. The back is all blue with the X-1000 military-grade microchip prominently displayed with lightning coming off of it (a reference to the scene when Chip and the Commandos decide to requisition Christy Fimple’s (Kirsten Dunst) Gwendy doll collection so as to create allies). The inside is similarly structured with the left interior orange displaying a shadow of Archer looking forward with the X-1000 visible and the right interior blue displaying Chip in the same position with the X-1000 visible. There’s a two-disc clear plastic holder on the right side of the steelbook with the Blu-ray disc under the 4K UHD disc (a fairly standard stacking for steelbooks).
SMALL SOLDIERS 4K UHD Steelbook packshot. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Speaking of the discs, be advised that the included Blu-ray is the exact same as the previous release. No new design on the disc itself and no reskin of the menu, menu screen, or on-disc offerings. Additionally, this release offers the same features — a single behind the scenes featurette and a gag reel — as before. So if you’re looking for new in order to motivate the repurchase, it’s going to come down to your feelings on the steelbook and the 4K UHD edition itself.
On the bright side, Paramount has wisely not placed the bonus features on the 4K UHD disc, which provides ample room for the on-disc presentation. The menu screen is almost identical with the imagery, but only offers subtitles and viewing options. This means that there’re no bonus features to reduce disc space, thereby reducing the compression the film already endures in order to be placed on the disc during recording. In terms of the 4K UHD remaster, there’s no included information from Alliance or Paramount as to how the remaster was achieved nor whether or not Dante (or any other member of the technical crew) reviewed this before release. This is information often provided by other boutiques (Criterion, Radiance, Arrow, 88 Films, Eureka) and is absent here. From the technical side, the bitrate on Small Soldiers frequently oscillates from the 30/40 Mbps range (around the max for a Blu-ray) and into the 70/80 range (nearly double the max for a Blu-ray). The times when the bitrate is highest are close-ups, scenes with the puppet versions of the toys, or nighttime sequences. The more non-CG on screen, in particular, the better the bitrate. The close-ups on the toys is when the 4K UHD really shines as we get enhanced detail and color, making the tangible puppets all the more impressive for the ways they move and engage the actors during sequences involving simpler movements or needs. With the enhanced detail, however, the CG becomes far more noticeable as being on a different plain of reality than the rest of the set, often rubbery or visibly false, thereby breaking the reality of the watch. Perhaps it’s the vast divide between CG then-as-to-now, but the added detail does little favors for the older tech in maintaining the illusion that the toys have come to life. That said, while the very grounded film doesn’t really need enhanced anything to be enjoyable, the few moments in which the greater detail does present, one does find themselves wanting a Gorgonite for themselves post-watch.
Regarding the film itself, it’s no Gremlins, that’s for sure, but it’s not entirely trying to be. In an era where homeowners regularly welcome AI-based products into their home (Siri, Alexa, Google, etc.), a tale about toys-gone-wild isn’t particularly striking — though it did feel a little prescient at the time of its release when products like these felt far away from development. Even as the CG is a touch dated and the concept behind the mishap is entirely misrepresented (it is a problem with the software and not the chip, folks; a microchip doesn’t determine programming (sorry, Irwin)), it’s difficult not to walk away having had a good time due to the cast making a meal that creates some fun moments. Seriously, we’re talking about Leary (The Ref; The Thomas Crown Affair), Cross (Men in Black; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Mohr (Go; Jerry Maguire), plus Phil Hartman (Saturday Night Live; Coneheads), and Dunst (Jumanji; Interview with a Vampire), who were all big draws at the time (several who still are). But then you add in vocal work from Jones (spouting so many famous war film quotes with his usual dry delivery) and Langella (Masters of the Universe; The Trial of the Chicago 7) as the toy leaders being supported by the likes of Ernest Borgnine (Super Fuzz; McHale’s Navy), Jim Brown (The Running Man; Mars Attacks!), Bruce Dern (The Burbs; The Peanut Butter Falcon), George Kennedy (The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad), Clint Walker (The Dirty Dozen; The Ten Commandments), Christopher Guest (The Princess Bride), Michael McKean (Clue), and Harry Shearer (The Simpsons) — the last three being listed as the stars of Spinal Tap. In the same way that audiences can have a good time with an engaging story, sometimes an adventure is elevated by the cast clearly not phoning it in, whether it’s with a few lines of dialogue or something meatier. In this case, each get their due and it’s always in service of making this zany adventure as silly as possible, even when things get dark and dangerous (just like the aforementioned Gremlins). If there’s one thing that stands out as less exciting, it’s realizing that the soundtrack (a series of remixes of old/new talent from the era) isn’t incorporated into the film, making the songs entirely unique and separate from the experience. Seeing as I’ve been spinning this disc since ‘98, that’s a strange bit of dissonance to experience.
You’d be forgiven for not being aware of this particular title, but, for some, it remains a good time between its outstanding cast, memorable moments, and killer official soundtrack. Is the film “good”? Well — that’s up to the individual, but folks who are fans are still going to find themselves entertained. The real question is whether or not this edition is worth the price, and this is a strong maybe. The visual quality of the presentation is strong and clean and the audio is clear, making the remaster enjoyable from start to finish. But there are no new bonus materials, making the 4K UHD presentation and the steelbook the only new materials to entice potential buyers. In that vein, if you are someone who holds the film dear, you’re not going to regret the purchase. If you’re less familiar with the title, you may want to just snag the older Blu-ray as you’ll get roughly the same experience for less.
Small Soldiers Legacy Special Features:
- Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Making of Small Soldiers
- From the Cutting Room Floor: Bloopers
Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray Steelbook Combo and digital July 22nd, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Universal Pictures Small Soldiers webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Recommendation
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