Line #50 Film/SmallSoldiers


1	[[quoteright:288:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/21432_aa.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:288:Bringing military action figures with a thirst for blood to life? [[GoneHorriblyRight There's an app for that.]]]]
3
4	->''"We are the Commando Elite. Everything else is just a toy!"''
5	-->-- '''Major Chip Hazard'''
6
7	''Small Soldiers'' is a 1998 action/comedy film directed by Creator/JoeDante, best known for his work on the ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'' franchise.
8
9	The plot begins at the [[FlyoverCountry Heartland]] Toy Company, a conglomerate that gets swallowed up by [=GloboTech=] Industries, an organization that deals primarily in high-tech military hardware. The members of the board of Heartland deduce that implanting military AI chips into their newest set of action figures would grant kids a more interactive experience; however in doing so, manage to grant the two lines (the Commando Elite and their enemies, the Gorgonites) literal intelligence. The Gorgonites have a [[BenevolentAI pacifist mindset]] while the Commandos are basically of [[AIIsACrapshoot the warmongering variety]], who will stop at nothing to [[FantasticRacism destroy the Gorgonite scum]], and anyone who allies with them. Their battle takes place in {{suburbia}}, where young Alan Abernathy (Creator/GregorySmith) befriends the Gorgonites due to his being left in charge of his father Stuart's (Creator/KevinDunn) toy shop, and he vows to help them achieve their goal before the Commando Elite can find and take them apart. He gets help from his neighbor and love interest Christy Fimple (Creator/KirstenDunst).
10
11	The film also stars Creator/JayMohr as Larry Benson, Creator/PhilHartman (in his final role) as Phil Fimple, Creator/DavidCross as Irwin Wayfair, Creator/AnnMagnuson as Irene Abernathy, Creator/DenisLeary as Gil Mars, Creator/FrankLangella as Archer and Creator/TommyLeeJones as Chip Hazard.
12
13	Not to be confused with ''Film/ToySoldiers''. Or the trope ChildSoldiers, for that matter.
14	----
15	!!''Small Soldiers'' provides examples of:
16
17	* AccidentalHero: Alan manages to take down Brick Bazooka while biking home. He was completely unaware that Brick was even on the bike let alone after Archer.
18	* ActorAllusion:
19	** Creator/TommyLeeJones voices Major Chip Hazard, who at the end of the second act [[Film/BatmanForever gets horrific burns down one side of his face]]. The Commandos all bear some resemblance to their voice actors.
20	** A scientist played by Creator/RobertPicardo who creates AI-based technology that succeeds beyond one's wildest dreams? Yeah, [[Series/StarTrekVoyager THAT'S]] [[SarcasmMode never happened before...]]
21	** Director allusion -- Alan is shown with a Gremlin skull on his desk, the password to access the Globotech requisition site is 'gizmo' and there's a toy of Gizmo in the dumpster behind the toy store. Joe Dante directed ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'' and its sequel. There's also a piranha toy next to the fish tank. Joe Dante had also directed ''Film/{{Piranha}}''.
22	* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Gil Mars is legitimately amused by Flatchoo, a toy that produces fart and belch sounds which was previously designed by Irwin and Larry.
23	* AIIsACrapshoot: Subverted. The chips enhance programming that is already present, so the militant Commando Elites become bloodthirsty, monstrous warriors and the weaker Gorgonites become cowards who only hide from battle. (They're obeying their programming to the letter; the fault actually lies in the guy who programmed them and had no idea the chips would do that.) The Gorgonites eventually grow beyond it because they're programmed to learn, but the Commandos only think up new ways to fight.
24	* AlasPoorVillain: Nick Nitro, who gets a very painful death which his fellow commandos are deeply saddened by.
25	* AmusingInjuries: Most injuries are played seriously, even those that happen to the toys. However, Brick Bazooka getting torn in two is made rather funny by the fact that he has to crawl over to his bottom half to reply to his built-in radio. If he didn't get fully repaired in the next scene, maybe not so much.
26	* AndStarring: The opening cast roll ends with "and Creator/TommyLeeJones as the voice of Chip Hazard".
27	* ArcWords: "There will be no mercy."
28	* ArmiesAreEvil: Invoked, as the Commando Elite are programmed to be bloodthirsty maniacs.
29	* {{Arrowgram}}: The Commando Elite send Alan and the Gorgonites an arrow with a ''video tape'' of Christy telling Alan to surrender the Gorgonites or else the Commando Elite will kill her.
30	* ArtisticLicensePhysics: InUniverse. When the chip's designer explains that they're vulnerable to EMP attacks, he sarcastically adds that even the toy industry isn't competitive enough to worry about the effects of nuclear explosions. Irwin and Larry take this literally and think that's the only way to produce one until Fimple explains how elecro-magnetism works (making it very clear that he thinks they're idiots).
31	* BadassPacifist: Due to their initial intent to be peaceful knowledge-seekers along with the fact that they were designed to be the losers, the Gorgonites spend the majority of the movie not fighting back against the Commandos. In the climax, however, [[TechnicalPacifist they decide they're done hiding and fight back]]. And they win.
32	* BaitAndSwitch: When Ralph (Robert Picardo), the X-1000 chip's creator, mentions that there was a problem with the chips, Irwin and Larry immediately assume it's that said chips caused the weapons they were inserted into to [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters rebel]]. In actuality, the problem was that the chips were vulnerable to Electro-Magnetic Pulses, and the government didn't want to fork out the extra cash for the necessary shielding.
33	* BattleBaton: Christy beats the living crap out of a bunch of animated dolls with a cheerleader's baton. The dolls themselves put it nicely.
34	--> "Run, she's got a baton! It's a baton death march!"
35	* BeautyEqualsGoodness: {{Enforced\|Trope}}. Gil Mars decides to rebrand the Gorgonites as the villains for the Commando Elite because he thinks they're "hideous, ugly freaks".
36	* BewareTheNiceOnes:
37	** Christy seems to get a little overly excited about the prospect of tearing apart the baddies with whatever household objects she happens to have on hand.
38	** The Gorgonites, when they decide to fight back, easily overwhelm the Commandos' superior numbers.
39	* TheBigDamnKiss: Alan and Christy have theirs at the end, which even gets a smile from Gil Mars as he takes off in his helicopter.
40	--> "Too bad, this would've made a hell of a commercial."
41	* BlandNameProduct: "[[{{Franchise/Barbie}} Gwendy]]" dolls.
42	* BodyHorror: Since the Gwendy dolls initially lack the same internal mechanisms that the Commandos do, they undergo some "plastic surgery".
43	* BoundAndGagged:
44	** Happens to both Christy and her little brother, separately, in order for hostage taking.
45	** Happens again to Joe the truck driver near the end. Major Chip Hazard ties him up and makes him deliver all of the recalled Commando Elites to the Abernathy and Fimple homes.
46	* ButNowIMustGo: [[spoiler:Archer and all the Gorgonites leave at the end of the film, hoping to find Gorgon.]]
47	* BuyThemOff: [[spoiler: At the end, once the forces of [[GeneralRipper Chip Hazard]] have been defeated,]] Gil Mars, [=C.E.O.=] of [[MegaCorp GloboTech]] arrives to survey the damage that's been done, he orders the truck driver [[spoiler: that Chip forced to deliver the toys to the Abernathy and Fimple households,]] to load up the truck and drive it away before the press arrives. When he mentions that the injuries sustained[[spoiler: [[BoundAndGagged (having his hands taped to the steering wheel, and his mouth taped shut)]]]] may not be covered by his job's health insurance, Mars' secretary gives him a check, and the driver happily gets to work. When Mr. Fimple demands to know that Mars will do about the damages to his house, Mars' secretary hands him a check. When Mr. Abernathy declaes he doesn't have enough money to cover the emotional trauma that his family suffered, the secretary hands him a check and he responds: "okay, maybe you do."
48	* CastingGag: The Commandos are voiced by numerous stars from ''Film/TheDirtyDozen''.
49	** Similarly, the Gorgonites, save for Occula, are [[Film/ThisIsSpinalTap Spinal Tap]], but in toy form.
50	** Also, this is not the [[Film/JingleAllTheWay first time]] where Creator/PhilHartman has portrayed another annoying neighbor.
51	* CelebrityParadox: More like "Merchandise Paradox". During the scene of Larry Benson giving a press release to the investors, the T-shirts and swag behind him, which are in-universe supposed to be of the Commando Elite and Gorgonites, instead display the tag "Small Soldiers". Likewise, the Gorgonites display includes Freakenstein rather than Troglokhan.
52	* ChainsawGood: "Dibs on the chainsaw!"
53	* ChekhovsGun: A few.
54	** The creator of the X-1000 mentions that the chips can be shorted out by an electromagnetic pulse.
55	** The power pole. [[spoiler:In the climax, it's used to cause the short-circuit that takes out the Commandoes)]]
56	** Phil's satellite. [[spoiler:It saves the Gorgonites from being killed off alongside the Commandoes]].
57	* ChristmasRushed: The in-universe explanation for what happened with the toys; the company's new owner gave them what they insist is an insanely short development window to produce a revolutionary new product. The designers used what they thought were off-the-shelf parts without looking into the source (the Department of Defense) and quickly slapped together a product by combining two toy lines developed independently with incompatible backstories. The problems went unnoticed because they had no time for product testing.
58	* ClicheStorm: Invoked with Chip Hazard's mode of speech. A perfect example occurs when Hazard activates the other Commandos; he gives a speech that is literally composed entirely of cliched famous quotes from war movies.
59	* CommunicationsOfficer: Link Static serves this role in the Commando Elite.
60	* ConservationOfNinjitsu: In the finale, an [[spoiler:entire store line of Commandos]] are defeated by half a dozen Gorgonites with no casualties; the only part with any suspense is the showdown with (one) Chip Hazard.
61	* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Invoked with Gil Mars, CEO of [=GloboTech=], who pushes for the Gorgonites to be used as little more than the 'ugly evil mutant freak' foes of the Commando Elite and is stated to generally be pretty heartless; however, he doesn't specifically ''tell'' the designers to use military-grade hardware in toys, he merely states that he's sick and tired of products that don't deliver on their advertising and whilst he plainly doesn't give a crap about the devastation caused by Chip Hazard and the Commandos, he does make amends with a big cheque payoff.
62	* CutLexLuthorACheck: It's implied in the ending that the CEO of [=GloboTech=] plans to resell the hundreds of thousands of recalled Commando Elites to the military for use as mercenaries against {{The Cartel}}s.
63	* DamselInDistress: Christy gets captured and tied up to convince Alan to give up the Gorgonites. Alan and Archer rescue her, and she becomes an out and out ActionGirl.
64	* DesignatedHero: In-Universe, the Commandos. They're ''supposed'' to be bold hero figures fighting the monstrous Gorgonites but they are ruthless.
65	* DesignatedVillain: [[invoked]] At the same time, Gorgonites are clearly peaceful despite their appearance. Due to ExecutiveMeddling below, it did not bode well with the original creator.
66	* TheDeterminator: A villainous example: no matter ''what'' you throw at Chip Hazard, he's going to come back.
67	* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler:After Alan sets off an EMP to take out the Commando Elite, he finds Archer lying in the yard, inanimate.]]
68	--> [[spoiler:'''Alan:''' Archer? Archer, speak to me. [[TriggerPhrase Halt, who goes there?]]]]\
69	[[spoiler: '''Archer:''' [[CatchPhrase Greetings, I am Archer, emissary of the Gorgonites.]] Greetings, I am Archer, emissary of the Gorgonites. Greetings, I am Archer, emissary of the Gorgonites.]]\
70	[[spoiler: '''Alan:''' Oh, man, your chip got fried, just like the Commandos.]]\
71	[[spoiler: {{Beat}}.]]\
72	[[spoiler: '''Archer:''' The Commandos... are dead? Gorgonites... We won!]]
73	* DistressedDude:
74	** Timmy gets tied up and locked in the closet as the Commandos infiltrate the Fimples' house.
75	** Alan himself gets surrounded by Commandos and Gwendy Dolls in the final battle until Christy pulls BigDamnHeroes with a lawn mower.
76	* TheDitz: Ok, so your new boss gives you a tight deadline to roll out some new toys, so you're desperate to get ''something'' on the market before you get fired, that much is understandable. But at what point does it become a good idea to take ''military hardware'', [[MyLittlePanzer stuff it into your toy]], ''and then'' to completely skip the safety testing for the sake of time and ''not'' think that shit is going to completely hit the fan? Larry is pretty much called an idiot by multiple characters in the movie. In the part about the toys' creation it's clear that he doesn't even realize that the AI chips ''are'' military hardware; he did a search for what the company had in stock and just grabbed the most powerful chip available.
77	* DoubleEntendre: All the lines spouted by the Commandoes when they discover the Gwendy dolls such as: "Fully poseable!"
78	* DullSurprise: Alan accepts the fact that Archer is a LivingToy pretty quickly without any initial freak out. Later even Christy looks more confused and annoyed in response to the corrupted Gwendy Dolls coming to get her, instead of screaming in horror.
79	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: An In-Universe example. When Joe and Alan test out the Commandos and the Gorgonites, Joe activates Major Chip Hazard, and Alan activates Archer. Archer's phrase ("Greetings, I am Archer, Emissary of the Gorgonites.") leaves an impression on Alan that the gorgonite leader is "[[BenevolentMonsters awfully polite]] for a [[DesignatedVillain monster]]".
80	* EvenEvilHasStandards:
81	** Chip Hazard may be programmed to destroy the Gorgonites, but he was given an honorable and loyal personality as a heroic soldier. The trouble comes when his programming allows for no mercy to the Gorgonites or their allies.
82	** In fact ''all'' of the Commandos have heroic personalities as brave, dedicated soldiers -- which is half the problem since they just don't give up.
83	-->'''Chip Hazard''': "An OfficerAndAGentleman [[WouldntHitAGirl does not strike a lady.]]"[[note]]This quote is rather [[{{Hypocrite}} undermined]] by the Commando Elite's ruthless attacks on Christy, her mother and Alan's mother, who are both ladies and in one case [[WouldHurtAChild a child]]. [[PoliticallyCorrectVillain That said]], it's only by association with the Gorgonites, and they otherwise have no trouble with female "recruits".[[/note]]
84	** The rest of the Commandos are visibly horror-struck when Chip Hazard pulls off Nick Nitro's head and removes his processor -- his brain. One of them admits to being ready to vomit.
85	* EvilPlan: The Commando Elite are programmed with one goal in mind: Destroy the Gorgonites. Though the start of the conflict is Mars' plan to program them as such for greater profits.
86	* ExactWords: When Larry is searching for processors in the beginning what he wants is a large supply. What he actually writes in the search is "surplus". Keep in mind his parent company is a weapons manufacturer...
87	* ExecutiveMeddling: In-universe example. Originally, the Commando Elite and the Gorgonites were going to be completely separate, with the Gorgonites going for a more "educational" view, as they only want to explore the world, learn more about it, and socialize. The Commando Elite, meanwhile, were somewhat generic, ''Franchise/GIJoe''-esque characters. The director decided that the concepts on their own weren't interesting, and decided to put the toylines together.
88	* ExpelledFromEveryOtherSchool: Christy believes that Alan moved to town because of being kicked out of ten different schools. Alan asserts that it only happened twice.
89	* ExplainExplainOhCrap: Irwin and Larry are discussing Alan's call about the rampaging toys:
90	-->'''Irwin:''' What if this kid's telling the truth? We can't have toys out on the market that may be dangerous.\
91	'''Larry:''' ''[lackadaisical]'' How can they be dangerous? Everything on them is standard. The design is standard, the materials are standard... the mechanicals are standard. Even the... ''[sudden OhCrap face]'' Oh.\
92	'''Irwin:''' What's "Oh"?\
93	'''Larry:''' What?\
94	'''Irwin:''' You just said "Oh".\
95	'''Larry:''' No, I said "Oh!"\
96	'''Irwin:''' You mean "Oh" like, "That's interesting" or "Oh" like, "We're screwed"?\
97	'''Larry:''' No. I mean, "Hey! Whoa! Oh!". Look, forget the "Oh", all right? I'm going to go down to legal and get the ball rolling on the countersuit.\
98	'''Irwin:''' The chips! That's the "Oh"!
99	* FacelessEye: Ocula.
100	* FailedASpotCheck: Christy opens her front closet to put her coat away, and completely misses her little brother BoundAndGagged inside.
101	* FantasticRacism: The Commando Elite's entire goal is to strictly destroy the Gorgonites, nothing practical.
102	* FastballSpecial: Punch-It launches Scratch-It from his horns like a slingshot.
103	** Brick Bazooka is similarly hurled onto the back of Alan's bike. And blink and you'll miss it, but two of the Gwendy dolls cheerleader-throw a third one to better attack Brad.
104	* FellOffTheBackOfATruck: How Alan "buys" the toys off the delivery guy.
105	-->'''Alan:''' What, you're telling me that, in all the time you've run deliveries, nothing has ever just... fallen off the back of the truck?\
106	'''Joe:''' Hey, I don't like your tone.\
107	'''Alan:''' S-sorry.\
108	'''Joe:''' ''[leans closer]'' [[BaitAndSwitch It's too loud]].
109	* {{Fingore}}:
110	** When Alan tries to save Archer from the garbage disposal, Nick cuts his hand.
111	** At the end of the film, Chip plunges his dagger into Alan's fingers [[spoiler:while he's attempting to create an electromagnetic pulse.]]
112	* FlagDrop: Chip Hazzard stroll in front of an American flag... or rather, a jigsaw puzzle of one, since the Commando Elite are all in a toy store at this point. The speech he gives is composed entirely of quotes from famous patriotic speeches.
113	* {{Foil}}:
114	** Between the Gorgonites and the Commando Elite. The Gorgonites may look grotesque and monstrous, but were designed to be peaceful explorers who want to return to their homeland. Meanwhile, the Commando Elite may look like humans, but are violent and actively live to kill the Gorgonites. [[spoiler: Most prominent is between Archer and Major Chip Hazard during their final confrontation. Archer (if [[TranquilFury crossly]]) has it in him to address the Major by his full name and title, indicating honor and respect. Major Chip Hazard, on the other hand, only calls Archer the "Gorgonite Scum", showing he refuses to think of Archer as an equal. At one point, Archer demonstrates the humility to point out [[NotSoDifferentRemark he and the Major are cut from the same cloth]], while his opponent [[NotSoSimilar shoots down this idea]].]]
115	** There's also a notable one between Irwin and Larry, as demonstrated at the board meeting in the opening scene. Irwin is the creative mind behind the Gorgonites and designed them with the express purpose of helping kids learn. However, as a trade off for his imagination, he's rather clumsy at presenting his idea, to the point he has to hastily improvise his presentation of the Gorgonites as he goes along. By contrast, Larry may not be as brilliant as his cohort, and goes with the safe approach of making the Commando Elite action toys. Although his ideas aren't original, he makes up for it in presentation, as demonstrated in his model of Major Chip Hazard and his commercial for the Commando Elite.
116	* GayMoment:
117	** Irwin diving into Larry's arms in the computing lab's airlock.
118	** Brick Bazooka's [[WeCanRebuildHim damaged wrist]] giving out mid-salute, leaving him in the classic [[HelloSailor ooh-get-you pose.]]
119	* GeneralRipper: Chip Hazard. He's obsessed with exterminating the Gorgonites, since that's what he was programmed to do: wipe out the enemy.
120	* GogglesDoNothing: The Commando Elite wear [[Creator/RobLiefeld Liefeldian]] amounts of pouches, holsters and straps. Link Static even has a huge pair of welder's goggles, for even less apparent reason than usual.
121	* GoneHorriblyRight: Putting AI into toys, programming them as soldiers and giving them a specific enemy? They become more dangerous than full sized ''human'' soldiers. It's worth noting that numerous times Larry and Irwin both admit that there's nothing wrong with the intelligence chips.
122	** [[spoiler:Subverted by the end of the movie. Instead of selling them to children, Mars decides to sell them to the Department of Defense, at a much higher price.]]
123	* {{Gonk}}: MAJOR points for many of the Commando Elite and Gorgonites. Best examples are [[TheBrute Nick Nitro]] and [[TheBrute Brick Bazooka]] with their [[SlasherSmile giant]], [[TechnicallyaSmile ever showing mouths of teeth]] and Scratch-It with her own chompers and strange looks.
124	* GrowBeyondTheirProgramming: The Gorgonites. They were programed to lose but at the climax Archer declares "No more hiding." Then they go out to win.
125	** The munitions chips can eventually do this as they go along.
126	* GulliverTieDown: The Gwendy Doll "reinforcements" start to use this tactic on Cindy after tripping her up with a string.
127	* HelloInsertNameHere: Archer's initial interaction with Alan is asking his name is similar to what video games normally do, and as typical of the trope, the unfortunate part of the response got included in the name.
128	-->'''Archer:''' What's your name?\
129	'''Alan:''' Alan. Now shut up!\
130	'''Archer:''' Greetings, Alan Now-shut-up.
131	* HeroicBuild: Somewhat inverted, The Commando Elite are made out to have muscular, almost ''Franchise/GIJoe''-esque designs, and they're the villains of the film.
132	* HumansAreBastards: The Commandos are all human soldiers (with a dash of ArmiesAreEvil as well), while the good ones are nonhumans. The fact that the peaceful Gorgonites were designed as aliens from the start seems to indicate that Irwin at least holds this opinion. Then again, the two lines (Commando and Gorgonite) were not originally intended to be used together, adding an in-universe case of ExecutiveMeddling to the mix.
133	* HypocriticalHumor: Chip doesn't take kindly to officers and gentlemen hitting women, but has no trouble shooting at them if they are helping the Gorgonites. Also consider their use of the ladies in question, the Gwendies.
134	-->'''Major Chip Hazard''': Yo, Maggot! An OfficerAndAGentleman does not strike a lady!
135	* ImprovisedWeapon:
136	** The Commando Elite are experts at this. Among the household implements they convert into weaponry are a toaster that fires flaming [=CDs=], a tennis-ball launcher firing kerosene-soaked balls, and a catapult made from a mousetrap and a spoon.
137	** The CEO, seeing the havoc the toys created (And giving everyone truckloads of cash not to press charges or talk about it), decides the best thing to do with the obviously-dangerous toy line is to add some zeroes on the end of the price and sell them as automated weapons instead.
138	** Also, Christy destroys the troop of Gwendy dolls using a riding lawn mower.
139	* InsistentTerminology: "We're not dolls... ''[[BadassBoast We're action figures!]]''"
140	* InstantAIJustAddWater: the X-1000 microchips make any machine they're installed into sapient. It enhances any programming to it's limit, and then begins learning how to do its job better. Its creator is actually ''offended'' when Irwin asks him if that means that he (the scientist) cracked AI, snapping "No. Actual intelligence." When added to the animatronic soldiers and monster toys, they become nearly human. The fact that the Gorgonites don't blow a fuse when they win (they'd been programmed to lose) proves that it's extremely adaptable.
141	* IronicEcho:
142	** "Way to stay heads up". Stuart first says this to Alan when the latter finds out he left his ticket at the shop, to which Alan raced home and handed it over before his business trip. However, there's an undertone that Stuart doesn't truly think Alan is capable. Later, Alan says this to Archer when the Abernathy and Fimple families are being attacked by the Commandos and Archer points out the electrical pole [[spoiler:needed to generate the electromagnetic pulse to defeat the Commandos]]. Unlike his father, he means it.
143	*** MeaningfulEcho: Alternatively, father and son's "Way to stay heads up" line is meant to low-key show how Archer has become Alan's charge just as much as he's his father's charge.
144	** "Everything else is just a toy." Gil Mars first brings it up as a potential slogan for the Commando Elite, meant to sound better than most toys. It's next said when [[spoiler: Major Chip Hazard declares that the collective human cast are now considered "Gorgonites" as well. The slogan has becomes the Major's ominous justification for killing both the Gorgonites ''and'' their human allies.]]
145	** "There will be no mercy." This is more-or-less [[spoiler: Major Chip Hazard's dying words between the [=EMP=] blast and being electrocuted. What is normally his and the Commandos' battle cry becomes ironic, as it reflects how their collective [[SociopathicSoldier lack thereof mercy]] has [[TheDogBitesBack cost them greatly]].]]
146	* {{Irony}}: Gil Mars shoehorned the peaceful but grotesque Gorgonites to be antagonists to the violent but human-looking Commando Elite. [[spoiler: The climax has the Commando Elite become so dogmatic over wiping out the Gorgonites that their human allies get caught in the cross-fires, making their roles as villains come full circle. Meanwhile, the [[LovableCoward pacifistic]] Gorgonites overcome their hide-and-lose program in order to protect Alan, coming into their own role as [[CharacterDevelopment brave heroes]].]]
147	* ItsASmallWorldAfterAll: Chip Hazard says this when he happens upon Alan's home.
148	* KarmaHoudini: The CEO of [=GloboTech=] manages to get away with authorizing the mass-production of untested, highly destructive military toys without any punishment by cutting checks for everyone involved. He even goes on to authorize the toys to be ''remade'' (except this time [[spoiler:they'll be repurposed to bring down South American drug lords]]). Though technically Larry was the one to blame for using the military chips.
149	* KillTheLights: The Commandos cut off the electricity to the Abernathy residence, and the final battle begins.
150	* LadyDrunk: Marion Fimple spends the final battle still tripping from having sleeping pills launched into her gin and tonic. She even {{Squee}}s when the Commandos play the Spice Girls.
151	* LanguageEqualsThought: Mixed with a truly subtle bit of {{foreshadowing}}: Initially, they plan to market the Commando Elite with the slogan "Anything else is just a toy", but more of that InUniverse ExecutiveMeddling changes that to "''Everything'' else is just a toy". As a result, when the Commando Elite become sentient, they can freely attack human beings, as their worldview is that everything else around them is part of their programmed conflict.
152	** There's also a PoorCommunicationKills variation. In a way, this trope also applies to Archer when he tries to warn Alan that the Commandos would attack the Gorgonites. As such, his warning only comes in the form of "Beware, there will be no mercy", which Alan mistakes as either a catchphrase or a low-key threat. It's only the next day that Alan sees the store wrecked and the action figures missing that he belatedly understands what Archer was trying to tell him.
153	* LargeHam: Most of the toys, especially Chip Hazard, who gets most of the best one-liners.
154	* LaughingMad: Insaniac, but he's one of the good guys.
155	* LetsGetDangerous: Alan has been trying to avoid this trope after getting kicked out of two schools for his near dangerous pranks. However, when the Commando Elite kidnapped [[BerserkButton Christy and sent him a ransom/torture video]], the gloves come off.
156	--> '''Alan:''' Major Chip Hazard wants a war, we'll give him a war.
157	** The climax of the movie has the Gorgonites override their programming and take the fight to the Commandos instead of running and hiding. The Commandos are easily taken down.
158	* LiteralGenie: The Commando Elite. They follow their orders to kill the Gorgonites to the '''extreme'''.
159	* LiteralMinded: During the conversation where Alan tries to explain to both his parents and the Phimples the sentient nature of the Gorgonites, Phil brushes it off, only for Kristy to come to Alan's defense. Believing his daughter has somehow been brain-washed, he tells her they'll get "the best deprogrammer money can buy". To this, one of the Gorgonites (Slamfist) responds "You can't change programming."
160	* LivingToys: About as alive as the finest military AI chips can make them, anyway.
161	* LoudOfWar: The Commando Elite blast "Wannabe" by the Music/SpiceGirls to demoralize the Abernathys and the Gorgonites. The tipsy wife of the electronics geek exclaims "I love this song!" Christy even alludes to the fact that the US Military used the same tactic to force the surrender of Manuel Noriega (dictator of Panama in the '80s; except they used hard rock/heavy metal IRL).
162	* LowCountGag: Alan's mother asks him to empty the cash register. There is a snarky joke about not enough cash in it.
163	-->'''Mrs. Abernathy:''' Did you empty the cash register?\
164	'''Alan:''' Both quarters and all six pennies.
165	* [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou Major Chip Hazard is About to Shoot You]]: An in-universe promotional image for the Commando Elite line uses this very heavily.
166	* MajorlyAwesome: Chip Hazard is a baddie version.
167	* ManlyTears: With the exception of [[TheStoic Chip Hazard]], who simply wipes away a SingleTear, the Commando Elite blub unrestrainedly as Nick Nitro ceases to function.
168	* McNinja: Kip Killigan has two outsized shuriken prominently displayed on his chest. Almost certainly intended as an in-universe bit of silliness on the part of his designers.
169	* MeaningfulName:
170	** Chip Hazard, ''Major'' Chip Hazard.
171	** The CEO of Globotech, a weapons manufacturer that has begun producing kids' toys, is named Gil ''Mars''.
172	* MyLittlePanzer: Toys with military-grade computer hardware built in. WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong
173	* NailEm: The Commando Elite bring along a [[MoreDakka rapid-firing]] nailgun along for fire support on their second try. The trope name is the exact command used to order it to be fired.
174	* NeverTrustATrailer: The promotional material mainly focused on the Commando Elite, making it seem like they were the heroes instead of the Gorgonites.
175	* NoFlowInCGI: The Gwendy Dolls notably have long hair before the Commandos bring them to life, but are all bald afterwards. This is obviously because animating long hair with late 90s CGI would have been a nightmare. One Gwendy Doll with hair is obviously a puppet.
176	* {{Novelization}}: By screenwriter Gavin Scott.
177	* OhCrap:
178	** Larry, followed by Irwin, has this when he realized he accidentally put military chips into the the toys.
179	** The Commando Elite start to worry when the Gorgonites finally chooses to fight back against them.
180	* TheOperatorsMustBeCrazy: Alan tries to call Globotech to complain about the Commando Elites coming to life and wrecking his dad's toy store, but the operator is actively unhelpful to the point that he ultimately asks to be transferred to a machine -- right before the operator gets his gender wrong.
181	* ThePasswordIsAlwaysSwordfish: When Larry and Irwin are handed their Globotech database passwords, Irwin's turns out to be "[[Film/{{Gremlins}} gizmo]]", which is both too short and a dictionary word. Worse yet, we learn this because he immediately blurts it out, which later allows Larry to use it to log in with the authorization to choose the military-grade AI chip that starts the plot.
182	* PetTheDog:
183	** The Commando Elite mourn after one of their troops dies, although subverted later, as they raise an army of evil Gwendy dolls ''using what is technically the brain of their fallen comrade''. Outside of Chip Hazard, the rest of the Commando Elite seem ''deeply'' uncomfortable when Chip takes the "skin" off and crack open the head.
184	** Gil Mars gives a sincere smile when he sees Alan and Christie kissing at the end.
185	* PoliceAreUseless: Taken to ''ridiculous'' extremes. Not only do they [[CassandraTruth dismiss Christy's statements about the Commando Elites when she calls 911]] and consider it a nuisance call, but when she tries to make them come by ''admitting'' she made a nuisance call (a rather serious crime in itself), they simply hang up.
186	* PreAsskickingOneLiner: "An OfficerAndAGentleman [[WouldntHitAGirl does not strike a lady.]]"
187	* PreMortemOneLiner:
188	** Stuart says "Now, stick this in your pipe and smoke it!" as he uses the broom to destroy [[spoiler:the Commando Elite's flamethrower]].
189	** Alan says "Have I got a shock for you! You stupid toy!" just before [[spoiler:he short-circuits Chip on the power pole]].
190	* RageBreakingPoint: "Don't tell me to calm down; calm was killing me."
191	* RoboticAssemblyLines:
192	** Begins with a production line of the titular toys being manufactured (including Terminator-style skeletons and Uncanny Valley-ish rubber "skins").
193	** Then a second time during the 'recruitment' of the Gwendy Dolls.
194	* RootingForTheEmpire[[invoked]]: Enforced. The [[SociopathicSoldier Commando]] [[WarIsGlorious Elite]] were the guys who mesmerised the marketing executives, and came to the opinion that the kids would be as well -- after all, "it's not violence, it's action, and kids love action". So, they got all the focus and the poor Gorgonites, who were a rejected concept with nothing to do with the Commandos, got awkwardly shoehorned in as their "enemies".
195	* ScottyTime: Larry and Irwin are both taken aback when the CEO orders that the new toy line be ready for shipment within three months, when it takes at least six months to go through product testing and focus groups.
196	* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: The CEO spends his second scene handing out cheques to every disgruntled party, all of whom immediately stop complaining when they see the numbers. Alan's dad puts his foot down and refuses to be paid off after what they witnessed. Then he sees how much money the check is for.
197	-->I don't think even ''you'' have enough money to pay for... (''cue the Mars' assistant handing out a cheque'') Okay... maybe you do...
198	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Christy's boyfriend Bradley tries to [[spoiler:save Christy from the Gwendy dolls, gets attacked by the Commando Elite]], sheds his burning pants, runs out of the house, and escapes.
199	* SelectiveObliviousness: Chip Hazard clearly knows ''how'' he works, but [[BadassBoast loudly proclaims]] that "Everything else is just a toy" and completely rejects Archer's NotSoDifferentRemark in the final act.
200	* ShoutOut:
201	** Many, many parodies/homages of scenes from famous war movies. For example, Chip Hazard's ''Film/{{Patton}}''-like speech in front of a US flag jigsaw puzzle, or [[Film/ApocalypseNow "Ride of the Valkryies" kicking in as he appears riding a remote-controlled helicopter]].
202	** "Literature/AllQuietOnTheWesternFront... yard!"
203	** And the requisite ShoutOut to ''Film/ApocalypseNow'': "[[ILoveTheSmellOfXInTheMorning I love the smell of polyurethane in the morning.]]"
204	** Not to mention countless homages to ''[[Franchise/{{Terminator}} The Terminator]]'' and the obligatory ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey''[=/=]Music/AlsoSprachZarathustra riff.
205	** The final line: "[[Film/{{Titanic 1997}} I hope we don't hit an iceberg!]]"
206	** Chip Hazard retrieves Nick's chip by saying "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." This is the slogan for the United Negro College Fund.
207	** When the first Gwendy soldiers begin to move, Brick Bazooka shrieks, "[[Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}} It's alive! IT'S ALIVE!]]", complete with maniacal laughter.
208	** Possible ones to ''Franchise/GIJoe'':
209	*** Globotech's CEO is Gil Mars. MARS was also the arms manufacturing company led by Destro, as well as the Roman God of War.
210	*** The Abernathy family share their name with General Clayton Abernathy, better known as Hawk.
211	** Irwin is a shout-out to a real life toy company of the same name that distributes toys for well known companies such as Bandai and Milton Bradley.
212	** Several to Creator/JoeDante's previous works, including the Film/{{Piranha}} and [[Film/{{Gremlins}} Gremlin skull]] on Alan's desk, [[Film/{{Gremlins}} Irwin's password being "Gizmo," and a toy of Gizmo himself in the dumpster]].
213	** The creation of the Zom-Gwendies is inspired by, and features music from ''Film/BrideOfFrankenstein.''
214	** Similarly, Chip Hazard's RousingSpeech infront of an American flag is a pastiche of the opening scene of ''Film/{{Patton}}'', and Music/JerryGoldsmith even quotes his score from that film to drive the point home.
215	** Hazard's dialogue about how Nick Nitro's "battery has run out, but his memory will keep going, and going, and going" is a reference to Energizer batteries' slogan.
216	*** Another mention to Energizer (or rather, their parent company at the time, Eveready) is heard during the beginning of the film. Doubles as a TakeThat.
217	** When Phil Fimple is being told about the situation with the Commando Elite and the Gorgonites, he asks "What's next, [[Literature/TheAdventuresOfPinocchio the Blue Fairy drops by with a talking cricket?]]"
218	** When the Gorgonites finally decide to fight back, Slamfist (an obvious [[Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame Quasimodo]] pastiche) proclaims "Sanctuary!"
219	* TheSingularity: [[spoiler:The Commando Elite learn how to reverse-engineer their chips and create an army of Franken-Barbies.]]
220	* SlasherSmile:
221	** Nick Nitro and Brick Bazooka sport these, but the winning candidate is undeniably Kip Killigan. Cheerful though he may be, that [[GoodSmokingEvilSmoking cigar-chomping]] grin is scary smile number one, hands down.
222	** Insaniac is a rare non-villainous example; he's always sporting a big grin.
223	* SlippingAMickey: The Commandos put Marion and Phil out of commission by launching sleeping pills into their drinks.
224	* SmoochOfVictory: After Alan helps Christy fight off the Gwendy dolls the Commandos "recruited":
225	-->'''Christy:''' You rescued me! ''[kisses him]''\
226	'''Alan:''' ''[very surprised]'' Anytime!\
227	'''Christy:''' ''[kisses him again]''
228	* TheStinger: A dedication to Phil Hartman, accompanied by an outtake of the "A nuclear warhead?" line, with everyone laughing.
229	* StockScream: Brick Bazooka utters a Wilhelm scream as he falls from Alan's bicycle, and another Wilhelm is heard as Alan's father kicks off the one trying to kill him at the end.
230	* TestosteronePoisoning: The Commando Elite all have ridiculously manly names. And [[HeroicBuild builds]]. And attitudes.
231	* TheresNoPlaceLikeHome: The InUniverse backstory for the Gorgonites is that they're stranded on Earth and want to return home to the Land of Gorgon. Even though they know they're toys and that story is fictional, the Gorgonites still want to find a homeland to call Gorgon.
232	* ToiletHumor: The reason [=GloboTech=] acquired Heartland Play Company is their successful line of monster dolls who burp and fart when you push their bellies, called "''The Belch Brigade.''"
233	* TomboyWithAGirlyStreak: Christy says Led Zeppelin are her favorite band, knows how to ride a moped and is quite ruthless when taking out the toys. She also collects Gwendy Dolls, and seems to be ashamed of it.
234	* TornadoMove: Insaniac rapidly spins in a [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Taz-esque]] style, which turns lethal when he uses his EpicFlail.
235	* ToylessToylineCharacter:
236	** Two major villains, Butch Meathook and Link Static, were never released in real life except in the Burger King tie-in line.
237	** In addition, Troglokhan had no figures released in his original likeness.
238	* UglyHeroGoodLookingVillain: Archer and Chip.
239	* VerbalTic: Link Static, Commando Elite communications specialist, bookends his sentences with white noise.
240	* WarningMistakenForThreat: One of the first lines Archer the Gorgonite speaks to Alan is the ArcWords "There will be no mercy." Alan actually inquires if this was meant to be a threat, but Archer can only repeat the line, as he hasn't learned enough English to be conversant. Alan soon learns the "no mercy" part applies to the Commando Elite, whose only purpose is to attack, fight, destroy the Gorgonites and their perceived allies.
241	* WeCanRebuildHim: Troglokhan is reconstructed as Freakenstein.
242	-->'''Punch-It''': We fixed him!\
243	'''Slamfist''': We ''tried'' to fix him...
244	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Needless to say, we never do see the reactions of the neighbors when the {{EMP}} happens, nor when [=GloboTech=] and Mars survey the damage to the neighborhood. Though it can be presumed they were also paid off.
245	* WhatMeasureIsANonCute: Subverted with the Gorgonites. But the toy company enforces them to be the bad guys because of their alien appearance, so there's a degree of this in-universe.
246	* WhatTheHellHero: After Larry mentions the micro-processing chips he put into the Gorgonites and the Commando Elite, Irwin demands to know where he got them from, and when he doesn't get a straight answer, he looks up the model number on his computer, which leads to this:
247	-->'''Irwin:''' They were designed for the Department of Defense. You put ''munitions chips'' in ''toys''?!
248	* WhyWeAreBummedCommunismFell: In the trailer for the film it's explicitly pointed out that Globotech decided to expand into the toy business due to the decrease in military hardware demand after the end of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar.
249	* WouldntHitAGirl: Parodied. Chip Hazard scolds Brad for throwing one of the Gwendy Dolls against the wall ("an officer and a gentleman does not strike a lady"), never mind they were attacking ''him'' first.
250	* WriterRevolt: InUniverse example. Larry kept most of Irwin's ideas for the Gorgonites' personalities in place even though they'd been made the villains of the toyline.

Context Film / SmallSoldiers