Toy Soldiers (1991)

I went into this movie expecting a few suspenseful thrills here and there, but not too much. And boy was I blown away by the talent. All the guys are great in this one in there own right; but the one lead that really stands out is Sean Astin. As far as I'm concerned, Astin delivered the performance of a life time at the tender age of 20. His agonizing screams when he's being punished, his cries when he's in grief and his ability to portray a flawed, defiant character who uses his difiance, which usually lands him in trouble, as a vehicle to save his fellow classmates and beloved friends is uncanny. And the chemistry between the guys is surreal, when watching you feel like they are infact YOUR friends and you've known them for a lifetime. Most notably, Sean Astin and Will Wheaton. All that I can say is that this film exceeded my expectations in every way, it's a beautifully written and paced film with a gorgeous, sexy and smart cast of guys (who are really eye candy) and a rich compelling storyline. Check it out, I promise it will not disappoint!

Fmovies: Toy Soldiers (1991)

*** (out of 4)

This here is pretty much DIE HARD via a boarding school but if you're a fan of 80s then you're going to find quite a bit here to enjoy. A terrorist group takes over a boarding school full of "important" kids in hopes that the American government will release the main guy's father who is in prison. Soon the rejects, led by Sean Astin and Wil Wheaton, must try and figure out a way to bring the terrorist down. If you need brains with your action then it's probably best that you skip this thing but if you just want to have fun then this film offers quite a bit. Most people will remember Astin and Wheaton from THE GOONIES and STAND BY ME among others but if you're fan of those films then you're going to enjoy seeing them grown up and taking on a new adventure. We also have a strong supporting cast that includes Louis Gossett, Jr. playing the stern Dean who will certainly remind people of his role in AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN. Also on hand is Jerry Orback playing a Mafia boss and R. Lee Ermey as a General wanting action. The entire cast fit into their roles quite nicely with Astin playing the rebellious teen who must eventually grow up and try to out-smart the terrorist. He has wonderful chemistry with the rest of the boys in the cast and his time with Gossett comes off extremely well and realistic as they go for that father/son relationship. What also helps the film is that it at least tries to be above-average in terms of story. The way the boys go to get their freedom isn't just a simple plan but instead it's rather well thought out and in the long run the movie at least rises above the type of film you'd expect to see on TV. Director Petrie actually manages to build up some nice suspense towards the end and he handles the material very well. Another major plus is Andrew Divoff who plays the main terrorist and eats up the scenery left and right. When there is action in the film it's bloody just like fans of action want it. The movies biggest problem is that it runs nearly two-hours, which is a tad bit too long but if you a fan of any of the cast members then you should find yourself having fun with this one.

This movie is great! Sean Astin is my favorite actor, and in toy soldiers he did an amazing job! This movie is under rated and so is Astin! He is an amazing actor. You wont be disapointed if you watch this movie... i guarantee it!

Toy Soldiers fmovies. This came as a huge surprise for me. I had never heard of this movie when I first saw it, and the title really pointed towards something else than a great terrorist/hostage situation at a high school. Toy Soldiers has the best from it's time period of the early 90's, where action movies were light-hearted and very enjoyable. The action is good, the plot is interesting and way over the top, the bad guy is a one-dimensional hateful douchebag (which is great), Louis Gossett Jr. is in it, it's simply a feel-good movie which I thoroughly enjoyed.

You can't go wrong with this one if you like action. I give it a solid rating of 8/10.

Colombian terrorists hold hostage a military school in the U.S. until their demands are met. The students decide to fight back. Will they be able to do it?

Silly premise but the film actually works. The group of kids who fight were all up and coming when this film came out in 1991: Sean Astin (looking very cute); Wil Wheaton (looking miserable); Keith Coogan; George Perez (the token Latino who is very handsome, very muscular and is mostly shown in nothing but tight underwear); T.E. Russell (the token black guy) and Shawn Phelan. None of them are very good actors (except Astin), but who cares? This is a mindless action film. The only other good performances are from Denholm Elliott (having a ball as the headmaster) and Louis Gossett Jr. as the dean.

Other than that--there's lots of action, suspense, explosions and little brains. In other words---FUN!

Only complaint (and this is minor)--it's a bit too long (there are THREE endings) and there is LOTS of casual, bloody violence (the R rating was well-earned). Still, I enjoyed it a lot.

I remember seeing this when it first came out in theatres and wondering why it wasn't a bigger hit at the time. Writer/director Daniel Petrie Jr. and his co-writer David Koepp have done an excellent job of taking a basically far-fetched comic-book plot and then getting us to go along for the ride. The acting is generally good all-around, with special kudos going to Andrew Divoff as the smooth, suave villain. Smart, fast paced, action-packed and exciting....a perfect popcorn picture.