Small soldiers

When defence industry firm Globotech takes over the small toy company Heartland Play Systems, it makes for some interesting merging of ideas. New CEO Gil Mars (Denis Leary) approves an enhancement to current action figures to make them look more realistic, and gives the task to Heartland employees Larry Benson (Jay Mohr) and Irwin Wayfair (David Cross). This results in the creation of some serious looking fighting figures, appropriately called the Command Elite who wage a constant war against the alien Gorgonites. As a final measure, Benson inserts some of Globotech’s powerful military computer chips into the new toys. In a run down toy store in Ohio, a father and son get to see the new product and decide it’s just what they need to boost their failing business. The son learns to communicate with the leader of the Gorgonites, Archer (voice supplied by Frank Langella), which has serious consequences for their future. It’s not long before the Command Elite burst forth from their packing, led by Chip Hazard (voice supplied by Tommy Lee Jones), ready as ever to do battle with the Gorgonites. When Chip sees the Gorgonite leader communicating with humans, it results in an all out war between the Command Elite and humans in a fantastic mix of live action, animatronics, puppetry and computer animation. Voices from Robert Aldrich’s ‘The Dirty Dozen’ are provided as some of the voices of the Command Elite. Cast also includes Kirsten Dunst and Gregory Smith. Features a tribute to Phil Hartman after the closing credits.