TOY SOLDIERS
US, 1991, 112 minutes, Colour.
Sean Astin, Wil Wheaton, Keith Coogan, Louis Gossett Jr, Denholm Elliot, R.Lee Ermey.
Directed by Daniel Petrie Jr.
Toy Soldiers is a rather gung-ho action adventure, geared at a teenage audience, but entertaining for adults as well. It focuses on US tensions with Latin American countries and their drug-dealing. The film starts grimly with massacres, moves to an attack on a school for the drop-out sons of wealthy families (The Rejects) and takes hostages. The film shows the ingenuity of a group of boys, particularly difficult for the staff of the school, who develop and plan and, of course, effect a rescue and the overcoming of the terrorists. Sean Astin has a good role as the ringleader and is well supported by Wil Wheaton and Keith Coogan. Andrew Divoff is a very effective villain. Denholm Elliott appears as the headmaster and Louis Gossett Jnr is the dean of the school. Direction is by Daniel Petrie Jnr, who co-wrote the script with David Koepp from a novel by William P. Kennedy.
1.A piece of Americana, gung-ho tone, Americans against the South American drug lords? The military background, education? Violence and hostages? Heroics?
2.The Colombia settings, the opening action and violence? The American school, interiors and exteriors? Stunts and special effects, the musical score?
3.The title and its ironies? The boys as soldiers?
4.The prologue and the mood, the siege, the media, the son of the drug lord, the brutal killing of the woman, the shooting? The television news? The execution of the judge? The vengeance by Lewis Cali? His father being extradited, imprisoned - and ironically killed at the behest of the Mafia? The vengeance of Cali, the pursuit of the son of the judge? His moving with the migrants across the border? Infiltration into the US?
5.The picture of the school - and the contrast with the world of Dead Poets Society? The dean and his strictness? The clientele - the rich parents and their drop-out sons? The headmaster and the ethos of the school? Staff? Discipline? Benign and severe? The difficult students, The Rejects? Their behaviour? The humiliation of the students? Their wanting revenge?
6.The boys, the rebels, the ingenuity, angers, their parents? CIA and the judge? The boys and manufacturing stories about their parents? Mafia connections? At school, good-hearted, channelling their energy - and being transformed into heroes? Their behaviour in the school, the listening in on the phone, the sex phone calls?
7.Billy as leader, his background, personality? His place in the group? Jogging, painting the notices - The Rejects? The techniques of outwitting the authorities? The technology? Discipline, the seller on the phone, listening in? The drinking? Caught? The lecture? The attitude of the headmaster, the vengeance with the furniture? Putting it back?
8.The group: Joey and his Mafia connections, ashamed of his father? Snuffy and his asthma? The Hispanic member of the group, the black member? Their own room, the drinking, the phone? Derring-do and following Billy's lead?
9.The dean - his going to the town, observation, information? The clashes with Billy, having to trust him? The headmaster? The death of the boy, the dean's return? Helping in the action, being wounded, saving Billy?
10.The headmaster, his having to cope, the administration of the school, the lessons - and the boys being bored with books? The hostage question? His role with the boys, the pressure by the South Americans? His being saved? The final drink? The dead members of staff?
11.The background of the Colombians, the boy as the target for kidnapping? The infiltration into the US, the takeover of the school, the threats, the treatment of the boys, the staff? The weapons and the wiring of the building? Explosives? The detonator on Lewis's arm? The guards, the strategies? The dossiers of the boys, the search? The treatment of the boys? Billy's reaction and confrontation? The information, the regime? The threats, the roll-call? Billy and his observation, data? The towel? And his shrewdness?
12.The boys and the interactions, the reaction to the confrontation? The risks? Billy and his plan? The two boys and the explosives? His getting out, chased, the return, the punishment? Snuffy and the roof? The guard, the use of the plane, the batteries? The distraction? The skill in changing the explosives, moving through the toilet? Overpowering the guards? The risks?
13.The parents and their anger, the Mafia boss and his reaction? The death of his son? The message to the prison, the murder of Cali in prison at his orders?
14.The army, the surveillance, the need for information? Discussions with the dean? Billy's plan, his getting out, his return? The attack, the involvement? Deaths?
15.The picture of American-style military heroics - by the toy soldiers? Action and pacing? Far-fetched or credible?
