- 1991movierewind
Episode #129: Toy Soldiers
Listen to Episode 129 of the Podcast here while you enjoy the show notes.
SUMMARY - Toy Soldiers follows a group of teenagers in the Regis boarding prep school. Billy Tepper (played by Sean Astin) has already been kicked out of three other schools and his best friends have also been rejected from other places. This group of misfits will try to become unlikely heroes when a terrorist gang takes the entire school hostage.
Screenplay by Daniel Petrie Jr. and David Koepp; Directed by Daniel Petrie Jr.; and released on April 26,1991.
FILM DISCUSSION
The movie shows these rapscallions with their quaint little pranks, sort of like this is a PG film
They sell alcohol to the students and hot wire the phones, so it's all the makings of an innocent romp
There's a really good relationship between the Dean and the kids
Then it gets more adult in terms of the hostage situation
But still says tame and kid-like in parts
There's this big plan to take down the terrorists
But there are some plot holes and some moments with dumb criminals
Still, there are spurts of action, even if we would have liked to see more
And it would be nice if all the kids had some key role to play
At least the acting is good across the board, including a foreboding villain
Awards Talk: The only one was a Young Artist Awards Nomination for Best Ensemble Cast
TRUE CRIME & POP CULTURE
This week we don't have any true crime to talk about so we jump right pop culture.
First, we talk a little about the book this was based on.
Next, here was the new music for the week of April 27, 1991
Huey Lewis and the News - Couple Days Off
Luther Vandross - Power of Love/Love Power
Another Bad Creation - Playground
Ice T - New Jack Hustler
Surface - Never Gonna Let You Down
B Angie B - I Don’t Wanna Lose your Love
Starship - Good Heart
Kane Roberts - Does Anybody Really Fall In Love Anymore
RANKINGS & RATINGS
Nikki 1-5 star scale - 3 out of 5
Jon 0-4 star scale - 2 1/2 out of 4
Would you watch it again? - Yeah, we both would. It may not be as fun as something like "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" and it has some pacing problems, but we enjoyed the action when it existed and the relationships between the various characters enough to come back to it later on.
If you want to watch Toy Soldiers, as of this recording in September 2023, it’s available on Philo, YouTube, Digital Rental, VHS, DVD. Check your local listings.
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