Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Toy Soldiers Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 27, 2020

In the years following the successful release of “First Blood,” the world demanded a new generation of action heroes. Men of honor. Men of muscles. Men of limited dramatic ability. Co-writer/director David Fisher (“Liar’s Moon”) skips these requirements for 1984’s “Toy Soldiers,” bringing in 45-year- old Jason Miller to portray a tough, seasoned war veteran capable of taking on an entire Central America rebel army. In short shorts and a Rambo bandana. Miller’s a fantastic actor, and he’s trying to get something started for Fisher, teamed with a cast of young actors who don’t really understand what they’re doing in this supremely goofy actioner. While he doesn’t have the physical presence of a powerhouse hero, Miller commits to the endeavor, giving “Toy Soldiers” some needed thespian emphasis while Fisher struggles to sell the central idea of kids saving kids in the middle of a dangerous foreign land.

Hired as a chaperone for a summer vacation trip, Sarge (Jason Miller, “The Exorcist”) is put in control of a large yacht filled with drunk college kids, traveling around Panamanian waters. Onboard are rich girl Amy (Terri Garber), her boyfriend Jeff (Jay W. Baker), baseball star Boe (Tim Robbins, in his feature acting debut), nerd Larry (Douglas Warhit), womanizer Trevor (Larry Poindexter), his latest fling Monique (Tracey Scoggins), shy girl Buffy (Mary Beth Evans), and obese jokester Big Tom (Jim Greenleaf). Unable to control their bad behavior, the gang manages to separate Sarge from the boat, leaving him in the middle of nowhere as they continue their journey without someone policing it. When Big Tom has an accident that results in a brain injury, the kids elect to dock at the nearest shore, ending up in a strange area of Central America. Looking for help, Amy, Jeff, Monique, Buffy, and Big Tom are quickly taken hostage by Colonel Perez (Rodolfo de Anda) and his band of armed rebels, imprisoned in hostile conditions while the rest of the vacationers are reunited with Sarge and return to L.A. Unable to deal with the guilt, escapee Amy decides to organize a rescue mission with Boe, Larry, and Trevor, hoping to talk Sarge into leading the charge into the country, collecting her frightened friends from Perez’s jungle camp.

Sarge is depicted as a grizzled Vietnam vet with a drinking problem, initially put in charge of a summer yacht trip that pairs him with rowdy college kids who hold little interest in the particulars of boating safety or personal conduct. Sarge has a strange reservoir of patience for the crew, who are often drunk or passed out, but growing resistant to having a chaperone onboard. Sarge also handled narration duties for Fisher, who has the unenviable task of introducing eight younger characters in the opening minutes of the movie. The production quickly loses faith in an organic meet- and-greet, giving Sarge the expositional honors with his thoughts, which are often crudely laid over dialogue exchanges, hinting the narration was a last-minute idea. Amy is technically the leader of the pack, arranging use of her father’s yacht, and the squad makes a critical effort in judgement when they send Sarge off to retrieve a dinghy, leaving him behind to explore the open waters on their own. Of course, such freedom permits Fisher to deliver wet t-shirt action and sunbather ogling, but “Toy Soldiers” soon gets serious, with a blunt blow to Big Tom’s head eventually putting a handful of the youngsters into Perez’s prison.

“Toy Soldiers” isn’t too eventful, but a few sequences come to life, including Amy eventual escape from the camp, crawling into a coffin to find a way out. It’s here where Sarge begins to show off his abilities, but instead of a “leave no man behind” mindset, he’s more of a “run!” kind of guy, aware that the only way to get out of a bad situation alive is to protect yourself. He’s quick with a shoelace strangulation, but Sarge is more concerned with leaving Central America, returning Amy to her outraged parents. Fisher tries to get political with “Toy Soldiers,” highlighting the U.S. Government’s failed negotiations with Presidenta Lopez (Angelica Aragon), who wants to preserve an aid package, hoping to clear away this problem as soon as possible. However, most of the feature is simplistic, soon focusing on Amy’s mission to collect her friends by herself, understanding that nonpayment of a three-million-dollar ransom demand will result in executions.

Amy’s “A-Team” is composed of Boe, Larry, and Trevor, who begin their training odyssey by bashing a watermelon with a baseball bat. Joining the squad is Ace (Willard E. Pugh), Amy’s butler, who’s studying to be a surgeon and has connections to criminals across town. Her big get is Sarge, who demands a bigger army to complete the mission, settling for a handful of kids and his war buddy Buck (Cleavon Little). They collect weapons and plan for war in what appears to be a day or two, with Perez shortening the timeline after he sends an assassin to take out Amy on a public beach. He’s not a talented assassin. “Toy Soldiers” gets to the good stuff in the finale, following the team as they parachute into the danger zone, with Amy unwisely offering Sarge a parting gift of a new flask filled with booze (keep in mind the man is handling the explosives). It’s one of many unintentional laughs in the movie.

Toy Soldiers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

New to Blu-ray, "Toy Soldiers" offers an AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Working with an older scan of the film, Code Red hopes to beautify the viewing experience with color correction, putting some faint power back into reds and blues, giving costuming brighter hues. Military beiges and greens are acceptable, along with jungle views. Skintones are flat. Detail is soft, battling age and cinematography that occasionally loses focal control. Facial particulars are basic at best, offering limited appreciation for skin surfaces. Costuming and rebel compound interiors are passable, along with open water yachting events in the first act. Delineation is adequate, but it wrestles with a lot of terrible day-for- night processing. Grain is chunky. Source showcases some wear and tear, with judder and scratches detected, along with a few print blemishes.

Toy Soldiers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix includes overly aggressive music throughout the feature. Dialogue exchanges often struggle around scoring cues, which come close to overwhelming performances a few times. Without loud music, actors come through adequately, dealing with Miller's dramatic impulses, which has him muttering lines at times. Sound effects are simple, and atmospherics are limited.

Toy Soldiers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (1:36, SD) is included.

Toy Soldiers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shootouts and chases eventually take command of "Toy Soldiers," and some excitement arrives, watching Amy and her pals take on Perez's army while the prisoners undertake their own escape efforts. Explosions ensue, and it's enough of a payoff to support the viewing experience, which is mostly held together by Miller and his decision to give a limited part his all, hoping his method-y passion will rub off on his co-stars. "Toy Soldiers" is very silly stuff, but it does remain entertaining, adding to the decade's interest in teenagers saving the day with Americanized military swagger.