Toys

Barry Levinson brings us a strange tale of a toy factory whose owner passes on and leaves in the hands of his two children (Williams and Cusack), very much children at heart, and his brother (Gambon), a US General with daddy issues. Seeing an opportunity, the General decides to hijack the traditional methods and mentality of the factory and build a new type of tech; war toys, designed to be economically lethal. Finding this out, it is up to our heroes, along with some friends like the General's camoflauge-happy son (LL Cool J) and a copy girl who falls in love with Williams' character, to stop him.

A case of 'wrong place, wrong time', Levinson odd little film is, though not without faults, surprisingly forward thinking about the desensitisation of youth and the dehumanisation of war. Today, that issue is much the rage (how often have we heard COD being called Propaganda/Army Porn or the use of drones), and in a post Columbine world, the idea of a youth perverted by the lack of distinguishing fantasy from reality is very potent, and one feels that 'Toys' would've been better served coming out now.

What's more, this also qualifies as one of the oddest studio films ever; from the Rene Magritte-centric production design to the interesting mix of actors here, though they all fit their roles well. The late Williams is very much the star of the show, and the child-like, jokey nature of this character fits him like a glove. Cusack as his doll-like sister also does well, giving the role a very youthful, almost eternally naive, quality. Joining them is the always superb Gambon as the pompous and crusty General, and he's having quite the ball in the role, and even Cool J as his son isn't half bad either, and actually has some good comic timing, especially given how meticulous his character is about proper military procedures. We even have Yeardley Smith and Jamie Foxx in small background roles.

However, some tonal indecisions, such as going from the dark subject matter to Williams' ad libs and wacky sight gags like a literal smoking jacket or fake vomit recipes, and a laggy climax involving a rather drawn out toy war do deflate things. In fact, that sums up why I believe the film's rep is so uncertain among critics and audiences; who is the target audience of the film? Is it an anti- war/protect our youth's innocence message for adults, or a quirky, oddball adventure for kids? It's like Levinson wants a live-action Ghibli film, but that careful blend of childhood magic and adult themes is off, making for an uneven, though still oddly fascinating, viewing experience.

Honestly, 'Toys' is worth seeing once as a ambitious novelty. It's such an odd mix of ideas, stories and even practices that there is really no movie like it out there, and it's sort of interesting seeing where it'll go or what it'll do next. Sometimes, a unique misfire is better than mediocre success.

To write a long critique of this film is tempting. When you spend two hours watching a movie there is the desire to see some new awareness or understanding as a result.

Toys just has nothing to say. The colors in most scenes are intense, but they can't make the movie compelling. There is no message. Worse, the movie excludes all audiences.

1. There is too much sexual inuendo and conflict for little kids

2. The characters are too thin and embarassingly simple to appeal to adults.

I admit to watching the whole movie. I have heard it called the "train wreck" effect. You just can't take your eyes away from the disaster. Your heart says it has to get better, that it will have some clever twist at the end. "Toys" is never clever. It is horrifying to watch as there seems to be no end to the childish behavior of the characters. Not greed or envy - the childish emotions. No, just characters that act goofy and silly.

"Toys" just does not work. The movie feels akward and it leaves you feeling empty in the end.

If there ever was a movie that REQUIRED narcotics to enjoy it, "Toys" may be that one. Other activities that are better with drugs? Surgery, dentistry, unemployment, imprisonment, psychosis, . . .

Watch "Toys" to understand what a 1 star movie is. I used to wonder why every movie seems to get at least two stars from the critcs. Now, I can see that they must reserve the honor of one star for ill-concieved cinematic mistakes like "Toys"

Toys is a movie easily overlooked and dismissed as childish and nonsensical. Nothing could be further from the truth though, as it is a movie of surprising depth and style.

The first point that must be covered is the performance given by Robin Williams as Leslie Zevo. Although it is fraught with his almost trademark wackiness there is an underlying current of a man who is on the edge of coming into his own. The layers of the character he plays are subtly shown, as Leslie is a man who is strong, but unsure of his strength and covers that insecurity with comedy and whimsy.

The film is visually striking, a real art department tour de force, and is very much removed from any hint of the past at first glance. Looking deeper into the visuals however reveals the films deeper content of classic surrealist motifs, especially that of dismembered body parts and other parts separated from the whole. Partially assembled dolls, the parts of which come out of machines that are shaped as further separated body parts, are shown throughout. Alsatia lives in rooms within rooms that seem separated from the wholeness of houses, and indeed lives in a paper fold-out doll house herself, the reasons for which become quite apparent by the films end.

This aesthetic choice, combined with the toys vs. weapons juxtaposition makes the films textual purpose clear. Toys is a surrealist reaction to the end of the Cold War, in the very same vein as the original surrealists reactions to the end of the First World War. The film even makes several direct references to one of the surrealist masters, Rene Magrite, especially in the music video sequence. This places Toys in a very deep anti-war tradition, one that is expressed very openly in the entire premise of a General taking control of a toy company and turning it to military purpose.

Any who would dismiss this film as merely childish surely owe it to themselves to take another look at this surrealist masterpiece and lose themselves in the quirky visuals and creative world that is placed on screen.

If there's anything to be said for Toys, it's a wonderful movie to look at. In terms of its tone, visuals, atmosphere, and set designs Toys knows exactly what type of world it wants to create. Unfortunately while we do have a beautiful looking world on display, we don't have much of a story taking us through it. After an eccentric toy inventor dies, feeling his son(Robin Williams) is not yet ready for the responsibility of running the factory, he instead arranges for his embittered career military man brother(Michael Gambon) to take over instead despite him only doing so because he can't get promoted past his current rank. From here it the movie the movie builds itself upon the conflict between Williams and Gambon where Williams wants the factory to continue build toys the fit the soft, playful, and creative philosophy of his late father, while Gambon wants to use the factory to build military hardware and arcade games where kids who think they're shooting enemies are actually wiping out entire cities........you read that correctly. The movie tries to use Williams' character as a representation of "classic" more "innocent times" while Gambon is supposed to be a commentary on the toy industry becoming more based on war and action tropes around the 80s with heavy emphasis on war, weapons, and other aspects of a similar nature. It's not like there isn't ground to be explored on the topic of how our portrayals of war affect societies attitudes towards it, especially in how it's marketed to youth, but it never fully commits to this idea and instead lends more focus to Williams comedy or the oddness of the set design. Even taking its lack of focus into account, the movie's fantastical nature works against what it's trying to explore because it's so divorced from our own reality feeling more in line with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory or Babes in Toyland in terms of its tone and visuals that whatever statement it wanted to make on the nature of war toys or shooting gallery video games loses its impact. Toys is not a bad movie, it's clumsily written and feels like it wants to make a statement on a topic without fully understanding or exploring it, but it is well intentioned and made with genuinely craft and care. It's worth seeing maybe once for the visuals, but there's not much beyond the visuals that'll stick with you past the end credits.

*** and a half/****

Toys comes very close to being perfect. First, it is the closest I have seen a director come to creating a Kubrick style of filmaking. However, the ending for this movie is terrible.

Toys is about a man named Leslie Zevo whose father's toy company is taken over by his uncle, General Leland Zevo. The General tries to change the toy line from wind-up toys and dolls to military equipment and is trying to create a toy army operated by little children on remote the control. The plot sounds far fetched but it works.

The beginning of this movie if flawless. The entire production design was definately Oscar worthy. Barry Levinson manages to create this incredible world. I actually did feel like I as watching a Stanley Kubrick film because of the camera and design. There's one chilling scene were Robin Williams is discussing some of the novelty items the company will produce and as he does it the walls of the room he is in slowly close in because the General needs more space to build his war toys. Out of all the films I've seen in the 90's this scene would rank as one of the most memorable amoung them.

The performances are good. Michael Gambon and Robin Williams are both strong (I think Robin Wright was mis-cast though). However, Joan Cusack gives one of the most incredible performances I've ever seen. She plays a very child like adult, almost retarded but doesn't quite cross the line. The risks she takes and her characterization are all brilliant. There is one momennt when she is at her father's funeral and she just talks about how the word "tinhorns" stays with her. It's so beautiful and pure.

Now, about the ending. There is a scene in the film where the General tries to kill a fly with a gun. The movie should have ended with him trying to shoot the fly, but then shooting himself. However, there is this whole cliche plotline about bad guys becoming good, there's a toy battle which goes against the thematic elements of the movie, and there's an unesecary love scene that ruins the Kubrickian mood. The ending actually reminded me of a movie called Baby Geniuses and anyone who has seen both movies (which I'm sure is unlikely) will agree with me.

Oh well, if you see Toys watch up to the scene with the General and the fly and then stop. If you do this, you will have one of the most enjoyable cinematic experiences of your life.