Toys (1992)

Average rating

(55%)

Starring:	Robin Williams \| Joan Cusack \| Michael Gambon \| Robin Wright \| LL Cool J
Director:	Barry Levinson
Studio:	20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time:	116 mins
Genres:	Comedy
Languages:	English
Released:	October 13, 2003
Also available on:

Robin Williams stars in this surreal anti-war fantasy directed by Barry Levinson (RAIN MAN, DINER). Williams plays Leslie Zevo, the son of a fun-loving toymaker. Leslie and his sister, Alsatia (Joan Cusack,) grew up surrounded by their father's whimsical creations in the fantastic factory that he built. When their father dies, the children find that he has left his beloved business in the hands of his brother, a war-monger General (Michael Gambon), thinking that despite his children's love of the company, they don't have minds for business. Unable to disregard his military sensibilities, the General embarks on his own secret project in an effort to make toys that fulfill his confrontational nature, developing video games for children that actually control live weapons. Discovering their uncle's diabolical plan, Leslie and Alsatia set out to stop the general in his tracks and save their father's dream factory from manufacturing lethal weapons. Levinson's interesting social commentary also features rapper LL Cool J as the general's son, Patrick, a military man who specialises in camouflage; and Robin Wright as Leslie's love interest.

Rating of 2 stars out of 5

In this fragile fantasy, Donald O'Connor plays an ailing toymaker whose factory becomes an assembly line for destructive toys when his war-addicted brother, Michael Gambon, inherits the business. You'll gasp in sheer amazement at the magnificent sets and décor, which alone make this vainglorious slice of Pythonesque whimsy and allegory worth a look — just try to ignore the rather naive and self-indulgent plot. Robin Williams, playing the nephew who tries to stop Gambon manufacturing only war toys, is surprisingly low-key, though, ironically, director Barry Levinson's cult flop could have done with one of Williams's over-the-top performances.

Highest rated reviews

3 out of 3 people found the following review helpful:

What is this mess?

Motta80 from West Sussex, 6th September, 2004

This is a truly horrible film. Barry Levinson is a great filmmaker (Diner, Tin Men, Rain Man, Wag the Dog) so what happened here?

This film is a mess. It is never funny. Even Robin Williams seems to tied to the material to be able to improvise to good effect.

Joan Cusack is wasted, as is Robin Wright.

The idea is not a bad one, military general takes over toy factory, and could have been made to much better effect - think this concept combined with Small Soldiers?! There was potentially a good idea here, but this film isn't it.

Worst of all is the unnecessary, brutal and dull, good toy vs bad toy battle toward the end.

A thoroughly unpleasant film, I didn't watch it for 12 years and now I know why!

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