The Song - I've grown to like this remix.They do a real Frankenstein number on Tom Sawyer. They rip it apart and then put it back together in strange combinations. They add in beats to measures that were standard 4/4 time. Anyone who wants to add even more time changes to a Rush song deserves some respect. That's the good part. The bad part is they've completely removed Neil's drum part. Those famous fills are missing in action. Anyone who would do that deserves some disrespect.
The Album - This is the "Music From Small Soldiers" Soundtrack. Do NOT confuse this with "Small Soldiers: The Score" by Jerry Goldsmith. The album has some great songs but they have all been "updated". For the most part this just means they stuck some rap into the song. Unfortunately the rap is just shoved into the song with no ear for continuity. In all cases, this gratuitous rapping detracts from the song. This includes Tom Sawyer. Although I like the remix, there is a very brief rap just stuck into the middle of the song that just leaves you scratching your head in bewilderment.
The Movie - This movie just didn't gel. I loved the idea. It's pretty much the same as Gremlins. But the main character is a very drippy kid who gives an unconvincing performance. Dennis Leary shows his usual two dimensional acting. And the toys just aren't as amusing as they should be. Especially when I stuck around for the credits and discovered that the soldier toys voices were from the cast of The Dirty Dozen (with the addition of Tommy Lee Jones) and the good, weird toys voices were the cast of Spinal Tap. Man, they should have told us that up front. This film was marketed the wrong way for sure. It should have been a lot funnier. It does have some good moments, though.
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