Toys
Tags: good versus evil, anti war, cult, psychedelic, satire

Plot synopsis:
Amid a sea of gently-waving tall grass, lies the factory of Zevo Toys, founded by Kenneth Zevo as a place where 'joy and innocence prevail.' Kenneth works in his whimsical factory, along with his children Leslie, and Alsatia.In recent months, Kennth has grown deathly ill, and sends for his Militaristic brother, General Leland Zevo. Upon meeting his brother, Kenneth explains that he wants Leland to take control of Zevo Toys once he dies. This strikes Leland as a very strange request, since he is not at all like his brother, and is more concerned with the 'rank and file' of his former glory days.Eventually, Kenneth dies, and Leland is still not sure what to do. He goes to consult with their father, a bed-ridden, retired 4-star general. But even this doesn't lead to any answers. Leland finally decides to fulfill his brother's request, but even with Leslie and Alsatia welcoming him to the factory and trying to get him acclimated, Leland seems largely like a 'fish out of water,' not seeing the humor or fun in the factory's workings.During a board meeting, word of industrial espionage rouses his attention. Consulting with Kenneth's former advisor, Owen Owens, Leland decides to implement some changes.At a formal dinner at Leslie and Alsatia's home, they are introduced to Leland's son, Patrick, a master of camouflage. Leland takes the opportunity to explain to everyone about his upcoming plans. Patrick is being implemented to step-up security measures to prevent future information leaks, and Leland also plans to start a new line of 'war toys,' a concept that has never been introduced in the factory.Some months pass, and a major security detail is now in place, with the once happy workers now rather dour. Leland has grown upset that the design teams are not fulfilling his vision for a war toys line, and berates them, much to Leslie's displeasure. While passing by the copy room, Leslie meets Gwen Tyler (Robin Wright), who he soon strikes up a conversation with, and finds her to have a rather intriguing personality. Leslie also finds out that Gwen was hired by his father right before he died.Later that evening, Leland and Patrick go into town, where they peruse a video arcade, watching children play intently at the flickering game consoles. Going to a local toy store, Leland is amazed at what other companies have produced in regards to war toys. As they drive back to the country, Leland and Patrick stop at a small pond, and contemplate. Leland soon hits on an epiphany: what if military aircraft and hardware could be made smaller? After all, the reason they are so large is because they need a human being inside to man them. What if the human person operated the craft by remote control? Plus, this could allow Military spending to become less cumbersome!The next day, Leslie meets with Leland, to discuss his feelings about the 'war toys' line. Leslie contends that Zevo Toys has always been moreso about children, and war toys would bring a change to his father's philosophy. Leland 'plays along' with this, and claims he agrees, but asks Leslie if he could have some space to work on some of his own ideas for potential toys. Leslie agrees to this, but then notices some rather startling changes going on around the factory.Leland keeps asking for more space, which begins to 'shrink' other departments in the factory. Alsatia's department is also shut down, and a number of workers are fired. Owen Owens tells Leslie about children being brought into the factory, but has no idea where they are going to. Leslie confronts Leland about what he's doing, but the General is tight-lipped and refuses to say more.Leslie ends up obtaining a security key to the General's secret project, and after staging an elaborate plan to distract the guards, gains access to the secret room. Inside, he finds numerous children at videogame consoles, playing simulations of fighter craft in war-like scenarios. Leslie's presence is soon found out, and he attempts to escape, but falls into a pit, in which a strange creature named the 'sea-swine' inhabits. Patrick and the General find Leslie in the tank, and the two are at odds with the other: Patrick wants to save Leslie, but the General refuses.Leslie manages to secretly make his way out of the sea-swine enclosure, and reports to his family and friends what he's seen. Leslie then has a confrontation with the General about what he's seen, but the General refuses to tell more, other than requesting two weeks to finish his project, at which time he promises to show them what he's doing.After the meeting, Patrick informs the General that some men from Washington D.C. are coming to meet with him. The General is ecstatic, and a top-secret location is set-up a ways outside the factory, with tight security. The General states his vision for the future, but the men at the meeting are still unsure about his plan. Their negative attitude towards his ideas infuriates the General, causing him to strangle one of the men. The General appears to have gone power-mad, as later on that evening, while sitting in his office, he attempts to take care of an errant fly by shooting it with a pistol...and succeeds in shooting himself in the foot.By now, Patrick has grown upset with his father's 'conduct,' and goes to Leslie's place, where he explains to Leslie, Alsatia, Gwen, and Owen about what the General has been up to, and that they have to stop him. Sneaking into the factory, Patrick and the others split up, trying to find the main control center where the General is.The General uses this to his advantage, letting loose some cute-yet-deadly toys, before setting his military-style 'Tommy Tanks' and 'Hurly-Burly Helicopters' on them. Leslie, Alsatia, Gwen and Owen end up finding their way into a storage warehouse, where the General had the older Zevo Toys stored. Devising a plan, Leslie has the old toys wound up, and put to battle against the General's creations. As the battle rages on, Leslie runs off to find Patrick. He winds up in a room outside the General's offices that resembles a miniature of New York City, where Patrick explains that he's been wounded, and that Leslie has to get to the General's room and shut off the controls.Getting into a small plane over the New York model, Leslie tries to pilot it into the General's office, where he confronts the General, and manages to shut off the controls.As the machines shut down, Alsatia, Gwen and Owen join Leslie. However, the sea-swine has also been activated, and tries to kill Leslie, but misses, and hits Alsatia, causing her head to fly off. It is then revealed that she is a robot, that was created as a playmate for Leslie by his father. In the confusion, the General attempts to escape, but is attacked by the sea-swine.Time passes, and Leslie has now assumed control of Zevo Toys, returning it to it's more innocent state. The General has now become bed-ridden, and now shares quarters with his father as well.The film ends with Leslie, Alsatia, Gwen, and Patrick visiting Kenneth's Zevo's grave. Patrick then says his goodbyes, and wanders off into the sea of waving tall-grass.

Review: As a young child, Barry Levinson's 1992 film "Toys" was one of my favorite movies.
Even Roger Ebert wrote in his review "Visually one of the most extraordinary films I've seen, a delight for the eyes, a bright new world."While "Toys" was a box office flop and panned by critics, if you ask me, they failed to fully indulge themselves in the power of the film and it's special message about peace, joy, and innocence prevailing over war and evil.If you are a fan of Salvador Dali's work or just a fan of surrealism in general, "Toys" is the perfect film for you.
If you are just looking for a good comedy film to watch you might like "Toys" but this film is not for everyone.
Most people who've seen it agree that Joan Cusack's quirky characterization is wonderful and that the vignettes provided Robin Williams with a springboard for some of the best ad libs of his career.
"Toys" is a surrealist movie, and like any work of surrealism, it has a simple veneer over a more sophisticated message, one that defies explanation and works on the level of a dream.
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.
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.
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..
Watching this film again as an adult, I can honestly say that not only is this a great movie, but it is truly a work of art.
If you are someone who only likes big Hollywood movies then you probably wont enjoy this film.
People can be funny about movies like "Toys".They'll analyze them to death, wonder what underlying messages are hidden in the subtext, how much the FX cost, what the actors were thinking, all BEFORE they let the movie begin.
I don't think about things like that when watching a movie at first.
I was."Toys" uses Williams' natural exuberance and Cusack's looniness to its benefit and make them the most unique characters in a movie that ISN'T about toys as much as it is childhood, life, death and whatever happens to be in between.
I especially liked Cusack's comment at her father's funeral about the tin horn.Gambon plays the "serious-minded" adult who traipses into toyland and decides to declare war.
What can you expect in a movie where it makes up its own rules along the way, just like a child at play?I loved the production design and a lot of toys are just downright cute.
Wright is pretty, as always, and you have to love that down-home accent (and dolphin imitation).In the end, "Toys" breaks free of the world like the elephant during the end credits, making a world all its own, one where children's rules apply and simply allowing yourself to be a child is the perfect remedy to adulthood.
Nice Job, Barry.Ten stars and a smoking jacket for "Toys", the movie that proves there's a time and a place for children's things, as long as you don't let growing up spoil it for you..
An eccentric, pacifistic toymaker, Robin Williams, learns to take responsibility and assert himself after his father leaves the family toy factory to his uncle, Michael Gambon, a retired army general, who violates the company philosophy by making war toys.
Director Barry Levinson, a sometimes brilliant writer, used his considerable prestige to make this very big film built around this very simple analogy:  War is bad/innocence (toys) is good.
I have heard that this is one of Robin Williams personal favourites , and while I admit it's easy to see what people don't like about this movie ( eccentricity , continual whimsy ) I agree it's his best film .
The ultimate storyline of good versus evil plays out beautifully as the demented General ( marvelously portrayed by Michael Gambon ) wages war with robotical war toys against the more traditional products of the dream factory built by his recently deceased brother .
Watch for Robin's speech , spoofing many great real speeches , to his wind-up toys as they prepare to do battle against the evil war machines , it's clear he had much to do with it's cleverness and scripting .
A lot of people didn't like this film when it came out, and there are a lot who still don't , but I believe they are lacking in whimsical imagination and patience , because both are needed to enjoy this cinematic masterpiece.
It is a film that wants to praise toys as wonderful and special things, yet shows them to be creations of a world that is empty and cold.
Every time the jokes jerk us back into reality, the toyland of the film increasingly becomes an obvious sham.It is said that this was director Barry Levinson's pet project, one that he had been striving to get made for ten years.
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.
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.
the story line is even better the second time watching.i definitely recommend this to children of all ages and the big kid at heart.
^_^ The plot of the movie is as follows: A toy maker's ding wish is to have his brother take over the factory in the hopes that it will help his son Lesley Robin Williams) grow up a bit.
THE GOOD NEWS - What a visual treat this movie turned out to be, with some really colorful scenes that were unique and fun to view.
There are so many neat toys and so many Robin Williams' jokes that you can't catch them all, but it's fun trying.THE BAD NEWS - The bad news is the obvious Liberal agenda which is extremely anti-military.
There are so many cheap shots in this film against the military I lost count.OVERALL - A fun movie, quite entertaining and a visual treat..
Robin Williams stars in one of his best roles before he became slushy in Jakob the liar and Bicentennial Man. Joan Cusack is a brilliant actress and Michael Gambon portrays evil so wonderfully.
And yet it shouldn't be--it is directed by Barry Levinson ("Good Morning, Vietnam," "Rainman"), stars Robin Williams, Robin Wright, Joan Cusack, and was Levinson's dream project not touched by any studio until his first few films were hits.The direction is muddled, the tone goofy and the elements child-like.
After his death, The General does, indeed, take over the company, and he starts to manufacture military games to pollute children's minds.Zevo also had a son and a daughter, Leslie (Robin Williams) and Alsatia (Joan Cusack), the latter of whom is very quacky and not so bright.
Which is why "Toys" is simply unacceptable.Barry Levinson directed better with "Rainman," Robin Williams was more lovable as an eccentric, good-natured man in "Jumanji" (1995), Joan Cusack was funnier in "My Blue Heaven" (1990), and Robin Wright (Penn) was a great deal better in "The Princess Bride" (1987) and a little movie with Tom Hanks about a guy named Gump.
Robin Williams and (most especially) Joan Cusack are humiliated as brother and sister of a toy mogul who are bypassed as inheritors of the factory when their dad dies.
. .Watch "Toys" to understand what a 1 star movie is.
Why can't someone as talented and funny as Robin Williams make a better film than this?
Defend this movie will all your might, cause someone somewhere will not like it or understand it for that matter, and criticize you for it.Today was the first time I've seen this movie, and thinking how people had at least given it positive marks for visuals I was wondering if it would live up to today's.
I was amazed, the movie is beautiful in it's design and I can't picture any other actors more perfect for the part.Overall I'm stunned at the negative reviews, I understand what people mean by not liking or understanding the plot, but that's the originality of it.
I couldn't believe it when I saw comments like "Boring", "Horrible" and "The worst movie I've ever seen".
Audiences simply didn't get the film, thinking it was for kids and not understanding this is basically an adult fantasy, expressing the joy of having a bit of child and good in all of us.For the rest of us who got it, this is a breathtaking, joyous experience!
I admit I'm not much of a Robin Williams fan or of LL Cool J's lip-licking, and the film may seem a bit long at just over 2 hours, but Toys is such a unique work of art I never tire of watching it.
We may know that this film would not have an unhappy ending, but we still get wrapped up in a brother and sister's battle to save the toy factory...and the world!
It's too bad the soundtrack CD doesn't contain the complete full-length of some songs (The Closing Of The Year is tremendously longer on the end credits than on the CD).Toys was a dream project that Barry Levinson had wanted to work on and I for one am thankful he shared this vision with us.
I can understand how this film was a gamble but for those of us who understand and appreciate what Levinson's intentions were, watching Toys is like a really nice Christmas present that you'll cherish for years.
I still love Toys as much as when I first saw it in a theatre back in 1992, and watch it now and then to get a guaranteed wonderful feeling inside!LET JOY AND INNOCENCE PREVAIL!.
I have to admit, when I decided to go through some of my favorite movies on IMDb and see what other people had to say, I was nothing less than astounded by the low rating and many negative comments on Toys.
This is the film that dares to challenge how we play and begin our visualizations of what goals we should aim for, what "points" really represent and how the world's conflict resolution around us in the adult world is so often shaped by what we bring into it from our childhood.In the Christmas of 2005, after wandering through toy stores where kids beg their parents for the latest versions of "Mortal Combat" (or some equally violent and detailed phantasmagoria of killing and brutality), I went to my local movie store and felt an urge to watch this film.
Following the death of a Robin Williams I was rewatching his films and decided to watch some that I'd previously missed hence my son and I settled down to watch Toys.
Robin Williams was a fantastic actor but during his life he made some bad choices when it came to the movies he appeared in - this must surely be one of them..
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.
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.
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.
This movie will be many different things to many different people.As a kid I found Toys traumatic.
Many of the scenes are visual set pieces brilliantly delivered.But the overall plot could have been more thought out and the second half made much tighter and weightier.Joan Cusack's performance is utterly memorising and quite unique - worth seeing the film for that alone.
Barry Levinson For Blessing Us With Such A Vision Of TRUE Childhood Innocence And How It's Perverted By A World Gone Mad. Robin Williams Who Himself Is A Child At Heart Is Possibly One Of The Greatest Character Actors There Has EVER Donned Said Moniker.
It's a movie about a Toy factory, it's funny..
First there is the slapstick sight gags (the smoking jacket), than the 'come on, we've all done it' line (watch it to find out what I'm talking about) which, like many others is an adult joke that doesn't rule out kids finding it funny too.So if you like good music (closing of the year, is in my opinion all all time classic), laughs and something to take you back to your youth than I suggest this movie.
I must confess that Toys is one of my favorite movies of all time.
Robin Williams is a funny man, this movie is not.
I truly despised this film when i saw it at the age of about 6 or 7 as I was a huge fan of Robin Williams and nothing he could do was bad.
I'm a big fan of Robin Williams but this is his WORST movie EVER!.
"Toys" is my favorite movie of all time and those who have seen it can understand why..
Robin Williams couldn't have been better, and Joan Cusack was delightful and intriguing.The cinematography and editing were perfect.This is not a movie to take seriously.
I bought the movie because Robin Williams is my favorite actor and that was my big mistake.
16 years later we still compare this to other bad films, saying things like "well, at least it wasn't as bad as Toys".
Basic Plot: In its own artsy (meaning: badly presented directing and editing) way, the movie starts off with us learning that Robin Williams' father has just died and left his wealthy toy company to his brother Michael Gambon.
Joan Cusack (who plays Williams' sister)and Williams go through the movie (confusingly enough) trying to be happy-go-lucky 24/7 whilest the "bad man" Gambon tries to overthrow any control Williams might have by starting a harsh new line of toys which are "war toys".
Robin Williams and sister Joan Cusack try to keep uncle Michael Gambon from misusing their late father's toy factory.
Toys does an excellent job of delving into the mind of General Zevo and what really made me enjoy this film was my understanding of his drive to be renowned like the great generals of the past.
The bright colors, and cartoonish performance of Robin Williams & Joan Cusack, while the basic plot, and casting of 'serious' actors like Mr. Gambon, would appeal to the adults.
Robin Williams in "Toys" was one of the best things to hear.
This is a film that you should really look out for and if Barry Levinson is reading this PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE put this movie onto DVD.
The film sets a Kenneth Zevo who owns a toy factory that he leaves to his brother(a very good Micheal Gambon)in his will.
Its simplistic moral message becomes evident the very second that Michael Gambon walks on screen to turn Robin Williams' beloved toy factory into a military plant.
Unlike the adult fantasy films of Burton, "Toys" avoids dark humor and a cynical edge, making for a one of a kind, if flawed, movie experience..
Watching Joan cusack and robin Williams in this stupid film islike watching 2hours of non funny people with severe learning and social difficulties.
I, personally, love it.It has some of the most surreal, imaginative set design, fantastic music and best Robin Williams acting ever seen.
One of the more little known films of Robin Williams, it also starred Joan Cusack and Robin Wright.