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Parents' Guide to

Toys

By Charles Cassady Jr., Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Despite title, edgy fantasy-fable isn't geared toward kids.

Movie PG-13 1992 121 minutes
Toys Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 1 parent review

erinw2
erinw2 Parent
November 1, 2014
age 11+

Why is there always pg13 movies

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

TOYS is set in a surreal landscape where the amazing Zevo Toys factory stands isolated in endless, green, rolling hills. The dying president of the family-owned wind-up toy and novelty business thinks his man-child son Leslie (Robin Williams) isn't ready to head the company, and he instead wills it to his estranged brother Leland Zevo (Michael Gambon), a general in the US Army. Leland is far more interested in defense, munitions, and espionage than toys, and he soon has the whimsical factory filled with security troops, ID checks, and paranoia. A visit to a video-game parlor full of war-waging kids convinces the increasingly power-mad Gen. Zevo to secretly recalibrate the whole factory. Now it will create miniature, computerized toy-sized weapons (or deadly weapons disguised as playthings). Leslie and a small group of allies discover the conspiracy and try to stop it.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

On a visual-media level, Toys is breathtaking, a pastel- and primary-colored nursery-room world, with optical illusions and false-perspective shots borrowed from great surrealist painters. Even a shameless ad for MTV (Leslie and his crew fake the music-channel to fool guards) is so clever looking one almost doesn't mind. Almost. Sex gags, cussing, and the lack of child characters signify this is a more grownup toy story than Toy Story, but some teens might enjoy its vibe, visions, Robin Williams' energetic patter, and even the naivete of the politics.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the anti-war, anti-weapons message of the film. Did it change any attitudes?

  • Discuss with kids the occasional controversies over "war toys" and whether fake guns and mortars are suitable as playthings.

Movie Details

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