you get a gift . it be exquisitely wrap . the box it be in be hand craft out of the fine wood and show skill down to the small detail . that be then wrap in gorgeous paper and handmade and hand paint by the most talented of artist . the whole thing be wrap in ribbon make from fine silk lace . it be a sight to behold . then you cut the ribbon and rip off the paper and open up the box and and find . nothing . that toy . you either enjoy the packaging and or forget about it . the film isn not without it point and purpose represent war be a not a good thing . well and isn not that original . the moral be so obvious that it be almost embarrass to even point it out . and even that feeble insight be undercut by a story in which element of war war toy in particular be clearly a bad thing and until they need an exciting climax and the film simulate a war use innocent toy . it like someone preach a stern and condescend sermon and only to end by say just kid . but even a an empty box and the film fail close scrutiny . yes and it be a sight to behold with some remarkable and striking image . the set be imaginative and the cinematography catch the colorful scene with skill . but the image be cold and emotionally sterile . like the screenplay and the look of the film be joyless and at time aesthetically barren and surreal . it be a film that want to praise toy a wonderful and special thing and yet show them to be creation of a world that be empty and cold . the film strive to be funny and in a morose sort of way and but the humor be force and artificial . robin williams and a the beleaguered heir to a toy manufacturing empire and toss in his ad lib shtick and which only seem alien to the bizarre and coldly structure world he be inhabit . indeed and the topical reference and tasteless sexual innuendo that be scatter throughout be jarringly contradictory to the childlike fable the film be vaguely try to be . for this film to work and or make sense and it need to be set in it own universe and an oz far remove from kansa . every time the joke jerk u back into reality and the toyland of the film increasingly become an obvious sham . it be say that this be director barry levinson pet project and one that he have be strive to get make for ten year . it be sadly obvious why he have trouble get back . like most pet project that finally get make ( radioland murder and radio flyer and battlefield represent earth be great example ) it seem to be a blind spot in the filmmaker field of vision . perhaps levinson direct and redirect toy so often in his head that he no fresh vision for it when he finally get on the soundstage . he have already perfect it to death . many of the toy feature in the film be clumsy and mechanical and wind up monstrosity . so be the film itself .