Rent Starship Troopers (1997)

Hordes of mean, nasty, violent bugs - great stuff! - Starship Troopers review by RP

I have a few favourite sci-fi films which include 'Blade Runner', 'Alien' and 'Aliens' – and this one.

It's supposed to be based on Robert Heinlein's 1959 novel of the same name - and the name is about all it shares as the story has been more than a little changed; but that's certainly not unusual for film adaptations.

So what do I like about it? Well, it's space fiction with proper alien monsters, 1950s style cheesy cardboard characters, lots of action / violence / blood and gore - and not a little irony and political messaging thrown in for good measure. It's set in a future totalitarian state where the masses require citizenship to be able to vote etc, but if you're rich enough then citizenship doesn't matter. But the way to get citizenship is through military service - and the poor bloody infantry get slaughtered in a war against nasty arachnid aliens, referred to as 'bugs'.

In many ways it's a classic war story: school days and friendship, boot camp and friendship, war, death and the loss of friends, victory and reunion. But the recruitment ads for the military are fascistic in tone and there is a subtext that the future is not at all a pleasant democratic place.

As an aside, unlike most similar films, 'home' is not smalltown USA but Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Yes it's cheesy, not everybody likes (or can even see) the irony, but I like it. And the action - when it starts - is relentless, as are the unending hordes of mean, nasty bugs.

Great stuff - 5/5 stars.

Brilliant action sci-fi. But its also much much more - Starship Troopers review by JD

I re watched as recommended by a youtuber.

His reason was you watch it once when your young and enjoy the action and sci-fi. But think nothing more.

Then you watch it again, older with wiser eyes and its like a different film.

Indeed, not only is this still thoroughly enjoyable (and trounces almost any modern scifi) it also has wit and humour and clever political messaging (note i say clever, not the clumsy and irritating 'support who i say for or else' messages you get today)

It also completely avoids comparison with Aliens (the king of all action sci-fi). Where any other soldiers v aliens film would almost always copy from or just head down a path which would lead to comparison and a nasty defeat. This seems to skillfully set itself far enough apart to be incomparable.

Probably worthy of 5 stars, but as its not quiet up there with Robocop or Aliens i give it 4. But its a must see 4.

Inspired Science Fiction - Starship Troopers review by GI

Thematically aligned with director Paul Vehoeven's earlier film, Robocop (1987), this is his most extreme condemnation of fascism, racism and bigotry highlighting the easy indoctrination of the young by the State to achieve its aims. Set in a future where democracy has been abandoned and the rich still hold privileged positions in society but where gaining citizenship by doing 'service' is heralded as the right thing for young people to do. Humans have conquered spaceflight but in their drive to control the galaxy have started a war with a far distant planet inhabited by large, intelligent insects. These are seen as a less worthy form of life and to be destroyed. The story follows a group of college friends who are caught up in the ideology of the State and go to war against an enemy they are taught is undeserving of life but who prove to be more intelligent than they were told. Verhoeven uses extreme violence and gore to satirise his themes, and oh boy is this a bloody film, so be prepared if you've not seen it. But despite its science fiction and war genre story this is a film with some stark warnings about attitudes to difference, to others and the role of violence in society. To an average viewer this may seem just a full on action sci-fi film that really rocks but scratch the surface and you have an intricate look at modern society and the dangers of populism. This is arguably Verhoeven's cleverest American film, a massive cult favourite and definitely one you should check out if you've never seen it.