Rating: 
Summary: Underrated Science Fiction Classic
Review: Starship Troopers is a truly underrated classic. Directed by Paul (Robocop) Verhoven, the story takes place far into the future where the world has become a 'Facist Utopia'. It's a world where citizenship is earned through military service and values are taught in war. The original story, written by sci-fi master Robert Heinlein in 1959, took such a future very seriously. Not so with Verhoven, he attempted to approach this Brave New World with camp and satire and I think many people missed this point. Narrated by a futuristic internet that includes satirical recruiting commercials, we follow the lives of a group of friends - Johnny Rico (Casper Van Diem), Carmen Ibanez (Monica Richards), Dizzy Flores (Dina Meyer) and Carl Jenkins (Neil Patrick Harris). Johnny joins the service because of his girlfriend (Carmen) but is followed right along into service by another girl (Dizzy) who has a major crush on him. However, it becomes clear that they all joined the service just in time as attentions soon turn from each other to that of the enemy - Giant bugs. These giant, killer bugs have declared war on the Earth from their home world of Klendathu and are using long distance asteroids to inflict catastophic damage. The movie kicks into high gear when soldiers are sent to the extraterrestrial battlefields of Klendathu - a kind of out-world Armageddon. A violent and graphic war is under way as soldiers are ripped apart by these giant bugs, some of which include built in flame throwers. The interaction between the bugs and soldiers is nothing less than spectacular. Indeed, in this era of The Matrix and The Phantom Menace, the digital FX in Starship Troopers easily rank as some of the best you will ever see. At one point, the soldiers are defending a fort against a HUGE army of insect warriors, some of which fly, in a scene that looks like some sci-fi version of the Alamo - Very effective. I will say, however, it struck me strange that a people who have created such advanced interstellar travel would not create better insecticide as the soldiers use pretty standard machine guns that take awhile to put a bug down. Also, Klendathu looked dull - colorless and full of rocks. Oh, well. All in all, this movie is great. Don't take it too seriously, have fun with it.
Rating:
Summary: Exhilarating Eye Candy- But Not for the Squeamish
Review: Okay so maybe this movie shouldn't be taken too seriously, but it's a lot of fun to watch. Based on Robert A. Heinlein's classic novel, director Paul Verhoeven ("Basic Instinct" and "Robocop") made this film with tongue planted firmly in cheek...but not at all times. There are bouts of seriousness, but they generally don't last too long. The acting is actually kind of stale by most of the players, especially Casper Van Dien and Denise Richards in the lead roles. The most likable character is played by Jake Busey in a supporting role. Yet with all the cheese that was intentionally added, the movie still works and is very, very entertaining. The special effects, particularly the giant insects, are some of the best that ever made it on to film, and some of the most startling as well. If you have a weak stomach, you may want to skip this one. The epic-style story telling also adds to the mix making this film part "Star Wars" and part "Platoon", with the intentional satire of "Robocop" added in. The DVD edition features some behind-the-scenes footage and a few deleted scenes that are in a special section and not re-edited into the film.
Rating: 
Summary: To subtle for most
Review: I exepct some raised eyebrows here! How can this film, so gory, so loud, so violent, be associated with the word subtle? Well, it can.
What Verhooven tries to show is that there is no very little difference between the two societies, the insect and the human. The insects are a collective intellect, with all commands given from above, and each individual warrior is unimportant, only useful to sacrifice in battle. If you think a bit you see that that is exactly how the human army also functions. The other trick Verhooven throws in is that by cheering for the humans, we are actually also cheering for this militaristic, fascistic, unequal society. Therefore the film leaves a bitter aftertaste. It is also hinted in the film that the humans actually provoked the war in the first case.
The film tries to warn us about too blindly following our leaders. I tries to tell us that it is too easy to become what you fight. The film has a message for our times.
Rating:
Summary: My wife hates this movie
Review: I love it. It is a hilarious parody of a fascist American (UN) empire on earth. It is oddly relevant to the Bush 2 presidency. The scenes of "Sky Marshals" giving speeches before a very UN like flag are almost exact re-enactments of the Bush speech to the UN about Iraq. My wife just can't see it. She hates it.
Rating:
Summary: A Satiric Action Film
Review: I don't think most people "got it" after seeing Starship Troopers. The biggest complaint seems to be about the casting. A lot of young and gorgeous actors in the lead roles then watching them get ripped to shreds. It is supposed to play out as a purposely reversal of "Aliens" I thoughly enjoyed Paul Verhoven's take on the classic Robert Heinlein novel. First off, they are two very different entities. While the movie does keep the basic storyline, that's where it ends. If anything Full Metal Jacket would be a closer adaptation of Starship Trooper the novel. Verhoeven plays up the cold fascist militaristic atmosphere which purposely plays out as quite humorous and the the gigantic insect creatures which are a special effects extravaganza. The script by RoboCop writer Ed Neumeier has some fun with the novel. The diologue is simplistic, it's supposed to be. I laugh more than cring watching Denise Richards, who's drop dead gorgeous and really is a "space cadet" Starship Troopers is supposed to play out as a "Pretty things go to war" kinda like driving your brand new Porsche into the city, through giant potholes, crazy cab drivers, car thieves and such. This DVD edition is first rate with a nice collection additional material on the making of this loud, gory, and tongue in cheek action film. It's a movie... so don't take it so seriously.
Rating:
Summary: Convincing, yet disappointing adaptation to Heinleins novel.
Review: Well, what can I say. Paul Verhoeven took the great sci-fi novel by Robert Heinlein and tried to do a live-action movie about it. Well he succeeded to a point in that he successfully created the universe including the hardware, ships, bugs, and troopers. However he didn't follow the novel closely enough. He totally left out the second alien race, the skinnies, which are kind of in a limbo status between being loyal to the bugs or against them. Verhoeven however did manage to include a rather ridiculous love triangle between Rico, Diz, Carmen, and Zander. And if you thought that the on-screen bit was ridiculous, wait till you see the cut scenes. But on the plus side, the movie is entertaining enough to watch as a space-based WWII movie. Which is basically what it is. The effects are awesome. The spaceships and damage models are thoroughly convincing. The bugs are well animated and textured. The splattering goo from the bugs is a little hokey, but not too bad. But the main point of the Starship Troopers legacy is that it wants the viewer to see that the bugs are indeed the evil bad guys. No two ways about it. The bugs' sole purpose is to exterminate the earth and all human kind. So it's a fight for survival of the human race. Now as for the DVD, the picture is about the best picture I have seen on a non-Superbit transfer. The picture is bright, sharp, and very colorful. It looks outstanding in Component Video on a Flatscreen TV. The DVD also comes with a short behind-the-scenes documentary and a couple effect shot breakdowns along with some screentesting shots. Of course it has 3 additional scenes which flesh out the love triangle thing which I'm actually glad they left out because it just made that side-plot even more out of place and ridiculous. I gave the movie 4 stars for creating such an out of this world universe to the big screen, but left off the one star for not follwoing the novel any better. However if you really want the true story of the Starship Troopers, I suggest you check out the Roughnecks: Starship Trooper Chronicles CGI series. Currently the first four DVDs containing the first season are out. (20 episodes of a 2 season-40 episode series.) I've got my copies coming by UPS as we speak. Thanks
Rating: 
Summary: So very, very bad...
Review: If you're hoping for anything like the classic novel, skip this turkey. It can't decide if it wants to be slapstick, satire or gung-ho. The acting is dreadful, the writing is worse. Skip it!!
Rating:
Summary: Heinlein's masterpiece, as twisted by Hollywood liberals...
Review: This is easily the worst rendering of ANY well written novel to the big screen that I've ever seen. Except for the names of the characters, there was practically no resemblance to Heinlein's masterful "future history". Where is the powered armor, which is the reason for the "Mobile Infantry" name? Why do we have a silly-assed, unbelievable love story between Jonnie & his pilot childhood friend? Why do we have nude shower scenes, which seem to have no place in the storyline? Did the producer & director spend their entire budget on computer generated images, so they had none left for a decently done screenplay? The ONLY redeeming feature in this film is the CGI. It is pretty well done. But the story has been twisted from the alternative culture which Heinlein described, to some neo-Nazi regime that would not be worth saving. This is truly the worst waste of celluloid I've seen in recent years. Of course, if all you're looking for is more mindless Hollywood twaddle, CGI special effects and gratuitous nudity, you may enjoy it. But be warned, it's even further from the book than Tom Clancy's "The Sum of All Fears" was. Don't waste your money!
Rating:
Summary: This movie was great.
Review: I really enjoyed this movie. It's brainless fun and good to watch more than once while you're working and such. Funny as all hell as it's a satire of old war propaganda. The effects are top notch. Still some of the best even after I've seen the LOTR movies.
Rating:
Summary: dark humored satire..
Review: I LOVE this film! Its everything you expect from a Verhoeven film! it has all the dark humor that made Robocop such a hit. I find that if you can't laugh at the dark humor/satire you won't probably like this film and simply pass it off as "badly acted" or "mindlessly gory" etc.. First of all its SUPPOSED to have over the top acting and the film is bright and vivid in the sense it needs to be and dark when called for. I find it a brilliant film on that level and a fun action film on the other. Is it like the book? not really, of course not EVERY film is a director's version of a book etc when the film is adapted from a book. So instead of comaring it to the book watch it as a different version. It makes it all the more enjoyable!
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