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Starring Casper van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Muldoon, Michael Ironside. Directed by Paul Verhoeven. It is the mid 21st century, and there are no longer countries, only one world government. And it's a good thing too. In a galaxy far, far away, a race of intelligent bugs have been threatened by humans, and in retaliation, are hurling huge meteors back at Earth. The government and education system has devised a class system of "citizens" and "civilians". To become a citizen, a person must sign up for military service for a minimum two years to show they have earned their citizenship. The movie begins in a classroom in Buenos Aires where a bunch of gorgeous and photogenic teens are considering their futures. Johnny (van Dien) has lousy grades, so he joins the Mobile Infantry. His girlfriend Carmen (Richards) has phenomenal grades, so she is accepted into the Air Fleet as a pilot. Dizzy (Meyer) is the high school quarterback, and has the hots for Johnny, so she joins the Infantry to be with him. A wise-cracking brainiac with ESP (Patrick - yes, that is Doogie Howser) joins the Science and Strategy section of the military. In the 21st century, sexism is dead. Women can perform any function a man can, including fighting in the army or flying a plane. Men and women bunk together and shower together (you'd think that would guarantee recruitment). The women are as tough as the men, and are accepted without question. While these new recruits are in basic training, a huge meteor gets through the Earth defences and kills millions of people, including Buenos Aires and all our heros' loved ones. In response, Earth declares war on the bugs. Upon arriving on Klendathu, the main bug planet, the Earth warriors discover the bugs are intelligent and lethal, and the bugs hand the Earthlings a crushing defeat. The Earthlings regroup, and then return to the fray to fight the bugs and strive to make the galaxy safe for Earthlings once again. The film is based on a 1959 book, and the attitudes of that period show through. Verhoeven has added much social comentary, as well as considerable humour and romance. Society in his vision is a semi-fascist police state. Although society members can choose whether to enter military service, they are continually bombarded with pro-war propaganda. Verhoeven cleverly intermixes pro-war recruitment films and morale boosters, similar to those used in World War to bolster the resolves of those on the home front. While the bugs may be the substitute for the Nazis, it is the human military who looks like it has become a modern Third Reich. The army jackboots its way through exercises, and the military officers wear coats and gear reminiscent of the Nazis in Casablanca and other WW2 films. People seem to have few rights, and they expect few. Field Commander Rasczak (Ironside) tells his troops, "If you don't do your job, I'll shoot you" and no one bats an eye. Johnny screws up and his punishment is 10 lashes from an old-fashioned whip, and everyone watches like it was an old Western movie. Starship Troopers is made with tongue firmly planted in cheek - at least I hope it is. The raw-raw jingoism is played straight by the cast, and the dialogue contains hokey lines reminiscent of war films in the 1940's, but they are appropriate to the vision of the film. Carmen tells Johnny they must put their love on hold - "Johnny, it's different now. We're at war." The actors are mostly beautiful, buffed, young, and unknown. The acting is not the strong suit of the film, but it is not a big liability either. The special effects are numerous and spectacular. While much of the film echos past films - for example, Doogie performs a pseudo-Vulcan mind meld on the bug leader - the effects are new, real looking and exciting. There are five different types of bugs, and they are made to look real, and deadly. There is also a considerable amount of violence. Bugs pierce right through soldiers, whip them around to maximize pain, with copious amounts of blood gushing out. Soldiers are decapitated and mangled often, and bugs are blown apart by bullets and grenades. And unusual in this day and age, key characters are killed and maimed - you can't always guess who will get it, and when. The film is over 2 hours long, but the plot just flies by, intermixing furious action sequences with time for romance and character exposition. There are plot holes to be sure, but overall Starship Troopers is an outstanding and inventive action film.  |