Director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Total Recall) had two options when adapting Robert A. Heiniein's 1959 novel Starship Troopers for the big screen. Take the source material seriously, cast a line-up of talented top names, and produce a studied view of the political and sociological undertones of the novel. Alternatively, do the exact opposite and create the ultimate B-movie. Fortunately Verhoeven went with the latter option.
The story is set in the distant future and follows rich kid Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) as he joins the military in order to do battle with a race of super bugs who are threatening humankind. We see Rico and his fellow gung-ho recruits go through training in a brutal boot camp before being sent on their first mission to attack the giant killer bugs. When the mission goes wrong, the humans are forced to realise that their technically advanced weapons and tactics may not be enough to win the war against the vicious insects.
The film, released in 1997, is one big, tongue-in-cheek, silly, fun, thrill ride. Yes there are giant killer bugs, cheesy dialogue, poor acting and unnecessary nakedness, but when this is interlaced with excellent special effects, great action sequences and an overall sense of fun, the final result is an enjoyable sci-fi and B-movie cult classic.
Did you know? When Carmen Ibanez (Denise Richards) takes the starship out of dock for the first time, she flicks a switch to release the hoses attached to the docking platform. That switch is believed to be the power switch from a 1982-era IBM PC, the very first PC to see widespread use in home and office.
(4 Star)
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