Starship Troopers (1997)

 

It is actually bizarre that a film that is so clearly and abundantly a satire would still be seen as being deadpan serious by so many people. Yet, this is exactly what happened to 'Starship Troopers'. As a result, this film didn't really perform as strong at the box office as it could have done, but fortunately, through the years this is rightly seen as another excellent entry in the Paul Verhoeven-resumé. 

Funny though, how Verhoeven used to say he didn't really like science fiction, yet some of his best and most memorable work is in science fiction. But maybe that's just it: he approaches it with a different mindset. 

Based very loosely on the book by Heinlein, 'Starship Troopers' tells a tale of gorgeous teenagers who are on the cusp of deciding whether or not to join the military. This brings perks, as you get upgraded to a citizen and can vote and so on and so forth. Earth is apparently at war with a distant planet called Klendathu, which is inhabited by insectoid creatures called Arachnids. It is said that these bugs sent meteors hurtling through space just to attack Earth. 

This becomes triply hilarious when you see in a display that Earth and Klendathu are literally on opposite ends of the Milky Way. 

But when Buenos Aires gets decimated by a meteor, the heat is on as our protagonists head to the planet, confident they will wipe out the Arachnids thanks to their superior intellect and firepower. 

They couldn't have been more wrong. 

See, it turns out there is some type of bug no one has ever seen that is clearly more intelligent and that is steering the soldier bugs in order to become victorious. This means that the army brass is on the hunt for one of these, so they can study and dissect it in order to rule supreme. 

Damn, I adore this film. Not necessarily for its premisse, but for the execution. Every actor plays their part dead straight and that makes it all the more hilarious, as you can tell by numerous things that this is a critique of any and all fascist systems, as well as the mentality some nations have that they are invincible and think they are better than not just the world, but the universe.

Yes, I'm sorry, USA, but this is in point of fact how much of the world still sees you over there. The worst part is that some of you also see your country this way. 

The actors were all picked because they look gorgeous and their wooden acting is intentional (for the most part). It just makes it all the funnier when a lot of them are dismembered, eaten, ripped apart, blown apart, you get the gist. The dialogue is purposefully cringy at times to hammer it down even more. And yet, several people are compelling in this scenario. I have always liked Dina Meyer as Dizzy, the tomboy of the squad who truly loves our 'hero' Rico, even if he sees her more as a friend. 

By the way: Casper Van Dien was an excellent choice to play our intrepid hero Johnny Rico. 

But it is the supporting characters that shine the most. The ever enjoyable Michael Ironside makes a great turn going from a bizarre teacher to the hardnosed leader of the Roughneck squad. And then there's Clancy Brown, who is probably the most memorable as drill instructor Zim. Heck, Brown always brings it his all, but he balances that line between over-the-top and funny so elegantly. 

This film is also pretty gory. Once again, Verhoeven pulls no punches and you get dismemberings, decapitations, explosions, ripping, tearing, gouging, all in spectacular detail. But that is also part of the point. 

By the way, the design and execution of the Arachnids is also excellent. They look distinct and unlike anything you have probably seen, but it feels as though the designs make sense and the mix of practical effects and CGI is almost seamless. Sure, a few shots haven't aged as well as one might have hoped, but that doesn't take away from the enjoyment. 

Heck, this is pure, unadulterated fun and a much more clever satire than some people believe. So give it a watch. Give it two, so you can get more of the jokes. 

"They'll keep fighting... And they'll win!"

Sure.