Starship Troopers (1997)

Release Date: 7 November, 1997


What's It About: The world is at war with arachnid beings from another galaxy and society has placed an onus of responsibility on the young to fight in order to gain citizenship status and societal esteem.


The Good: Paul Verhoeven brings his ironic, tongue-in-cheek style of directing that we've seen before in Robocop (1987), and brings back the commerical break scenes that were a major success in that film. These help to build layers onto the fictional world and help give us more societal context that help justify characters' decisions.


The Bad: Bad acting and simplistic plot. Verhoeven is known for stilted performances from relatively unknown actors and this is no exception. The film really looks like a B-grade film made in the 90s, so it isn't completely terrible looking, but it does seem very unpolished and unrefined. This may be due to a lack of budget or perhaps Verhoeven's lack of standing as a director, but it doesn't stand up well to the A-grade flicks of the era. It is also extremely violent, moreso than normal (almost to the point of gorefest), so take that as you will.


Best Performance: Casper Van Dien as Johnny Rico. Rico plays a fresh-faced young man on the verge of adulthood and with a desire to fit into society and make his own space, as well as doing his parents proud. Although academically troubled, he fails at the original courses he wanted to get into, putting pressure on his relationship with his girlfriend Carmen, who is academically a high achiever and joins the equivalent of the air force (piloting the large battlecruisers that transport the mobile infantry).


Should I Watch It: Starship Troopers is a rather smartly-made adaptation of its source novel. Despite having B-grade effects and acting, there is a hidden artistry beneath the technical achievement that explores themes of morality, society, and the judgment of right and wrong set against a backdrop of interplanetary war with an alien threat. It's a good coming-of-age film that thrusts Rico through the rigors of growing up so that he too learns to appreciate and understand the meaning of becoming a member of society and fitting in.


Post-Credits Scene: No


Similar Films: Robocop (1987), Total Recall (1994), The other Starship Troopers films


Trailer: