Rating: Summary: At a glance stupid but fun, in depth very good Review: I read Heinleins book years ago and was impressed by the writing but disturbed by the opinions he voiced. However this film manages to turn the neofacistical vision of Heinlein into something far greater.The acting is ok, actors like Clancy Brown are typcasted (but good at it), Ironside is always good, Dina Meyer was a positive surprise and so on. However there are a few (no names) you feel got the role becouse of looks rather then their skill at acting. If you turn your brain of this is an amusing action movie that sometimes leans towards splatter. When you turn your brain on the film is much more. Paul Verhoven manages to make everybody sound so sincere when they describe there way of life as the best possible, but the words they say and the newsreels (if you have an interest in history you will recognise the style) gives a different picture. In the same way he manages to, in the middle of the "heroism" of the soldiers, to show how like the bugs and men realy are. The pictures of milling soldiers could easily be compared to the milling bugs, both subtly directed by a "brain" who spends lives without a second thought in the pursuit of a greater goal (the Gestapo uniforms are a little to obvious but a nice touch). Another interesting part is when you compare how Rico and Dizzy are treated. Who was the person realy responsible for Ricos first promotion? In this manner Verhoven also manages to turn the end into a sad event (read "Enders Game" to find another way to look at the same situation) even though everybody is cheering. This is a film directed at those who will march when they are told to march and who wave their flags when they are told to, never thinking about where they march, who they are marching for and for what they are waving. As such it is worthy of thought. And if this is not your style it is still a movie with big explosions and lots of action.
Rating: Summary: A Bomb Review: Starship Troopers is by far the worst movie created in the history of movie making. The blood and guts aren't needed, along with Casper Van Dien. The only decent scene is when Dina Meyer is naked. Verhoeven did well with Robocop and Total Recall, but this is by far going to be the worst movie of his career. When Verhoeven wrote this, he did to make a few extra bucks, to make a story with his extentious use of special effects. Think of the plot. We go to war with bugs who are smarter than us. Instead of killing them with bombs, we decide to exterminate them with, uh oh, a machine gun. In the future, I hope by the time we reach the capability that they had in space travel, that we will have a better weapon than a machine gun. I'm surprised Verhoeven didn't try to use insect killer. Maybe he should of called the exterminator. Maybe I should call the exterminator on this movie.
Rating: Summary: Excellent! Review: Great Movie. Action Packed but Smart as well. A Good Satire that works on multiple levels. You'll Enjoy this one!
Rating: Summary: Not what you expect Review: I have to admit, the first time I saw this movie in the theater, I thought it was one of the stupidest movies ever made. Right up there with Congo or Independance Day. Later, I reluctantly gave it another try and suddenly loved it! The first time, I was expecting something serious and misunderstood it. Now I think it is just hilariously funny and entertaining. A great movie. If violence bothers you though, I wouldn't go near this movie!
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: Not so well made Review: If you liked total recall then youll love Starship Troopers. The speacial effects rock but whats the deal with the characters and all the americans in Buenos Aires?
Rating: Summary: In Russia we call it "haltura". Review: This film wants to be camp, it wants to be cult, but I have another four-letter word for it. Paul Verhoeven made a reputation as a European director who came to Hollywood to revisit the commercial genres, to add the Old World sophistication to the tired formulas and give the public it's favourite candy in a new wrapper. He succeded spectacularly in his first try. The brilliant RoboCop earned him all kinds of credit. Which he squandered in his next films. Showgirls is(are) plain ridiculous. Total Recall is a typical Arnie movie, but we expected something more - the European flair we hoped for is amiss. After that flop and semi-flop Verhoeven felt his mission is going wrong and decided to get even. He decided to create something so unbelievably bad that it may look cult, multilayered, totally original. Perhaps there were no other options for him, no worthy ideas. There are two chief stimulators in that movie - visuals and ideology. 1) When you take Melrose Place and Beverly Hills 7855687811443(do not remember the exact address) starlets and make ruthless fighters covered in blood and slime out of them it produces an effect. What kind of effect? It did not matter to the director. Just an effect. A flicker of attention. The battle scenes are the reason the film was not a total flop. Some tickets were sold. The reaction of gory sci-fi action afficinados is very endearing - "It's not 1 star, it's 5 star! Lots of action here!"- Yes, yes, enjoy it, guys. 2) Starship Troopers is soaked in Nazi ideology. It's very unexpected to see it phrased by the movie's good guys. It also produces some effect.That's something for the critics to write about, to elaborate upon. In Russia we have a word "haltura". It's used to name something uninspired, something made just to remind the world you are still breathing, in a vague hope to pass the trash for the real thing and earn a couple dollars. And Starship Troopers is a perfect example of all that.
Rating: Summary: Horrible misrepresentation of the story Review: This movie barely resembled the story told by Heinlein. It twisted the politics of the story into the worst sort of propoganda. It undermined all the relevant technical details (using hand-held nuclear weapons without any sort of personal protection? Wow...). I saw this movie expecting some modifications in an effort to make a good movie and "update" it. What I saw was Verhoeven's personal agenda projected into what should have been a really great story. So many important details of the story were changed that it undermined most of the emotional impact of Rico and why he did the things he did. In the book I found myself liking and identifying with Rico. In the movie I found myself frequently wanting to slap him and tell him to stop being stupid. Don't waste your money. Give it a miss. Read the original book and check out any of the really great Sci-Fi films that are out there. Interestingly, I've discovered an animated series for children also based on the book. Production values are clearly lower than this movie and yet the series manages to be at once more entertaining and truer to the original story.
Rating: Summary: Find the Original Book Review: This movie doesn't do justice to the original book written by: Robert Heinlein. Thought I would enjoy the movie, but was a waste of time. I'd rather read the original book, not the screenplay movie book.
Rating: Summary: High Tech Trash Review: You might appreciate this film for outstanding special effects, superb sound and picture quality inspite of it's bad script and political correctness.
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