Rating: 
Summary: Visually appealing -- but just plain dumb.
Review: I liked many of the visuals in this film; Johnny's home, the football game, the scene where millions of bugs swarm, etc. But come on -- this was a really dumb movie. In fact, there are only two reasons to even watch it: Dina Meyer.
Rating:
Summary: Mildly entertaining, but lousy sci-fi...Turn off your brain!
Review: Every other reviewer talks of the Melrose Place cast or the special effects of Starship Troopers. I'd like to look at the movie from a Military / Sci-Fi perspective. That is what Starship Troopers is supposed to be, after all.Sigh! With all that money in the budget, Verhoeven could have made something great. The book (which was OK, not great) share little in common except the title and the Bugs. Still, the movie could have taken middling material, and made it better. On rare occasions, movies are actually better than the books they imitate -- Lord of the Rings comes to mind. Troopers, unfortunately, doesn't step up to the plate. Verhoeven often shows flashes of brilliance, but it's a shallow genius, balking at exploring his ideas with any depth (In Hollowman, for example, a promising start degenerates into a slasher fest in the cliched underground laboratory.) Instead of wasting screen time on "High School of the Future," other elements could have been explored. Half the movie was over before humanity really engaged the Bugs. From a sci-fi standpoint, ST gets an "F." The bug planets all looked like the Mojave Desert. Starships turn corners in space, flying around like airplanes. Brain bugs suck gray matter out of peoples heads, and somehow assimilate the knowledge (Akin to recovering data from a shattered CD-ROM). And on, and on, and on... Militarily, ST is rubbish. Couldn't Verhoeven have hired a military advisor? Please? Tactics, equipment... all was awful! Why would starships crowd so close to each other, playing crash-up derby when attacked? -- planetary orbit is an ENORMOUS chunk of real estate. Why were the troopers always unsupported? Where were their heavy weapons? The mini-nukes were cute, used twice, and too powerful. Another wasted opportunity. Wayne Gralian
Wayne's World of Books / Krakow RPGs
Rating: 
Summary: Brutal, scathing political satire comes home in Superbit...
Review: Most people absolutely loathe the Superbit concept and think of it as nothing more than a marketing ploy. I, however, enjoy the titles quite a bit and appreciate the benefit of the increased bitrate that leads to some great video transfers and excellent audio. If you want the extras, pick up the two-disc. If you're looking for presentation, then go with this one. If you didn't know, the movie is about an intergalactic war in the future where hideous arachnids are terrorizing the planet and the military is out there for some squishy, gooey fun. First off, let's start with the action scenes, and believe me: there are tons of them. And most of them are so unrelenting, you'll be begging for mercy by the time they're over. With some absolutely stunning visual effects (that still hold up after six years), Paul Verhoven shows that he not only knows how to make Elizabeth Berkley poll-dance, but he can get Gary Busey's son (Jake Busey, in a hilarious supporting roll) to kick some serious [rear-end]. The action never lets up right from the get-go. The film itself is a quite humorous political satire that plays up war-time politics and the propaganda films of Wold War II. Of course, with satire, we must have so much shmaltz and bad dialogue that you'll cringe. But it all oddly enough works. Each line is so horrible that you'll be laughing at it. So right when one of the imperative characters bites the big one and spews out there repulsive last words, you'll be rolling your eyes. But again, it all works. It was meant to be silly. It was meant to be poorly acted. But it also has a brain to it and that's what counts the most. As for this new Superbit of the film, this is the third version that has been presented on DVD and it is by far the best-looking version of the film available at the moment. Detail is improved greatly from the previous releases and every monsterously disgusting sequence is in perfect detail. No compression artifacts here and I'm happy to report that edge enhancement is next to nothing. A flawless transfer that can safely be called the co-champion of the Superbit video quality right along with The Fifth Element. As for the audio, you get your usual choice of Dolby and DTS and both are excellent. What's interesting here is that each track has some really strong points and others have some really... not-so-strong point. First, the DTS track. What you get here is pounding bass, ear-shattering screaches, stuff flying by your head every two seconds. It may be a cliche, but it sounds like the bugs are right in the room with you. This track is a sock-in-the-gut that will have your neighbors calling you to turn your TV down. Secondly, the Dolby Digital track here is also excellent. What's interesting here is that it is not quite as powerful as the DTS, but in some cases, it actually sounds clearer. Split-surround effects are more convincing and the film's score is more believable. While it may not be as intense as the DTS, it still has its improvements as does the DTS. This will be a matter of personal choice here because both tracks are equally good, but mixed differently: the DTS was more visceral, but the Dolby was more convincing. Which will you go for? In the end, Starship Troopers is a highly entertaining flick that's intelligent and fun to watch. While there may be some corny teen romance scenes, they are all made up for with bug-splattering fun. Rated R. Contains extremely graphic violence and gore (people are dismembered, beheaded, shot, stabbed, all with extremely gory results, not to mention plenty of bug gore), nudity (a co-ed shower with male and female nudity), and some language (a few "s" words, one "f" word, and that's about it). Not for the kiddies, that's for sure.
Rating:
Summary: So Bad, It's Good
Review: Starship Troopers may very be the worst movie ever made. That said, I must admit that I find the movie to be hilarious. The plot is that the Bugs inhabit a planet across the galaxy from us. They have developed the bad habit of pitching asteroids at Earth, a problem that obviously has to be solved. The Earth responds by assembling a space armada to go fight it out with the Bugs. Enter Barbie Doll and Ken Doll, the female and male leads. Barbie Doll and Ken Doll join the army because it looks like great fun. Barbie gets to be a starship pilot (brave Barbie) and Ken Doll is in the Infantry (i.e., he's a Grunt). Unfortunately, although Earth has developed technology that allows us to travel to the other side of the Galaxy, the infantry is still using guns and bullets. And, it takes a lot of bullets to kill just one of the Bugs, but luckily the guns are able to fire a long time before running out of ammo (lucky for the Grunts). I could go on forever talking about the cardboard like characters, the silly dialogue, the bugs shooting blue plasma out of their behinds at the space armada, but you really need to experience this silly film yourself. A friend's wife said she felt like she lost a year of college watching this movie. There is no better recommendation than that. Rent or buy the DVD and prepare to be tickled.
Rating:
Summary: Van Dien
Review: Two words...Shower Scene!
Not to mention the awesome action! One of the best sci-fi films ever made.
Rating:
Summary: Sci-Fi Schlock!
Review: This is one fantastic sci-fi film that wasn't what some people were expecting. Sure, it doesn't follow the book, but neither did The Shining, and that was a great movie in it's own right. I think people were expecting Starship Troopers to be some heavy handed, serious sci-fi flick. Don't go into it with that kind of mindset or you'll probably be let down. Starship Troopers is nothing more than a big budgeted B movie. Just look at the name of the film! It sounds like a story from the old Weird Science E.C. comic. There is no message, social commentary or any of that crud. Yeah, there's a little underlying WWII fascist society motif going on, but it really doesn't add or subtract from what the film really is. What we get here is bad acting, campiness, lots O violence and gore a little nudity, giant monsters running amuck-all the fixins for a great B film. You won't see many films like this hitting the mainstream, coz CGI costs alot of money, and Hollywood doesn't like to risk this kind of money on a film without it being safe, politically correct and PG-13. From Dusk Till Dawn is another great example of a big budget B movie that made it to the mainstream. This movie is special in that it breaks that taboo. Verhoeven has always been good at this-he did it with Robocop(how a film that violent got made into a cartoon is still a mystery). Honestly folks, check this out if you haven't already, but bear in mind that you have to view it the way you'd view Killer Klowns From Outer Space or one of the old Lost In Space episodes. Enjoy it coz we might not see many more like it.
Rating: 
Summary: Suspend Belief
Review: While this is an enjoyable action flick for occassional scifi fans, its a great disappointment to Heinlein's fans. The movie completely misses the political and military points about responsibility, priviledge and power that Heinlein was trying to make about human society. More important, where's the powered combat suit?? Let's hope when SciFi channel is done with Battlestar Gallatica, they'd be willing to take on Starship Troopers, since their Dune was far more faithful to Herbert than the movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Bug-Eyed Fun
Review: Gosh, is this movie fun! Beautiful (yet shallow) characters, heart-pounding action, jaw-dropping special effects, and witty, biting satire run roughshod across the screen as STARSHIP TROOPERS delivers adrenaline-induced entertainment. Having not read the Robert Heinlein novel, I approached this film with no preconceived notions. I immediately was struck by the movie's funny, yet effective, satire of a global, militaristic super state, perpetuated and enhanced by nonstop propaganda ("Want to know more?"). Yet the satire takes a back seat to incredible action and special effects, along with an eye-opening shower scene that raises men and women in the armed forces to a whole new level. (Where do I sign up?) Director Paul Verhoeven gives us bugs, bug guts, bug brains, and more bugs in an intergalactic struggle between man and beast. I got a hoot out of watching "Doogie Howser" (Neil Patrick Harris) play a young mastermind in psychological operations; I got even more of a thrill watching gorgeous Dina Meyer and Denise Richards shake, rattle 'n roll. STARSHIP TROOPERS never takes itself seriously, which only enhances the fun it brings to the screen. Pop this puppy into the VCR and enjoy.
--D. Mikels
Rating:
Summary: Starship Troopers
Review: its basically an action-packed blood fest that incorperates a minor love interest. massive battle scenes of space cruisers being blown apart, infantrymen being decapitated, impaled etc., nuclear bombs and napalm are the real core of the movie. acting is , unfortunately, poor- but the action makes up for it.
there is also the minor detail of the nazi-istic society. the world is united, and the goal is to be a citizen, not a civilian. to do this, several post-high school kids join the federation military. they become pilots, troopers and psychics, and collectively kick some serious arse, despite apocalyptically heavy casualties. buy it, you wont be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This is a VERY sneaky movie. Voerhoven gives us what seems to be a mindless bowl of violent action movie pablum but secretly it is a sharp criticism of militaristic societies. On the surface you see good looking and rather dumb young people happily marching off to war to "defend" the earth. Its fun to watch and offers an idealistic view of what the typical empty-headed teenager thinks is life.
The true reality for the intellectual-minded is a depiction of a completely fascist society that is far from idyllic. There is little in terms of Orwellian-style oppression of the individual but there is a cradle-to-grave mass propaganda given to all.
Millions of humans die as a result of the Federal Network's military ambitions in the Milky Way Galaxy. As the movie briefly points out....Klendathu is on the OTHER SIDE OF THE MILKY WAY! Hardly a problem unless humans are trying to dominate the entire galaxy. Is that really necessary? Who cares, as Doogie Howser said "We're in it for the species". They finally ran into an enemy they can't dominate and suddenly humanity is truly threatened due to inherent human arrogance.
Politics aside, the movie is obscenely violent....the brief nudity is actually nothing compared to the orgasmic camaera views of the impalements, decapitations, and general nastiness the mobile infantry suffers.
The biggest crime is that Denise Richards does NOT take off her shirt....darn.
When I first watched this movie I thought it was stupid beyond belief, but after a few more watchings I realized what the movie really was and can congratulate the director for his subtlety in dealing with the subject of uncontrolled nationalism and imperialistic politics. The Nazi-style uniforms were an excellent touch and underscored how easy it is to fall back into an undemocratic society where the military ends up ruling the roost.
Most people won't "get" the movie, but for the few that do....its a quiet little joke that you can secretly laugh about.
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