Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Imagine a stuffy projection theatre full of cynical studio execs. The lights go down and the picture fires up.
A futuristic soldier stands on the screen for a moment before suddenly being completely ripped to pieces by an alien arachnid.
Before the flustered execs have a chance to compose themselves, a grey haired dutchman walks into shot.
"Pleeeesh let me make Shtarship Troopersh!" he bellows.

Well stories get fairly blurred in Hollywood circles but you can bet that this one is fairly accurate; without using his over-powering personality and some state of the art F/X, how else could Paul Verhoeven greenlight his big budget space opera after the debacle that was Showgirls?

Based on Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel, Starship Troopers is (luckily) a visually stunning piece with enough cool hardware and gory death to satisfy even the most cynical viewer. The plot is simple (although it has fascinating political undertones if you're interested) and the set-pieces are fantastic, but what really sets it apart is a sublime cinematic mockery that even the cast themselves have failed to spot.

With tons of gratuitous violence and leeringly described public floggings, the book itself is a delirious love letter to quasi-perfect, blue-eyed, firm-buttocked fascism and the film captures this essence perfectly (only a man with such dubious taste and suspicious political leanings as Verhoeven would DARE attempt this).

Earth is at war with a "bug-planet" known as Klendathu. As the television and media blast 24 hour news information and military propaganda, we are introduced to our young, perfectly-formed Ayrian cast.
Square jawed Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien), curvy girlfriend Carmen (Denise Richards), foxy Dizzy (Dina Meyer) and nerdy Carl (Neil Patrick Harris...yes, Doogie Howser M.D.) all head off to join the Military and the film charts their battle against the bugs.

Being a bit of a dim bulb, Rico has to join the Mobile Infantry and the opening third charts his progress at boot camp, complete with a cliched mean drill instructor and unisex showers (a scene that Verhoeven himself actually directed in the nude). Meyer follows Rico there out of choice (she is, for some reason, in love with him), Carmen becomes a hotshot pilot and Carl joins Military Intelligence.

But when Johnny's home in Buenos Aires is obliterated with a colossal bug asteroid ("hmmm...it sure is getting dark" deadpans Dad rather hilariously on the telephone before his imminent death), America goes to war and its all out action from here on in. Vast space ships evade blue neon plasma in space and expendable soldiers battle hordes of frightening CGI insects on the ground. Will Military Intelligence capture the all important "brain bug" before its too late?

The bug scenes are arguably the piece de resistance of Starship Troopers and if you can't be bothered with all the pseudo-politico mumbo jumbo, you can at least savour these magnificent moments; this is some of the most amazing CGI yet committed to celluloid and the melding with live-action is utterly seamless.
The bugs themselves are absolutely terrifying creations, capable of tearing soldiers to shreds within seconds. They positively teem over the waste lands of the bug planet in astonishing numbers and attack the ineffectual Troopers with unnerving intensity.

The movie itself is very well paced and despite the odd concession to the boring love triangle between Johnny, Carmen and Dizzy (made intermittently engaging by good playing from Meyer), Verhoeven keeps a strong focus on the Military and the politics of this fascist state ("naked force has solved more issues throughout history than any other factor" opines Michael Ironside's grizzled Lecturer/Officer sternly).
Using the same faux news reels that he used to such brilliant effect in RoboCop (still his masterpiece), Verhoeven dazzles the audience with some hilarious satire; Troopers happily hand out ammo to delighted children, hate-faced kids stomp messily on cockroaches ("they're doing their bit!" the newscaster proudly announces), cows get ripped to shreds in televised 'demonstrations' and criminals are executed on air, same day, all channels, all nets. Do you want to know more?

With very few exceptions (Meyer, Ironside and Jake Busey as a comic relief grunt), the acting in Starship Troopers is completely awful, but (patience folks) there is method in the madness. For Verhoeven the casting of Melrose Place cast-offs is essential and given the levels of hammery involved, the film would simply not have worked with good or even competent actors.
So Verhoeven simply chose the most awful cast possible and forced them to deliver some of the most vapid dialogue imaginable ("I'm from Buenos Aires and I say kill 'em all!"). These perky kids have no idea that they are all part of the joke.

The plot and acting has always posed a problem for some viewers of Starship Troopers and its easy to see why. However, if you probe a little deeper you can enjoy it on a whole new level. Trust me.

Admittedly some of the stuff here doesn't work (notably a muted sub-plot involving telepathy) but throw in some amazing set-pieces (the devastating assault on Fort Cronkite has to be seen to be believed), marvellously cheesy dialogue delivered straight ("they sucked his brains out!"), tons of screaming, messy gore (this is easily one of the bloodiest mainstream movies to date) and some wonderful sight gags (Harris showing up in full Gestapo regalia) and you have a sci-fi spectacular that is impossible not to enjoy on some level.

I wonder if Paul Verhoeven made Kevin Bacon actually disappear before bellowing "let me make der Hallow Maahn!"

Hmmm

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age