Amazon.com video review:
In the first and finest RoboCop movie, director Paul
Verhoeven combined near-future science fiction with a keen sense of
social satire--not to mention enough high-velocity violence to satisfy
even the most voracious bloodlust. In Starship Troopers,
Verhoeven and RoboCop cowriter Ed Neumeier take inspired cues
from Robert Heinlein's classic sci-fi novel to create a
special-effects extravaganza that functions on multiple levels of
entertainment. The film might be called "Melrose Place in
Space," with its youthful cast of handsome guys and gorgeous
women who look like they've been recruited (and in some cases they
were) from the cast of Beverly Hills 90210. Viewers might focus
on the incredible, graphically intense action sequences (definitely
not for children) in which heavily armed forces from Earth go
to off-world battle against vast hordes of alien "bugs" bent
on planetary conquest. The attacking bugs are marvels of
state-of-the-art special-effects technology, and the space battles are
nothing short of spectacular. But Starship Troopers is more
than a showcase for high-tech hardware and gigantic, flesh-ripping
insects. Recalling his childhood in Holland during the Nazi
occupation, Verhoeven turns this epic adventure into a scathingly
funny satire of fascist propaganda, emphasizing Heinlein's underlying
warning against the hazards of military conformity and the sickening
realities of war. It's an action-packed joy ride if that's all you're
looking for, but Verhoeven has a provocative agenda that makes
Starship Troopers as smart as it is exciting. --Jeff
Shannon
Amazon.com video review:
In the first and finest RoboCop movie, director Paul
Verhoeven combined near-future science fiction with a keen sense of
social satire--not to mention enough high-velocity violence to satisfy
even the most voracious bloodlust. In Starship Troopers,
Verhoeven and RoboCop cowriter Ed Neumeier take inspired cues
from Robert Heinlein's classic sci-fi novel to create a
special-effects extravaganza that functions on multiple levels of
entertainment. The film might be called "Melrose Place in
Space," with its youthful cast of handsome guys and gorgeous
women who look like they've been recruited (and in some cases they
were) from the cast of Beverly Hills 90210. Viewers might focus
on the incredible, graphically intense action sequences (definitely
not for children) in which heavily armed forces from Earth go
to off-world battle against vast hordes of alien "bugs" bent
on planetary conquest. The attacking bugs are marvels of
state-of-the-art special-effects technology, and the space battles are
nothing short of spectacular. But Starship Troopers is more
than a showcase for high-tech hardware and gigantic, flesh-ripping
insects. Recalling his childhood in Holland during the Nazi
occupation, Verhoeven turns this epic adventure into a scathingly
funny satire of fascist propaganda, emphasizing Heinlein's underlying
warning against the hazards of military conformity and the sickening
realities of war. It's an action-packed joy ride if that's all you're
looking for, but Verhoeven has a provocative agenda that makes
Starship Troopers as smart as it is exciting. The DVD includes
an above-average commentary by the director and Neumeier, several
deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes documentary and promotional
featurette, cast bios, production notes, and more. --Jeff
Shannon
