Up until this point, I have covered at least one film from each of the main genres of movies, those being horror, comedy, drama, and animation, within this column. This time, I’ve decided to review a sci-fi film, with that being 1997’s cult classic Starship Troopers. Based on the book of the same name and directed by Paul Verhoeven, who is most commonly known for directing RoboCop, Starship Troopers tells the story of a group of military academy students in the 23rd century, who are thrust into an intergalactic battle against the other-worldly Arachnids after an attack on Earth leads to the deaths of millions. In what is becoming an unintentional theme for films I review, the film was not a box office success, largely due to marketing for the film presenting it as a serious action movie, when in reality, Starship Troopers is a satire and a great one at that.
As is to be expected for a sci-fi action film, the visuals and effects in the movie are extremely over-the-top, which is in no way a criticism. Verhoeven uses the campy plot of the movie to his advantage, allowing for wider use of colors and effects to be used when compared to a typical action movie, and it’s not just limited to the fast-paced battle scenes. An early scene showcases a futuristic-looking football game, where everyone is decked out in bright-colored suits and helmets. Going back to the battle scenes, the settings of both the military camp and alien planets, while not eye-popping in terms of colors, have unique landscapes and seem foreign enough to be from the future or another world.
It would be both a disservice to the filmmakers and extremely difficult to accomplish to talk about Starship Troopers and not, at the very least, mention the satire and hidden meanings in the movie. When I say that, I can imagine some might be confused as to how a sci-fi action movie about fighting alien spiders would have any sort of substance and believe me, I was confused as well when I heard that. However, the film uses its military setting and characters to satirize themes such as propaganda, the cycle of war, and class systems. The fake in-movie commercials advertising joining the military end with the repeated line “Would you like to know more?” which is similar to marketing nowadays where you’re probably going to know more about whatever is being sold to you regardless of whether you would like to or not. The satire was so effective that Verhoeven, who is of Dutch descent, was accused of trying to brainwash the viewers of the movie into falling for Nazi propaganda.
Although not well received critically or commercially upon release, Starship Troopers found its audience with time and more careful rewatches, likely due to the satire being considered ahead of its times when it came out in 1997. Starship Troopers has a little something for everyone; whether you’re looking for tight action-packed scenes, wacky visuals and storylines, or a surprising amount of clever satire, I’d have to suggest this hidden gem.
Be First to Comment