Starship Troopers
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Starship Troopers
Based on the 1959 Book of the same name by Robert Heinlein (Hainlain) and Rated R for intense sequences of strong graphic violence throughout, sexuality/nudity and language
Directed by: Paul Verhoven (who also directed Robocop, killer 80's movie)
Starring Casper Van Dien, Dian Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, neil Patrick Harris, Clancy Brown and Michael Ironside, no mention of Robert Patrick
Released November 7, 1997
Budget: $105M ($172M in 2021)
Box Office: $54.5M Domestic ($89.3M 2021), $121.2M Internationally ($198.6M today)
Nominated for the academy award for best visual effects (up against the Lost World: Jarassic Park and Titanic. Titanic won).
Ratings: IMDb 7.2/10 Rotten Tomatoes 65%
Metacritic 51% Google Users 92%
While it received mostly negative critical reviews when originally released, more recently has received more favorable reviews due to its political satire.
Plot:
We open to propaganda like commercial urging people to sign up for the mobile infantry, with everyone doing their part, and that service guarantees citizenship. Then we're shown where the bugs have sent a meteor towards earth, which is blown up, next, we're shown Klendathu, the bugs home system, and how the bugs have an endless supply of meteorites to hurl at Earth and must be destroyed. We're then taken live to the invasion. The presenter is eaten by a bug, and two other army guys. It cuts to black, and we're shown 1 year earlier. In a classroom Rico is caught drawing and we hear some history, the failure of democracy and how social scientist brought the planet to the brink of collapse, veterans took control, imposed stability. Only citizens are allow to vote. Voting is exorcising political violence and violence is the supreme authority from which all authority is derived. They're in high school. They check their math scores, but Rico didn't do well. Next they're shown dissecting a bug, and we're told they can colonize planets by hurling their spawn into space. Carl, shown to working on federal psychic program, working with Rico and shows some psychic ability with his pet ferret. They're then shown playing some sort of futuristic football game, Zander hits on Carmen, and Rico wins it at the last second. Ricos family is very well off and after an argument if he'll join for service, his parents bribe him not to, with a trip. At the dance Diz comes on to Rico heavily, again. He speaks to Rasczak, and dances with Carmen. Rico, Carmen and Carl are shown taking an oath to the Federation for service. Rico argues with his parents again and he leaves. At the transport hub, Rico tells Carmen he loves her, and she doesn't reciprocate.
S:
-"Service guarantees citizenship"... Right from the off some political plays.
-It shows the galaxy, our solar system and the bugs home system. The milky way is 105.7K light years across, even just half way, it would take 50K light years to reach, a meteor would take millions of years to travel that far.
-Oldest high schoolers EVER (Casper Van Dein was 29 and Denise Richards was 26, when making this movie)
-The uniforms are adidas...
Another news brief, citizens rule, a murderer tried and convicted, the execution to be broadcast the same day, a psychic commercial, then a bug eating a cow and how a human colony of Mormon extremists, at Port Joe Smith, was attached and killed by bugs. Next, Rico is shown at drill, with Clancy Browns, Zim. Some comradery is starting to build and Diz shows up. They're shown training at boot, trying to make squad leader. Shower scene and exposition of why they all joined up. Some banter in the bunk, and we're shown Carmen in pilot training on the moon. Zander, from the football game, is her assistant instructor. She takes the ship out with some close calls. Back with Rico, runs through a training exercise and becomes squad leader. Carmen sends Rico a dear John... video. He's shown running a live fire exercise that gets a cadet killed when trying to fix his helmet. Rico then receives administrative punishment and is publicly whipped 10 times. Carmen on the bridge of the ship and Zander is hitting on her when an asteroid appears out of nowhere and nearly destroys the ship. Rico is shown to be leaving the mobile infantry, and while on a call with his parents, is strangely disconnected. As he's walking down washout lane, there is a commotion and a news flash shows the asteroid has hit Buenos Aires, where Rico and Diz are from. Over 8+M dead and 12+M injured. Ricos exit papers are destroyed and he stays.
S:
-The one girl in the shower who says she wants to have babies, and it's easier to get the permissions with service. Sounds fun.
-The graphics are still REALLY good. It's a good blend of practical and CGI. Not perfect, but really good.
-Just all the cheesy, sci-fi tropes... but its also SO obvious with them as well. the satire is strong.
-The mail call with the tiny CD.. Noice.
-Any satirical significance to the black officer whipping Rico?
-AT&T global communications with Ricos parents
Another propaganda reel. "The only good bug, is a dead bug"... The federal council is shown declaring war: humans DOMINATE the galaxy. Carl shows us that while blowing off a bug limb is ok, they're still 86% effective, and says to aim to the nervestem. Children are shown stomping on bugs and "doing their part". It cuts live to a space station and Rico and the other troopers are interviewed. As they go to get a tattoo, Carmen sees Rico, and they talk Zander shows up and they fight. Rico, Diz, and the others get tattoos. Troopers load up and are dropped in. The ships are also shown to be taking damage with bad intel, and as Carmen tries to pilot away, a fireball erupts and they cut away to the troopers attacking. The plasma is coming from giant bugs, which they immediately 'nuke'. Diz asks Ace what to do, he freezes, and Rico tells them to kill them all. We see the reporter from the opening of the movie, but what's happening on the planet, behind the camera. Rico is injured and the last we see is a camera shot down a bugs throat. Another news broadcast, very somber. 100,00 dead in 1 hour. The marshal resigns, to fight the bug, we must understand the bug. Scientists argue for bug intelligence. Carmen is shown to be alive, and the fleet is decimated. She searches and finds Rico is listed KIA. He's shown in some tank, getting his leg repaired. Rico, Diz and Ace are joining a new squad, the roughnecks. The Lt. is shown to be Rasczak, from their high school.
S:
-Definitely see the Nazi-esque uniforms
-Reminds me of Mao Zedong and the killing of the sparrows.
-The death from above and the flexed bicep... Jeez
-The song that plays when Carmen and Rico meet up again... it's the only song with lyrics, and very 90's and everytime I hear it, all I can think is: go for it, Angus...
Jets are flying over and firebombing bugs, with the mobile infantry troopers mopping up afterwards. Watkins REALLY gets a bug, and is sprayed for it. They find a bug hole and nuke it. As the run to assist another squad, a huge bug comes up from behind them and blows fire. Rico jumps on its back, shoots a hole in it, and throws a grenade. Afterwards, Rasczak promotes him to Corporal, and Diz to squad leader. Rasczak give the squad beer and entertainment, as they dance and drink, Diz and Rico finally get together. She tells Rico she loves him, and he doesn't say it back, when they're interrupted and told they have to go to a distress signal. As they move, the comms and sgt gets snatched by a flying bug, Rasczak shoots him and says he expects the same from everyone else. Rico is promoted to acting sergeant. Everyone is dead at the base, they find an officer with their brains sucked out. They found a general hiding, and he reveals the bugs are intelligent trying to learn about humans to kill them. The trap is sprung and thousands of bugs swarm the base. The flying bugs come in and decapitate a few soldiers, one shot and crashing, takes out the cowardly general. They call for extraction as they're being overrun. They retreat into the compound and a transport ship lands as their retreating, Rasczak gets sucked underground and loses his legs, he tells Rico, you know what to do and Rico shoots him. A big flame bug comes up and Diz lobs a grenade into its mouth, but a bug comes up behind her and stabs her. Another firebug busts through the wall as the transport ship takes off and we see thousands of bugs swarming. Rico holds Diz as she dies very dramatically, and that it's ok because she got to him. Rico asks for them to bomb the planet, and is denied, but Carmen sees he is alive and she seems very forlorn. Rico speaks at Diz's funeral. Carl arrives and tells them they know of a brain bug on the planet and they're going back to get it. he's promoted again to Lt. Carmen tells him to take care, and he replies he'll see her again.
S:
-The guy getting sprayed with bug blood... Who gets to do that?
-Just all the over acting. But still, the effects are pretty good. The fighting is compelling.
Back on the planet, there is a lot of activity. Rico greets the new recruits, who he refers to as kids, with the same speech Rasczak gave when he joined, and the roughnecks are re-named Ricos Roughnecks. Carmen's ship is cut in half by a plasma hit; they barely make it to an escape pod, when the ship is hit with another plasma hit. They are forced crash land on the planet, Rico makes contact with her as they crash into a cave. Bugs immediately show up and close in. They stab Zander through the leg and Carmen through her shoulder. Rico cancels the rescue op, but they're shown to be alive. As Rico is exploring the caves, he gets some sort of intuition that Carmen is alive, and they go off mission to find her. The brain bug approaches and stabs Zander in the head, and sucks his brains out. As it's about to get Carmen, she cuts off the impaler, as Rico comes in holding a nuke. The brain bug exits and the others wait to attack until it's gone. Watkins is injured and takes the nuke. He kills as many as he can when the nuke goes off, giving Rico, Ace and Carmen time to escape. As they exit the cave, everyone is shown to be celebrating because htey captured thye brain bug. Carl approaches the bug and announces it's afraid. everyone rejoices. It's revealed Carl "told" Rico where to find her, but he says that was classified. He also reveals that Zim, the drill instructor, who is now a private, captured the brain bug. It cuts to another newsreel talking about what mysteries the brain bug will reveal. The narrators tells us the federation needs recruits, like captain carmen, Ace, and Lt. Rico. Writing on the screen, "They'll keep fighting...and they'll win!" Fade to black.
S:
-When the 'nuke' goes off... Obviously its a small tactical nuke, but no way you can out run it in a cave.
-Brain bug mouth is an upside down vagina
-All of the newsreels show violence towards the bugs, even for kids, and it desensitizes you to their plight. They're obviously an organized, intelligent species, but no one cares, even when in the final news reel, something is jammed into its mouth and it's in pain. It's like the nazis and jews.
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