Starship Troopers

Film adaptation of Robert H. Heinlein’s 1959 sci-fi novel of the same name, directed by Paul Verhoeven, an old hand at the genre. The film diverges from the novel in numerous ways, both in plot and on a purely representational level (along those lines, we would cite the surprising absence of the powered armor suits and the ovoid insertion capsules used by the Mobile Infantry in the novel). But the fundamental difference that immediately becomes apparent is how the film imparts a very different meaning to themes and events from the novel.

In fact, the director uses the inherent potential of “socially engaged” sci-fi to convey a cogent critique of contemporary American society, particularly how those in power constantly resort to violence in response to any sort of dissent. Consequently, what for Heinlein represented a sort of personal vision on how a desirable societal organization could be established, in Verhoeven’s film becomes a tongue-in-cheek depiction with a dystopian flavor. Further, in a world that considers violence a panacea (“Naked force has resolved more issues throughout history than any other factor“), the inevitable result is endless war. With that in mind, the constant bombardment of grotesque and provocative propaganda videos comes as no surprise: we see guns and ammo being distributed to children, announcements for live TV public executions, recruitment ads with slogans such as “The only good bug is a dead bug“.

Among notable scenes – all dripping with satire – we would single out the one in which the operator persists in retrieving his colleague while he’s getting mangled by a gigantic alien, and the scene where the multiple-amputee recruiter praises Johnny’s decision to enlist: “Good for you. Mobile Infantry made me the man I am today!“.

Lively pacing, exceptionally “splattery” special effects (1998 Academy Award nominee for Best Visual Effects), a drab, forgettable cast on the whole, but Michael Ironside’s powerful performance as high school teacher and leader of the Roughnecks squad Jean Rasczak is a treat for the eyes, as always.

No masterpiece, but certainly underrated.