Starship TroopersWelcome to The Guys Review, where we review media, products and experiences. **READ APPLE REVIEWS/Fan Mail**28 ratings, but no new mail or reviews.Starship TroopersBased 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 languageDirected 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 PatrickReleased November 7, 1997Budget: $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 ...
