STARSHIP TROOPERS 1997
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1998 Timothy Voon
1 :-) for a big bug soap opera
Disappointment will adequately describe how I felt as I left the cinema after watching this greatly anticipated film. This movie carried much potential for greatness, but alas was ruined by a moronic, cliché' script and a lack of serious direction from Paul Verhoeven. The end result is not a tense sci-fi, action thriller, but becomes a boy scout/girl guide venture into trying to define the difference between a citizen and a civilian. If this was intentional, it subtracts from the otherwise splendid visual effects of unprecedented alien quality. I've never read the Robert Heinlein novel on which this movie is loosely based, but I'm almost certain that the threat to the human race was not in any way meant to be intentionally comic.
This group of immature actors has gone to great lengths in perfecting a blood-curdling death scream, but unfortunately their efforts are wasted. The frequent decapitations, limb amputations, torso dissections and disembodiment is all for naught. My reason for making such comments is because after watching the 20th person in the long line of innumerable graphic deaths - desensitisation becomes inevitable. When the 30th human execution approaches, variety begins to run thin. By this time caring about what happens to this group of hormonally charged individuals is no longer an issue. They are after all only post-pubescent, soldiers-in-diapers who make a lot of noise over everything. They're purpose is solely to shoot and get shot, but mention the word act and they'll just nervously finger their guns.
So what we have is something of a CLUELESS in space, pretentious in every way with no substance underneath. Add a show tune and you may even get something of a JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS. The ‘Ken doll' (Casper Van Dien) is all brawn and no brains. He joins the dispensable army corps so that he can impress his ‘Barbie' girlfriend (Denise Richards) who wants to fly a star ship. Then there is the nerdy ex-Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris) whose psychic powers allows him to communicate with brainy bugs. Throw in a forlorn, other female, Dizzy (Dina Meyer) and this completes the love triangle of cosmic soap opera proportions.
So why haven't I frowned on this movie like I should have? Well because it's attempts at being serious made me laugh, and even if it wasn't a dramatic masterpiece, it serves well as a trashy soapie.
Timothy Voon e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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