Starship Troopers
Dir: Paul Verhoeven Starring: Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Patrick Muldoon, Denise Richards Neil Patrick Harris, Clancy Brown & Michael Ironside
Only for Real "Troopers" (A film review of "Starship Troopers") by Timothy Scott
Okay, so I admit maybe I'm getting old, but the best advice I can give for anyone thinking of seeing "Starship Troopers" can be summed in two words - Ear Plugs.
Normally, IUm a tireless advocate of THX quality theaters with state-of -the-art digital sound. But this film had me wishing I had my remote control. You don't so much watch "Starship Troopers" as survive it. By the end, youUll likely feel as battered and bombarded as the wounded troopers themselves.
Somewhere amidst the carnage is a message from director Paul Verhoeven that we are a society addicted to violence, as capable of inhumanity as the creatures we so gleefully destroy. But you'll probably miss that as you dodge the endless bullets, razor claws and dismembered body parts hurling at you from every direction.
Verhoeven has made another in the long line of technically brilliant "theme park" films we've come to expect BEFORE Labor Day. I suppose by turning up the camp factor Verhoeven has convinced himself that this is social commentary. Sure, if you look hard enough you can find meaning watching the Coyote trying new ways to kill the Road Runner. Sorry Paul, I'm not impressed. This film made me feel like I'd been dropped inside a video game during an earthquake. Of course, I mention video games on purpose because I know this film is coming to a Nintendo near you. Frankly, that might be more fun.
Of course, such video game graphics won't compare to the computer generated images seen in this film. As supervised by Phil Tippet of Jurassic Park fame, Industrial Light & Magic do their usual first rate job with the effects. Visually, I haven't seen a film with this many eye-popping wonders since "The Fifth Element." Interestingly, both these films only make me wonder how incredible it would be to see effects like these attached to a real story. Let's just hope George "Skywalker" Lucas knows what I'm talking about.
So, what about the story, you ask? Well, it centers around the hormonal tendencies and macho posturing of about a half dozen new recruits, some of whom will live and some of whom will die a grisly, horrible death. Succeeding as a trooper is basically advancement by attrition. If you stick around long enough for the commanding officers to die, sooner or later they put you in charge.
The cast is made up of unkown actors because, let's face it, the bugs get top billing here (they must have a killer agent). What's most remarkable about the actors is what perfect physical specimens they are. Their performances are so stiff you'd think the tongue that supposed to be in cheek got sucked out by aliens too. Although, in fairness, straight is exactly how this material should be played. If anyone of these characers winked at the audience at all, the whole premise would collapse.
The film is certainly not as derivative as say, "Independence Day." Verhoeven seems to prefer borrowing from himself. The clever news sequences for example are very reminiscent of "RoboCop" (not to mention the incessant bloodshed). The best moments occur when the film is clearly not taking itself seriously as it parodies the WWII newsreels and propaganda films trying to recruit young men and women to sign up for Federal (read: Military) Service.
By joining up, they can become "citizens" - valued members of society honored for their commitment to protecting the human race above all else. The youth are taught in school that being a citizen is a badge of honor making it easier for them to enjoy privleges like going to college, entering politics or obtaining a license to get pregnant. These parodies of fascism arenUt new, but in this kind of film it comes across as rather witty.
Unlike "RoboCop" "Total Recall" or even "Showgirls", "Starship Troopers" will not be remembered years from now. Despite its bludgeon-like impact, none of the perfomances stand out. In fact, even the big, nasty bugs seem bland. In it's attempt to satirize overkill, thatUs exactly what it becomes. The Audience is Listening...just not as well as we used to.
Grade: C+
reply to: tim@conrad.harvard.edu
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