Starship Troopers (1997)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Albert K

  
  The epitome of the cheesiest 90's action movie of all time. The entire tone, acting, style, and script was so cheesy that no gratuitous amount of blood, or "cool" looking action scene was able to redeem this junky movie.

• Jeff "

  
  Starship Troopers is one of those films that blends elements of Science Fiction, horror and comedy. The film is directed by Paul Verhoeven, director of Robocop. Starship Troopers is a visual feast on the eyes as a war between bugs and humans wages on. The film is heavy on special… More
  Starship Troopers is one of those films that blends elements of Science Fiction, horror and comedy. The film is directed by Paul Verhoeven, director of Robocop. Starship Troopers is a visual feast on the eyes as a war between bugs and humans wages on. The film is heavy on special effects and it has a heavy dose of humour thrown in to soften the mood. With a film like this, you must not take the film so seriously therefore Verhoeven's use of humour is timed perfectly well. In the end Starship Troopers is simply just an action packed sci fi horror film with tongue in cheek moments. The end result is very well done and Starship Troopers is a terrific accomplishment in the genre. If you enjoy a different type of sci-fi film, then this one is for you. The film is very different from Robert A. Heinlein's book of the same name. Despite the fact that this is a different film from what the book is, Starship Troopers is a well crafted, cheesy popcorn action sci fi horror flick. The best performance of this film is Michael Ironside. The rest of the cast is decent, never anything good or memorable. There aren't any characters that you can relate to, so you don't really care if they live or die. The best way to describe this film is 90210 in outer space. Still for what it is, this is a mindless action horror romp that delivers effective blood, gore and a good time. This film stands out because it's over the top, and shocking. Hell, Starship Troopers is ridiculous, but that's what makes this film worth seeing in the first place.

• Mike S

  
  Highly underrated sci-fi adventure, that delivers some of the coolest and most exciting battle sequences ever made for the big screen. Just the fact that I've seen it about ten times by now should speak for how much I love it. What makes it so special and outstanding is that,… More
  Highly underrated sci-fi adventure, that delivers some of the coolest and most exciting battle sequences ever made for the big screen. Just the fact that I've seen it about ten times by now should speak for how much I love it. What makes it so special and outstanding is that, unlike most other films within the genre, it actually has some genuine intelligence to it. Okay, so it's not Oscar-material script-wise, but it's got such an incredibly cool and exhilarating story, while cleverly satiring political propaganda films (like those produced by the Nazis during WWII). So don't mistake this for just another dumb action movie, because although it may look like one on the surface, this film has lot to say about war and the violence that comes with it. Furthermore, it's got some truly awesome special effects, which still look great and really spectacular by today's refined standards. Be sure to watch it on Blu-ray for the best possible viewing experience. Because as much of a visual treat as this movie is, it truly deserves to be seen in high-definition. An all-around amazing rollercoaster ride, that gets nothing less than my highest recommendation!

• Phil H

  
  Brilliantly violent film with super sharp effects and lots of Verhoeven trademarks all over haha the black satire is thick and fast with news reels all over the film showering you in a communist lifestyle that all must obey and join up to gain citizenship and basic freedom really. The… More
  Brilliantly violent film with super sharp effects and lots of Verhoeven trademarks all over haha the black satire is thick and fast with news reels all over the film showering you in a communist lifestyle that all must obey and join up to gain citizenship and basic freedom really. The uniforms of the federation are very Nazi-like and the whole film is full of propaganda and devotion to the 'federation'. At the time the cast were unknown and that made it feel alot more realistic and not just a comic book conversion, they also fit their parts well and although alittle hammy they do a good job, right up till they each get splattered by a bug haha The look is great and quite savage, the warfare is brutal and actually abit tense, the gore is topps and classic Verhoeven (just like Robocop). A full bug riot all the way with almost non stop gun totting action and blood.

• Melvin W

  
  Starship Troopers is an ok movie, but it should have been an amazing movie. Parts of the plot were great, but ultimately the movie failed for me because of the cast. The cast is horrible. None of them were believable, especially Denise Richards and Casper Van Dien. I really wanted and… More
  Starship Troopers is an ok movie, but it should have been an amazing movie. Parts of the plot were great, but ultimately the movie failed for me because of the cast. The cast is horrible. None of them were believable, especially Denise Richards and Casper Van Dien. I really wanted and tried to like the movie. I just couldn't, but I can understand why a lot of people love this movie.

• Drake T

  
  A classic and weird blend of "High School" romance, action-flick, comedic war-satire and immersible SciFi. It's all these genre's working seamlessly together that makes this "brainless" movie a real entertaining treat. All this whining about… More
  A classic and weird blend of "High School" romance, action-flick, comedic war-satire and immersible SciFi. It's all these genre's working seamlessly together that makes this "brainless" movie a real entertaining treat. All this whining about "excessive gore" in a war movie against massive mutant insects makes me laugh. What's wrong with gore when it's all in the right context?

• Emily A

  
  I can't believe I hadn't seen this movie before now! This is the most fun I could hope to have at a movie theatre. I kinda like the way Verhoeven blends extreme gore with severe criticism of the military, dazzling visual effects with parodies of Nazi propaganda and nudity.… More
  I can't believe I hadn't seen this movie before now! This is the most fun I could hope to have at a movie theatre. I kinda like the way Verhoeven blends extreme gore with severe criticism of the military, dazzling visual effects with parodies of Nazi propaganda and nudity. CGI, ESP and NPH! I love it! This movie swept me up with its feverish glee and I loved every character in it. Earth's poor military is way out of its depth in its conflict against extra-terrestrial "Bugs", but everyone seems to believe that anything can be accomplished with enough Dakka. Hoo-hah!

• xGary X

  
  A group of friends join up to fight for the Federation against an alien insect race. Starship troopers is classic comedy. Unfortunately, the sly wit Verhoeven employs in this veiled parody of US militarism passed by unnoticed to the majority and it is pretty obvious that even the… More
  A group of friends join up to fight for the Federation against an alien insect race. Starship troopers is classic comedy. Unfortunately, the sly wit Verhoeven employs in this veiled parody of US militarism passed by unnoticed to the majority and it is pretty obvious that even the catalogue model cast weren't even let in on the joke; they earnestly go through all the cliches of college love triangle, military bootcamp (hilariously overseen by Clancy "MEDIC!" Brown) and on to B-Movie style interplanetary war with totally straight faces. Which makes it even funnier! The constant gore is laid on so thick that by the end it's just Itchy & Scratchy silly (my favourites are the flying bug decapitations!) and by the end you're feeling sorry for the bugs suffering at the hands of a Gestapo trenchcoat clad Doogie Howser! This film is essentially a subversive dig at the Hollywood blockbuster that still makes me laugh every I time I see it and a glorious celebration of stupidity that's not as dumb as it looks.

• Dan S

  
  An entertaining though horribly acted and extremely cheesy sci-fi adventure chronicling a few young people fresh out of school who are hungry to fight the bugs that pose a threat to the world's existence. This film works best as a satire on military recruiting, as well as when it… More
  An entertaining though horribly acted and extremely cheesy sci-fi adventure chronicling a few young people fresh out of school who are hungry to fight the bugs that pose a threat to the world's existence. This film works best as a satire on military recruiting, as well as when it goes just for laughs. As said though, the acting is uniformly awful, but one has to think director Paul Verhoeven did this on purpose due to his desire to do an over-the-top fun, cheesy movie - you can't do that without some lovably bad performances. The plot of the movie is always a little confusing, and the coincidences that emerge are ridiculous and seem to be going a little to far sometimes, but the spectacular visual effects and quick pace make this thing go down relatively easy. This is a tough film to rate, seeing that it is entertaining despite it failing in some of the core areas where most look for a movie to succeed well in. Let's just say it's no surprise Casper Van Dien's mainstream movie career died a fast death after this thing.

• Conner R

  
  A movie that only grows better with age. The nutty early CGI effects look even more out of place than they did when I was 9 or 10. If you're a fan of Paul Verheven's other classics, chances are you'll love this too. It's very much an anti-war movie and great social… More
  A movie that only grows better with age. The nutty early CGI effects look even more out of place than they did when I was 9 or 10. If you're a fan of Paul Verheven's other classics, chances are you'll love this too. It's very much an anti-war movie and great social commentary on capitalism and military propaganda. There's some really great mock commercials and bizarre dialogue throughout. It's not just the ultra-violent sci-fi movie that was marketed, even though it works fine as that. I think making all the aliens bugs is truly the greatest move, it changes the whole perspective on what other beings might look like.

• Alexander W

  
  The link between ST and Total Recall is obvious and a long wait from Paul Verhoeven fans for this EPIC sci fi , slasher, horror. Good Blu-Ray also.

• Anthony L

  
  Good old Paul Verhoeven, back to what he does best. A great action parody (although no one told poor old Casper Van Dien)!

• Thomas B

  
  a very gory look at the future of soldiers, fighting bugs.

• Drew S

  
  Overworked, self-aware schlock that still manages to knock it out of the park here and there. Those little news reels are the most interesting part of the movie; how far is Starship Troopers willing to take itself into parody, anyway? The lack of limitation is noble, but when not all… More
  Overworked, self-aware schlock that still manages to knock it out of the park here and there. Those little news reels are the most interesting part of the movie; how far is Starship Troopers willing to take itself into parody, anyway? The lack of limitation is noble, but when not all of the actors seem to be in on the joke DENISE RICHARDS CASPER VAN DIEN then the force of the satire is really diluted. Perhaps Verhoeven played them this way to enhance the cheesy PSA sensation of the whole movie, but then why is Neil Patrick Harris so gamely aware (an approach that works far better)? And all of the bit players? I just don't think either of the two leads are talented enough to get any of Verhoeven's messages across. Not that he's a director of great thematic complexity. Whatever. There's tits, too. As an action film, it's watchable and the gore is fantastic, but by the last half hour everything starts to get so fucking repetitive that the novelty and the charm fade away and you're left with little more than the same ol' bug eviscerations. I think they just ran out of ideas before the final confrontation but felt compelled to stretch the movie out anyway. Whatever. There's tits!!!

• Justin Y

  
  Director Paul Verhoeven is no stranger when it comes to science fiction, but the two films he directed before this one may make you wonder why he is the director here. Nonetheless, <i>Starship Troopers</i> is a science fiction action adventure that comes up under the… More
  Director Paul Verhoeven is no stranger when it comes to science fiction, but the two films he directed before this one may make you wonder why he is the director here. Nonetheless, <i>Starship Troopers</i> is a science fiction action adventure that comes up under the radar and surprises.<p>The story isn't all that deep and is, in fact, a little flat at times, but somehow it is enough to get this film just past the two hour mark. The first 50 minutes is all character development, but not to worry, because there is still a lot of action to go around. Remember this is a 2 hour picture. While the beginning is all about the characters, it isn't all that boring because of the futuristic setting and concept. The marketing/news theme seen throughout the film is also a unique touch. "You want to know more?"</p><p>One of the stronger elements of <i>Starship Troopers</i> is the CG and creature effects. It is easy to tell where the money went. There are a ton of bugs and blood to go around too. This movie is not afraid to kill and show.</p><p>While the acting isn't award winning, this is easily Casper Van Dien's most memorable film in over a decade. Denise Richards and Dina Meyer are both under 30 and beautiful. Dina even provides some nudity. Neil Patrick Harris, Jake Busey, and Michael Ironside have good supporting roles as well.</p><p>At first glance <i>Starship Troopers</i> may seem like some cheap science fiction piece of crap, but that is where you are mistaken. This is an entertaining 2 hours for science fiction lovers.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Genocide doesn't compare to this"</i> Director Paul Verhoeven (Showgirls, Total Recall) reunited many from his 1987 Robocop team for this $100-million science fiction adventure, adapted from Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel, originally serialized in… More
  <i>"Genocide doesn't compare to this"</i> Director Paul Verhoeven (Showgirls, Total Recall) reunited many from his 1987 Robocop team for this $100-million science fiction adventure, adapted from Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel, originally serialized in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (October-November, 1959). After graduation, Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) volunteers for the Mobile Infantry to do his Federal service -- but also to win over his girlfriend, Carmen Ibanez (Denise Richards), who has signed with the Fleet Academy to become a starship pilot. Johnny joins other boot-camp recruits -- Dizzy Flores (Dina Meyer), who has had a crush on Johnny since school, and Ace Levy (Jake Busey). Ace and Johnny become pals, and Johnny's abilities earn him the squad leader position. A training accident occurs on Johnny's watch, and he is about to resign when Earth is attacked by alien insects intent on eradicating all human life. Johnny's home, Buenos Aires, is no longer on the map. Horrified, he chooses to stay on and fight to destroy the insect threat. The Mobile Infantry travels to the planet Klendathu to battle the warrior bugs, a ruthless enemy with only one goal -- survival of their species no matter what. In the initial encounter, some 100,000 lives are lost. At a distant fort, Johnny's unit discovers that the bugs drain brains to acquire knowledge. Soon they are overwhelmed by an advancing arthropod army of immense proportions, attacking both in space and on the planet surface. The notion of human extinction becomes a possibility. For this $100-million production, some 300 artists and technicians combined models and miniatures with CGI effects to fashion a variety of creatures -- from breeder bugs to armored tanker bugs. The film employed hundreds of extras and has over 500 visual effects shots. Filming began 4/29/96 in California (LA and Long Beach, where Cal State's pyramid gym was used for the Jumpball game), New York, South Dakota, Wyoming (Casper, Hell's Half Acre), and Utah (an abandoned Wendover airstrip where the Enola Gay WWII bomber crew trained). At an abandoned airfield in Fountain Valley, California, an elaborate set was constructed to resemble a military boot camp of the future -- complete with an array of pup tents, gull-winged spaceships, hurdle obstacle course, and training facility buildings. Cinematography by Jost Vacano (Showgirls). To be brutally honest, "Starship Troopers" is a ludicrous movie. The dialogue is cheesy, the plot is weak, and the acting is non-existent. That said, I loved this movie. Most action movies made today are merely showcases for special effects. "ST" is no different; it just succeeds much better in the effects department. The computer-generated critters in this movie were incredible, and the vileness of them made them that much more menacing. The action sequences are stunning, albeit gruesome, so long as you can stomach severed heads, skewered bodies, and flying limbs. "ST" is not a movie for everyone. In fact, unless you're an adolescent boy or a twenty-something guy nostalgic for this type of movie, you won't get much out of this movie. "ST" requires that you ask no questions (such as why send troopers when ships and nukes work much better; how can bugs shoot enough energy out of their hindquarters to blow up a ship; etc) and simply immerse yourself in the action. I was able to numb my analytical nature for a while, and I enjoyed it. If you trust yourself to do the same, then give "ST" a go.

• Michael S

  
  Gung- Ho, Sci Fi action at it's finest. A schlock masterpiece by Verhoeven.

• Aaron N

  
  Rico: You tryin' to be a hero soldier?!!? Soldier: Just tryin' to kill some bugs sir! Some people may see this movie and not recognize the genius behind it. It is a sci-fi war movie that is able to blend the harsh realities of war with some social commentary using a cast of… More
  Rico: You tryin' to be a hero soldier?!!? Soldier: Just tryin' to kill some bugs sir! Some people may see this movie and not recognize the genius behind it. It is a sci-fi war movie that is able to blend the harsh realities of war with some social commentary using a cast of actors right out of a teen soap opera, and its all done on purpose. Ace Levy: Shoot a nuke down a bug hole, you got a lot of dead bugs. Casper Van Dien is Johnny Rico, a young man who has just enlisted in the army, in this future version of earth. Problems arise when a bug planet declares war against earth, and humans and bugs go toe to toe on their own planet. Plenty of chaos ensues. Jean Rasczak: Come on you apes! You want to live forever? The brilliance of much of the dialog and action scenes, which go between very well done and enjoyably corny, are another big factor in how terribly entertaining this movie is. Jean Rasczak: I need a corporal. You're it, until you're dead or I find someone better. I love watching this movie. It is one that I can watch over and over because it is bad and good at the same time. One of the movies that disguises itself as a guilty pleasure film, but its not, its well done and made by one of the current exploitation masters, Paul Verhoeven, who knows how to inject gratuitous violence and nudity into quality features, along with his own sense of humor involving the subtext revolving around society, which is of course buried beneath a sea of macho bravado. Johnny Rico: I hear you got a bug problem ma'am? Corporal Birdie: Ah, stuff it, Rico! Good stuff. Newsreel announcer: Everyone is doing their part. Are you? [cut to children stomping on cockroaches, while a mother laughs manically]

• Luke B

  
  I once lost my heart to a starship trooper. Seeing this film it's no surprise as to why. Verhoevens B-Movie has the B standing for brilliant, brutal and bonkers. Humans fight against giant bugs, awesome. Non-stop gore, non-stop war, it's fun and OTT. Ironside is the man, no… More
  I once lost my heart to a starship trooper. Seeing this film it's no surprise as to why. Verhoevens B-Movie has the B standing for brilliant, brutal and bonkers. Humans fight against giant bugs, awesome. Non-stop gore, non-stop war, it's fun and OTT. Ironside is the man, no matterwhat he is in he rocks. Sure Van Dien has gon down the route of direct to TV movies rcently bu he has enough balls to really handle this role. Even manages to build relationships and carry them through with an emotional punch.

• Julie B

  
  Giant Space Bugs Rule.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings