Dutch director Paul Verhoeven (TOTAL RECALL, ROBOCOP) mixes big budget bug bashing with twisted satire of old Hollywood movies in this adaptation of Robert Heinlein's classic sci-fi novel. It's the future, Earth is at war, and the kids are all going off to fight giant killer bugs on the remote planet of Klendathu. Casper Van Diem, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, and Patrick Muldoon play some of the blandly attractive young recruits who engage in soap-opera style love triangles as they toughen up and learn to fight (and die) like soldiers. Michael Ironside is their gung-ho, one-armed leader. The real stars though, are the superbly animated bugs. Packed to the rafters with jaw-dropping special effects and insane violence, the film managed to be a box office hit though it undoubtedly left some audiences confused at Verhoeven's slyly deadpan humor. By the time Neil Patrick Harris (TV's Doogie Howser) starts marching around in a Gestapo-style uniform, for example, it will be apparent this isn't STAR WARS. What it is however, is a rousing experience for mature viewers in the properly ironic frame of mind.
Excerpt: "Would you like to know more?"--a slogan that appears frequently in newreel clips
"Violence has resolved more conflicts than anything else. The contrary opinion that violence doesn't solve anything is mearly wishful thinking at its worst!"--Rasczak (Michael Ironside) to his students
"Everyone fights, no one quits. If you don't do your job, I'll shoot you myself."--Rasczak to his troops
"You see a bug hole, you nuke it!"--Rasczak to his troops
"M.I. does the dying. Fleet just does the flying."--Rico (Casper Van Dien) referring to the downside of being in the mobile infantry
UMD Features:
Note: This release is in the UMD format for Sony PSP players only.
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital 2.0 - English
Subtitles - English, French, Spanish - Optional
Stars
Casper Van Dien: American actor, STARSHIP TROOPERS
Dina Meyer: Actress, JOHNNY MNEMONIC
Denise Richards: Actress, WILD THINGS (1998)
Jake Busey: Actor/"Cpu"
Neil Patrick Harris: American film & telelvison actor, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, STA
Clancy Brown: American Character Actor
Seth Gilliam: American Actor
Patrick Muldoon: American Actor
Michael Ironside: Actor/"Scanners"
Rue McClanahan: American TV/Film Actress, THE GOLDEN GIRLS
Marshall Bell: Actor
Eric Bruskotter:
Matt Levin:
Blake Lindsley:
Anthony Michael Ruivivar:
Brenda Strong: American television actress, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Dean Norris: American Supporting Actor
Christopher Curry: Actor/"Chud"
Lenore Kasdorf:
Tami-Adrian George: Actress
Teo:
Steven Ford: American Supporting Actor
Ungela Brockman:
Curnal Achilles Aulisio:
Greg Travis:
Bruce Gray:
Denise Y. Dowse:
John Cunningham: Supporting Actor/1990s
Julianna McCarthy:
Timothy McNeil:
Robert David Hall: American actor, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION series
Brad Kane: Actor
Amy Smart: American actress,
Timothy Omundson:
Patrick Bishop:
Hunter Bodine:
Travis Lowen:
Patrick Wolff:
Mara Duronslet:
Dale Dye: American Producer/Writer
Michael Stockey:
Tyrone Tann:
Matt Entriken:
Eric DaRe: Actor
Ronald L. Botchan:
Walter Adrian:
Stephanie Erb:
Alexi Lakatos:
Nathaniel Marshall:
Austin Sanderford:
Rhiannon Vigil:
Mylin Brooks: Actress
Armand Darrius:
Kai Lennox:
Director
Paul Verhoeven: Dutch Director, ROBOCOP (1990), BASIC INSTINCT (1992)
Producer
Jon Davison:
Alan Marshall: Producer
Screenwriter
Ed Neumeier: Screenwriter, director (ROBOCOP, STARSHIP TROOPERS 3)
Composer
Basil Poledouris: Composer
Editor
Mark Goldblatt: Editor, PEARL HARBOR (2001)
Caroline Ross: Film editor
Costume Designer
Ellen Mirojnick: Costume Designer, THE SENTINEL (2006)
Director of Photography
Jost Vacano:
Production Designer
Allan Cameron: Production Designer, SAHARA (2005)
Special Effects
Amalgamated Dynamics: Creature effects company
Special Effects
Banned From the Ranch Entertainment: Computer effects company
Special Effects
Boss Film Studios: Visual effects company
Special Effects
Sony Pictures Imageworks: Visual effects company
Special Effects
Tippett Studio: Computer effects company
Special Effects
Visual Concept Entertainment: Visual effects company
Story
Robert A. Heinlein: American Science-Fiction author
Special Effects
Industrial Light and Magic:
Review 1:
"...Entertaining, engaging, exciting....With game, energetic, winsome performances...and effects that live up to the hype..."
Source: Box Office
p.47 01/01/1998
Review 2:
"...Fascinating....Featuring astonishing effects and some of the most harrowing battle scenes in movie history..."
Source: Sight and Sound
p.53-4 01/01/1998
Review 3:
"...Director Paul Verhoeven is back in his subversively nimble ROBOCOP groove with the uproariously cheeky STARSHIP TROOPERS" -- 4 out of 4 stars
Source: USA Today
p.2D 11/07/1997
Review 4:
"...The film's main events are its wild bugfights, with hordes of extraordinarily dynamic special-effects creatures....These bizarre marauders are really something to see..."
Source: New York Times
p.E14 11/07/1997
Review 5:
"...A letter grade would do a disservice to a movie that sees relentless entertainment and brilliant pop-culture fraud as two sides of the same media coin....The Most Ironic Hollywood Blockbuster Ever Made. See it for yourself and decide..."
Source: Entertainment Weekly
pp.104-5 05/15/1998