There are certain movies that every time you pass them when flipping channels you stop
on them. For me, there are only a couple, The Godfather, Goodfellas, Casino, Blade Runner and Starship Troopers. There is just something about Starship Troopers that draws me in everytime. I must say that Starship Troopers which came out in 1997 is one of my favorite movies. This flick has everything that I enjoy; guns, space ships, hot chicks (topless at times) and action! What is not to enjoy. About every 6 months I get the urge to pop in the DVD, run it through my sound system and just kick back and smile. Fortunately for me Starz is showing Starship Troopers this month so all I have to do is kick back and let the carnage wash over me.
First off I have to tell you that I will be talking about plot points. If you haven’t seen this classic Sci-Fi action flick, shut off your computer and buy it. That’s right I buy not rent, not Red Box…this is a must for any collection! If you don’t want to leave the house check your local listings for Encore to see when it airs again. Got that? Good. So now on to the why you have to watch this movie.
Starship Troopers is very loosely based on the novel of the same name by Robert Heinlein. Some of the same fascist ideas are carried into the film, but this film is over the top on purpose. The director Paul Verhoeven (Total Recall) was actually going for camp and absurdity. According to the trivia for this movie, more rounds of ammunition were fired for this movie than any other movie ever made. I don’t know how true this is but damn there is a lot of gun fire in this flick!
So there are some of you who have never seen this movie, and you didn’t stop reading so I will tell you a bit about the story. Starships Troopers is a love story between a boy and a girl, who just can seem to make it work out. Seriously, Johnny Rico, played by Casper Van Dien (Sleepy Hollow) is in love with Carmen Ibanez, played by a pre-Charlie Sheen Denise Richards (Wild Things) and when she joins the military he enlists to stay by her side. The only problem with this is the fact that she is extremely smart and is going to be a pilot; Johnny is just a dumb jock and is stuck in the Mobile Infantry. There is nothing wrong with the Mobile Infantry, it’s just that she is light years away and that just doesn’t work out so well for their ill fated relationship.
Now for those of you who can not get your significant others interested in this type of film, let them just the preceding paragraph and they will think they are in for a 3 Kleenex Titanic Redux! I must admit when Dizzy Flores (Dina Meyer) dies, I get choked up during the funeral for her. Wait, I am getting ahead of myself.
Johnny proves himself and becomes squad leader while in boot and though he does a bang up job, his actions lead to the death of a team mate. For this he is administered punishment in the form of 10 lashes from a whip. He decides after this incident that he is going to leave the Mobile Infantry because it might not be for him. His decision is actually fueled by the fact that Carmen has sent him a “Dear John” letter from the orbit of Jupiter. She gives him the, “we are from different worlds speech.” Before Johnny can walk down wash-out lane, war is declared. The nasty bugs have sent a meteor into Earth’s atmosphere and taken out Buenos Aries, the hometown of some of the main characters including Johnny. Johnny doesn’t quit, he stays in and vows revenge against the bug menace.
Speaking of the bugs, they really are bugs. Giant six legged armor plated killing machines that make the aliens from Aliens look like a minor nuisance. There are also the plasma spewing Tanker bugs, the winged bugs that serve as the air support and the Brain Bugs, who control them all. I have a big bug phobia so I could not join up, as much as I would want. I don’t care how big my gun is or that I am carrying a low yield tactical nuke…I am not fighting any damn bugs!
Eventually, during the invasion of Klandathu (or Big K as the MI Troopers call it), Johnny is killed. Ok so not really killed, but wounded and listed as a KIA. Carmen reads this and runs right into the arms of another man. She may have broken up with Johnny but she hadn’t slept with Xander, played by Patrick Muldoon (Ice Spiders) yet (you will need the DVD to watch the deleted scenes for this tidbit); upon reading of his death…right in the
sack for her! Turns out Johnny wasn’t killed he was just wounded badly and sent into rehab to mend his broken body. After he gets out, he, Dizzy and Ace (played by Jake Busey) are reassigned to another unit. It was the unit commander that saved Johnny’s life on Big K and that person is Johnny and Dizzy’s old teacher; Mr. Rasczk (played by Michael Ironside). While serving under Rasczk Johnny moves up in rank from a Private, to a Corporal and eventually Sergeant.
I don’t want to give away the ending so if you would like to know more…buy this movie or just break down and watch it. This film is filled with gore and violence, not to mention gratuitous nudity; so it is just fun for all. I really like the way it just goes so far over the top. There are many things in this movie that the real world could learn. First off, the only way to become a citizen is to serve in the military. By being a citizen you can, vote, serve in public office and get a license to have children. I think that all politicians should have to serve in a branch of the military before they can be elected. This way before they send troops into a hostile situation they know what it is like first hand. And I really like the whole idea of a license for having kids. Seriously, you need a license to drive so why not something important like shaping a life. (Please remember that my views and opinions do not reflect this site or our affiliates).
Another reason to get Starship Troopers is the movie also stars Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) as Carl. Seriously what’s not to like. The effects are top notch and though it plays like a “B” movie it is so much fun to watch. Do your part, see this movie, you will thank me later.
Starship Troopers airs on Starz this month.
