150 Word Review: 'Starship Troopers' (1997)
Earth first
It is easier to misunderstand Starship Troopers than to accept director Paul Verhoeven's easy-to-comprehend thesis: America is a chickenhearted democracy that dreams of fascism. This observation, made way back in 1997, still makes filmgoers uneasy.
Verhoeven gets America in a way few other directors do. (He has some hope for us.) Starship Troopers takes place in a future where the strong and the beautiful rule and blood is thicker than freedom. Tomorrow belongs to Space Marines.
His big-budget sci-fi epic is pro-war madness. It is also a savage satire: there is no wink or smirk. We follow a handful of fresh-faced recruits who fight a desperate battle against intergalactic insects with knives for legs. These hunks and hotties die horribly and gloriously—sexy human sacrifices.
The movie is peppered with darkly comedic propaganda ads: in one, citizens are cheerfully ordered to do their part while laughing children stomp on bugs.
AUTHORS NOTE: 'Starship Troopers' by Robert A. Heinlein (1959)
Starship Troopers is an example of a movie that’s better than the book, which renowned sci-fi author Robert Heinlein wrote. It has proven to be an influential novel in science-fiction, and military circles, as well as mainstream culture. James Cameron borrowed heavily from Heinlein’s work for 1987’s Aliens, his massively successful sequel to Alien.
Heinlein is beloved by libertarians for his strong views on civic duty and personal responsibility. I think he was a kook, but a creative one. Libertarians are usually romantics who believe they are strong, silent, and self-reliant but they're almost always men who weren't invited to college parties. Have you ever met a libertarian? I have. They're pleasant enough. Libertarians are almost always generous with their weed, for instance, but then start talking about libertarianism. So, it's a devil's bargain there, in my opinion.
This book is a political essay masquerading as a young adult space adventure. It argues that violence is “the supreme authority from which all other authorities are derived.” That’s a tattoo for a fascist, if ever there was one.
you leave heinlein alone
First I read your review.
Then I read about it on Wikipedia.
It lost money.
Now it’s a cult classic.
Not paying to watch it on prime because I’m really not into violent alien movies.
Never would have know about it if not for one of your insightful 150 word reviews.
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