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Starship Troopers (1997)
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Cast: Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Ironside
If you think Starship Troopers is a no-brainier flick with nothing to say, you'd be wrong. This rock 'em sock 'em movie, loosely based on Robert Heinlein's best selling novel is much more than just space marines battling giant bugs on an alien planet.
Starship Troopers delivers a powerfully conflicting message on the dangers of over zealot flag waving and the folly of demonizing your enemy without knowing them.
At first the film looks like a simple sci-fi action story about an alien insect planet that has evil plans to destroy Earth with their asteroid bombs. Later we find out that the alien bugs are brainless and act out of pure instinct. Which seems to suggest that the Human's war effort is misguided by the militaristic government. At the end of the movie however, they encounter a 'smart bug' which perhaps justifies Earth's fear. Or perhaps not? It's a conflicting message.
The movie cleverly indoctrinates the viewer into it's message by showing us, ultra patriotic Nazi style propaganda clips. These clips on shown on the fictions 'Federal Network'. It's no coincidence that the military officers are audaciously dressed in pseudo Nazi uniforms. The films propaganda news clips rallies one's militarist side....'the enemy is evil...they must be destroyed!'
“War”
New military recruits are indoctrinated into fighting soldiers by an ultra patriotic instructor, played by Michael Ironside. The recruits are taught the differences between a full fledged Citizen who has earned the right to vote, and a Civilian who has not served in the military and so has no voting rights. The following scene is well done, especially as Michael Ironside gives his citizenship speech to teen students who are more interested in flirting with each other. The arm bit at the end is good too.
“The Failure of Democracy”
On the surface Starship Troopers works as an action packed, special effects movie. But look deeper and it's a clever parody of ultra-militarism.
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Cast: Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Ironside
If you think Starship Troopers is a no-brainier flick with nothing to say, you'd be wrong. This rock 'em sock 'em movie, loosely based on Robert Heinlein's best selling novel is much more than just space marines battling giant bugs on an alien planet.
Starship Troopers delivers a powerfully conflicting message on the dangers of over zealot flag waving and the folly of demonizing your enemy without knowing them.
At first the film looks like a simple sci-fi action story about an alien insect planet that has evil plans to destroy Earth with their asteroid bombs. Later we find out that the alien bugs are brainless and act out of pure instinct. Which seems to suggest that the Human's war effort is misguided by the militaristic government. At the end of the movie however, they encounter a 'smart bug' which perhaps justifies Earth's fear. Or perhaps not? It's a conflicting message.
The movie cleverly indoctrinates the viewer into it's message by showing us, ultra patriotic Nazi style propaganda clips. These clips on shown on the fictions 'Federal Network'. It's no coincidence that the military officers are audaciously dressed in pseudo Nazi uniforms. The films propaganda news clips rallies one's militarist side....'the enemy is evil...they must be destroyed!'
“War”
New military recruits are indoctrinated into fighting soldiers by an ultra patriotic instructor, played by Michael Ironside. The recruits are taught the differences between a full fledged Citizen who has earned the right to vote, and a Civilian who has not served in the military and so has no voting rights. The following scene is well done, especially as Michael Ironside gives his citizenship speech to teen students who are more interested in flirting with each other. The arm bit at the end is good too.
“The Failure of Democracy”
On the surface Starship Troopers works as an action packed, special effects movie. But look deeper and it's a clever parody of ultra-militarism.