Directed by Paul Verhoeven and adapted from the 1958 Robert Heinlein novel of the same name, 'Starship Troopers' is a film (and presumably a book) that might easily be misunderstood. It is a sci-fi actioner sure, and effective as one, but it's also deeper, but the way that it is deeper is simultaneously also shallower.
Watching this movie was like watching a propaganda film from a future that doesn't' exist. It takes World War II movie troupes and adapts them to a critique of war generally, and a sort of Fascising effect conflict and its propagandizing can have. The film is often fairly heavy handed with this, the society our characters exist in (who start the film as high school seniors despite all appearing 30ish, and for the most part improbably good looking), seems to have largely eliminated both sexism and racism, but is also militaristic and restricts voting rights to an elect class, Romanesque.
The conflict with the Aliens bugs, against which the human characters feel a self righteous rage, was ironically triggered by human colonists, who with warning persisting in settling in 'bug' territory. The fact that these rouge human settlers are described as 'Mormon extremists', well I found that enjoyable.
Though through viewing I was always aware of the satirical subtext, I found myself being swept up, and really enjoying the film as fun jingoism. The visual effects here hold up remarkably well, and the acting not being that good is what makes the acting work. Special kudos to Michael Ironside however who gives the films best performance, he really sells it. I was rather surprised how much I enjoyed this. ***
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