Paul Verhoeven's 1997 sci-fi war film "Starship Troopers," based on the 1959 novel by Robert A. Heinlein, is a vicious satire that lampoons the aggressive, unthinking language used to bolster unjust, fascistic wars. The main characters are all young, attractive, empty-headed grunts inducted into a meaningless 24th-century intergalactic war with a distant species of giant intelligent arachnids.
The most notable feature of Verhoeven's film, however, is the propaganda videos that periodically fill the screen. Clear-voiced, boldly preachy short films announce to the audience that the war needs to be fought and that the government needs as many able-bodied youths as it can wrangle to feed them into the soul-hollowing combat machine. "The only good bug is a dead bug," people growl. Anti-bug sentiment is high.
Also, the film is a comedy. Screenwriter Edward Neumeier ("RoboCop") strikes a broadly cynical tone, playfully dissecting the American war machine and the politicians who spoke of war as a grand,...
The most notable feature of Verhoeven's film, however, is the propaganda videos that periodically fill the screen. Clear-voiced, boldly preachy short films announce to the audience that the war needs to be fought and that the government needs as many able-bodied youths as it can wrangle to feed them into the soul-hollowing combat machine. "The only good bug is a dead bug," people growl. Anti-bug sentiment is high.
Also, the film is a comedy. Screenwriter Edward Neumeier ("RoboCop") strikes a broadly cynical tone, playfully dissecting the American war machine and the politicians who spoke of war as a grand,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Online games getting their own live-action movie or series is not a rare sight these days. In the recent past, several games have been adapted into live-action movies or series. The most recent example is Prime Video’s Fallout TV series, based on the popular Fallout game franchise, which is all set to release in April 2024.
Like most popular games, expecting a live-action project based on the smashing hit game Helldivers 2 won’t be surprising. But what if we told you the game doesn’t need to create one, as they already have a movie they just need to partner with?
Helldivers 2
To simplify it Helldivers 2 honors fallen soldiers with a complimentary cape as part of ‘Malevelon Creek Memorial Day,’ and includes a presidential directive from Super Earth’s leader. Sounds familiar? Starship Troopers it is!
How is Helldivers 2 related to Starship Troopers?
When many players watched the trailers and...
Like most popular games, expecting a live-action project based on the smashing hit game Helldivers 2 won’t be surprising. But what if we told you the game doesn’t need to create one, as they already have a movie they just need to partner with?
Helldivers 2
To simplify it Helldivers 2 honors fallen soldiers with a complimentary cape as part of ‘Malevelon Creek Memorial Day,’ and includes a presidential directive from Super Earth’s leader. Sounds familiar? Starship Troopers it is!
How is Helldivers 2 related to Starship Troopers?
When many players watched the trailers and...
- 4/6/2024
- by Amarylisa Gonsalves
- FandomWire
"Starship Troopers" was not a big hit when it arrived in 1997, and many audiences didn't know what to make of the darkly satirical tone created by "RoboCop" filmmaker Paul Verhoeven. In the years since its release, however, Verhoeven's violent, funny, action-packed sci-fi flick has been re-evaluated and become both a cult classic and a movie that some people still don't understand.
Adapted from Robert A. Heinlein's novel, "Starship Troopers" follows a group of youngsters who get swept up in being soldiers when alien bugs attack Earth. Of course, the war ends up being hell, and many of these fresh young faces are cut down in increasingly nasty ways. And then, just in case all of the satire went over your head, Verhoeven ends things by having Neil Patrick Harris show up dressed in a Nazi uniform.
Would you like to know more?
Well, how about this: did you know...
Adapted from Robert A. Heinlein's novel, "Starship Troopers" follows a group of youngsters who get swept up in being soldiers when alien bugs attack Earth. Of course, the war ends up being hell, and many of these fresh young faces are cut down in increasingly nasty ways. And then, just in case all of the satire went over your head, Verhoeven ends things by having Neil Patrick Harris show up dressed in a Nazi uniform.
Would you like to know more?
Well, how about this: did you know...
- 3/30/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
“You get me?” barks Career Drill Sergeant Zim (Clancy Brown). The young, beautiful, and vapid recruits giving him their full attention answer in kind: “Sir yes sir!” Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) and his fellow roughnecks might get Zim, but most people do not. Since its first theatrical run through today, viewers misread, misunderstand, and, frankly, misattribute Starship Troopers time and again, failing to see the cutting satire at work.
The most recent example comes from author Isaac Young, who took to Twitter to critique the film’s approach to satire. Young argued that director Paul Verhoeven failed to make fun of the Terran Federation because the attractive heroes, clean cities, and technologically advanced schools look nicer than the ugly bugs they fight.
Why the first Starship Troopers movie failed as a parody, a thread:
Watching the movie, it was clear the director was aiming for a campy, over-the-top depiction of the Terran Federation.
The most recent example comes from author Isaac Young, who took to Twitter to critique the film’s approach to satire. Young argued that director Paul Verhoeven failed to make fun of the Terran Federation because the attractive heroes, clean cities, and technologically advanced schools look nicer than the ugly bugs they fight.
Why the first Starship Troopers movie failed as a parody, a thread:
Watching the movie, it was clear the director was aiming for a campy, over-the-top depiction of the Terran Federation.
- 2/28/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Starship Troopers has continued to remain a cult-classic sci-fi movie that features a group of teens who undergo rigorous training to prepare themselves to fight off gigantic bugs that are invading Earth. While the movie on its own is an underrated sci-fi project in the cinematic world, many would be surprised to know why an insect was particularly chosen to be a villain.
Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers(1997)
But, before diving into how Bugs initially got finalized as the movie’s antagonist, one must know that the movie’s development began as a separate project called, Bug Hunt at Outpost 7, written by Ed Neumeier. That was when the Bugs’ history originated!
Why ‘Bugs’ Were the Antagonists in Starship Troopers?
A still from Starship Troopers [1997]Starship Troopers was not the original script’s name as screenwriter and co-producer, Ed Neumeier began developing its story treatment which he initially titled, Bug...
Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers(1997)
But, before diving into how Bugs initially got finalized as the movie’s antagonist, one must know that the movie’s development began as a separate project called, Bug Hunt at Outpost 7, written by Ed Neumeier. That was when the Bugs’ history originated!
Why ‘Bugs’ Were the Antagonists in Starship Troopers?
A still from Starship Troopers [1997]Starship Troopers was not the original script’s name as screenwriter and co-producer, Ed Neumeier began developing its story treatment which he initially titled, Bug...
- 2/27/2024
- by Priya Sharma
- FandomWire
Look, I don’t want to waste anyone’s time. We all know that Starship Troopers (watch it Here) isn’t a horror movie. It’s a science fiction intergalactic comedy with a light tone and Neil Patrick Harris- but it’s also a well-made and tightly performed 90s creature feature that is sure to tickle the nostalgia bone for many JoBlo Horror fans. And with Paul Verhoeven being fresh on the mind from our Robocop episode, we thought it would only make sense to follow it up with another Verhoeven classic that showcases how far the director had come in the 10 years between these two films. If you’re still not convinced, this film also delivers on terrifying creatures, plenty of blood and guts, and even some boobies for you slasher trope seekers out there. While being more comedy/action than anything- Starship Troopers is a film that...
- 2/27/2024
- by Kier Gomes
- JoBlo.com
Helldivers 2 has been having quite an impact since its release, as the game sold over a million copies within 3 days of its release. It’s safe to say that the game is in safe hands, as it is soaring in popularity on Steam, second only to Palworld.
The game has two main sections of antagonists: the bug-like Terminids and the robotic Automatons. Most of the missions and objectives are centered around the Terminids, which quite unsurprisingly has led to the rise in viewership of one cult classic sci-fi movie – Starship Troopers.
Starship Troopers is a 1997-released movie that is based on a novel of the same name by Robert A. Heinlein.
Helldivers 2 and Starship Troopers Share the Same Bug Problem Starship Troopers shares a lot of similarities with Helldivers 2.
In the Starship Troopers franchise, humanity is plagued by the attacks of the Arachnids, who are bug-like creatures that have launched attacks on Earth.
The game has two main sections of antagonists: the bug-like Terminids and the robotic Automatons. Most of the missions and objectives are centered around the Terminids, which quite unsurprisingly has led to the rise in viewership of one cult classic sci-fi movie – Starship Troopers.
Starship Troopers is a 1997-released movie that is based on a novel of the same name by Robert A. Heinlein.
Helldivers 2 and Starship Troopers Share the Same Bug Problem Starship Troopers shares a lot of similarities with Helldivers 2.
In the Starship Troopers franchise, humanity is plagued by the attacks of the Arachnids, who are bug-like creatures that have launched attacks on Earth.
- 2/20/2024
- by Arkaneel Khan
- FandomWire
Plot: Season two of “What If…?” continues the journey as The Watcher guides viewers through the vast multiverse, introducing brand new and familiar faces throughout the MCU. The series questions, revisits and twists classic Marvel Cinematic moments with an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles. Featuring fan-favorite characters this season like Nebula, Hela and Happy Hogan, episodes are directed by executive producer Bryan Andrews with executive producer AC Bradley as head writer.
Review: 2023 has been rough for Marvel Studios. After the box office disappointments of The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the critical failure of Secret Invasion along with Jonathan Majors’ real-life legal woes putting the Multiverse Saga in jeopardy, the MCU has one final shot to try and redeem themselves in the eyes of fans. Two years ago, the animated series What If…? managed to entertain fans of feature films,...
Review: 2023 has been rough for Marvel Studios. After the box office disappointments of The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the critical failure of Secret Invasion along with Jonathan Majors’ real-life legal woes putting the Multiverse Saga in jeopardy, the MCU has one final shot to try and redeem themselves in the eyes of fans. Two years ago, the animated series What If…? managed to entertain fans of feature films,...
- 12/22/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Do you like the Star Wars franchise? How about the new version of Dune? And what about Avatar, The Matrix, Starship Troopers, Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones? And also: Westerns, samurai movies, Inglourious Basterds, ancient mythology (Greek, Roman, and a smattering of Eastern), the Dungeons & Dragons monsters’ manual, those old-school Roger Dean album covers, Frank Frazetta’s paintings, Hideo Kojima’s video games, James Fenimore Cooper’s “Leatherstocking Tales,” the collected works of Robert Heinlein and Piers Anthony, and six out of the nine short stories...
- 12/18/2023
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
Isaac Asimov is considered one of the biggest science fiction minds of the 20th century, along with authors like Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke. He wrote hundreds of books, including his highly influential "Robot" and "Foundation" series. These shaped many of the sci-fi stories of today, establishing familiar tropes like the galactic empire, and robots being programmed to be unable to harm humans.
Books like "Dune" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" owe a lot to Asimov, as do movies like "Star Wars." And yet, Asimov wasn't exactly the biggest sci-fi fan out there, at least not in TV and film. In an interview with the L.A. Times in 1988, Asimov simply described the "Star Trek" films, "Planet of the Apes" and "Back to the Future" as "decent." Asimov even wrote an essay for TV Guide that criticized "Star Trek" and its take on science -- though he...
Books like "Dune" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" owe a lot to Asimov, as do movies like "Star Wars." And yet, Asimov wasn't exactly the biggest sci-fi fan out there, at least not in TV and film. In an interview with the L.A. Times in 1988, Asimov simply described the "Star Trek" films, "Planet of the Apes" and "Back to the Future" as "decent." Asimov even wrote an essay for TV Guide that criticized "Star Trek" and its take on science -- though he...
- 10/18/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
The 1950s are considered the “Golden Age” of science fiction cinema, and that’s not just hyperbole. By many accounts, more than 200 sci-fi movies were released during that decade. And while the film industry had sporadically produced quality sci-fi in the years before—ranging from Aelita (1924) to Metropolis (1927), to The Invisible Man (1933)—it wasn’t until the 1950s that classic after classic began to arrive like riches from a long-lost hidden treasure.
And when we say classic, we mean films that essentially created the template for all science fiction movies that followed. Just look at this list. The first half of the decade brought us The Thing from Another World, When Worlds Collide, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Godzilla, and Them!, while the second half ushered in This Island Earth, Forbidden Planet, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Blob, The Fly,...
And when we say classic, we mean films that essentially created the template for all science fiction movies that followed. Just look at this list. The first half of the decade brought us The Thing from Another World, When Worlds Collide, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Godzilla, and Them!, while the second half ushered in This Island Earth, Forbidden Planet, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Blob, The Fly,...
- 9/29/2023
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
You've heard of "Emily in Paris." Now get ready for "Daryl in Marseille," the latest quirky series about an American experiencing culture shock after a spontaneous career move brings them to France.
Actually, the official title (for the sake of brand recognition) is "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon." The six-episode spin-off show picks up after the series finale of "The Walking Dead," which ended with Daryl riding off towards the horizon on his motorcycle. After a mysterious journey across the Atlantic (perhaps he converted his bike into a jet-ski), he finds himself washing up on the shores of Marseille and embarking on a new adventure in a new country where he does not speak the language. Just like Emily.
The idea for "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" first began to take root somewhere around 2016, and was inspired by star Norman Reedus' AMC series "Ride with Norman Reedus," in which he...
Actually, the official title (for the sake of brand recognition) is "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon." The six-episode spin-off show picks up after the series finale of "The Walking Dead," which ended with Daryl riding off towards the horizon on his motorcycle. After a mysterious journey across the Atlantic (perhaps he converted his bike into a jet-ski), he finds himself washing up on the shores of Marseille and embarking on a new adventure in a new country where he does not speak the language. Just like Emily.
The idea for "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" first began to take root somewhere around 2016, and was inspired by star Norman Reedus' AMC series "Ride with Norman Reedus," in which he...
- 9/3/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Frank Herbert’s Dune is a formative piece of science fiction, high in the firmament of the genre with Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein. Likewise, the 2021 film adaptation is easily the biggest cinematic sci-fi event since Star Wars. But unlike many other genre flicks, Dune has more in common with stories like Game of Thrones; featuring sprawling worldbuilding, characters numbering in the hundreds, and timelines stretching into the millennia, the full breadth of Dune’s history can be overwhelming. As such, the backstory behind the desert planet of Arrakis is left largely undiscussed in the events of the first book and...
- 6/15/2023
- by Andrew-Powell
- TVovermind.com
It's getting weird out there. We almost seem to be living in a post-satire era, where fact and fiction feel so interchangeable that it can be hard to tell what's news and what's a well-written joke. When The Onion starts feeling more accurate than The New York Times, it's hard to tell which end is up, and media literacy is at an all-time low. That means satire is being read completely straight, and while that's nothing new (remember "Fight Club"?), it does feel pretty scary. Then again, one of the greatest satires of all time was originally taken at face value (and still is by some viewers) — that's right, I'm talking about Paul Verhoeven's "Starship Troopers."
The 1997 sci-fi action flick was based on the very straight-faced novel of the same name by Robert Heinlein. Heinlein's novel depicts a fascist futuristic society where citizenship is inherent but something that must be earned,...
The 1997 sci-fi action flick was based on the very straight-faced novel of the same name by Robert Heinlein. Heinlein's novel depicts a fascist futuristic society where citizenship is inherent but something that must be earned,...
- 5/6/2023
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
There is an old sketch from British comedians Mitchell and Webb; if you didn't see the show, you've probably seen the meme. As they await the approach of Russian troops, an SS officer consults his colleague regarding the skull-and-crossbones insignia on their caps. Hesitantly he asks, "Are we the baddies?"
It's a question that never crosses the minds of the protagonists in "Starship Troopers," Paul Verhoeven's violent satire of military excess and jingoism that drips with the same kind of fashion sense and iconography as the Third Reich. The director said he wanted to "make a film about fascists who aren't aware of their fascism" (via The Guardian) and to make his point he convinced Hollywood to give him 100 million to create a splattery sci-fi epic about teens fighting giant bugs on a distant planet.
It was a trashy premise that perhaps masked Verhoeven's satirical intentions at the time...
It's a question that never crosses the minds of the protagonists in "Starship Troopers," Paul Verhoeven's violent satire of military excess and jingoism that drips with the same kind of fashion sense and iconography as the Third Reich. The director said he wanted to "make a film about fascists who aren't aware of their fascism" (via The Guardian) and to make his point he convinced Hollywood to give him 100 million to create a splattery sci-fi epic about teens fighting giant bugs on a distant planet.
It was a trashy premise that perhaps masked Verhoeven's satirical intentions at the time...
- 12/26/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
Today, Paul Verhoeven's "Starship Troopers" is mostly remembered and still revered for the groundbreaking Oscar-nominated visual effects from Phil Tippett's Tippett Studio and Sony Pictures Imageworks (Spi). Losing the Oscar to James Cameron's "Titanic," the incredibly self-aware space epic has stayed in the public consciousness mostly due to the biting satire and enduring soap opera appeal that Verhoeven and the chiseled actors injected into the film. Based on Robert Heinlein's overtly pro-war book of the same name, Verhoeven and his writing partner Ed Neumeier took what they had learned making the dystopian action classic "Robocop" and applied it to their overblown version of "Starship Troopers."
Plans of making a big-budget parody of a sci-fi action blockbuster became even more apparent with the casting of Casper Van Dien and Denise Richards, two classically beautiful actors that looked like they walked out of the pages of a comic book.
Plans of making a big-budget parody of a sci-fi action blockbuster became even more apparent with the casting of Casper Van Dien and Denise Richards, two classically beautiful actors that looked like they walked out of the pages of a comic book.
- 12/3/2022
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
Michael Ironside's strong jaw lost him the role of Robocop in Paul Verhoeven's sci-fi classic — he tells BFI that "Robocop" special effects creator Rob Bottin said, "If we were to do [the Robocop look] on Michael, he'd look like a Mack truck." But his stern look has gained the Canadian actor plenty of work as assorted villains and tough guys across decades. In the 1980s and '90s, he would be known for roles like the telepathic psycho killer in Darryl Revok in early David Cronenberg work "Scanners," and for the hard-boiled Naval Aviator Lieutenant Commander "Jester" Heatherly in Tony Scott's "Top Gun."
After missing out on "Robocop," Ironside would get his chance to work with Verhoeven in 1990 with "Total Recall," where he would play the foil as ferocious enforcer Richter. He would reunite with the polarizing director again seven years later, this time in an adaptation of a controversial work.
After missing out on "Robocop," Ironside would get his chance to work with Verhoeven in 1990 with "Total Recall," where he would play the foil as ferocious enforcer Richter. He would reunite with the polarizing director again seven years later, this time in an adaptation of a controversial work.
- 11/20/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Would you like to know more?
After hanging with two-time RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon to praise the camp classic Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, we got a bit more abstract with the ethereal noir-ish antics of Jennifer Reeder’s Knives and Skin. This week, we’re delving into Paul Verhoeven‘s not-so-secret satire Starship Troopers in celebration of its 25th anniversary!
Set in the 23rd century, the film follows the exploits of “teenager” Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) and his friends while serving in the military under the Earth world government, the United Citizen Federation (aka a fascist regime). Humanity’s exploration and colonization of outer space brings them into conflict with an alien species, known as Arachnids, leading to an interstellar war.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud,...
After hanging with two-time RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon to praise the camp classic Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, we got a bit more abstract with the ethereal noir-ish antics of Jennifer Reeder’s Knives and Skin. This week, we’re delving into Paul Verhoeven‘s not-so-secret satire Starship Troopers in celebration of its 25th anniversary!
Set in the 23rd century, the film follows the exploits of “teenager” Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) and his friends while serving in the military under the Earth world government, the United Citizen Federation (aka a fascist regime). Humanity’s exploration and colonization of outer space brings them into conflict with an alien species, known as Arachnids, leading to an interstellar war.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud,...
- 11/14/2022
- by Trace Thurman
- bloody-disgusting.com
Paul Verhoeven grew up in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands and that's why he and his films have such a distaste for authoritarians. Even with years spent working in the U.S., the filmmaker has never adopted the black and white moral framing of America. "I have a hard time believing in all these hero stories," he once told The Independent.
Verhoeven was especially repelled when he tried to read "Starship Troopers," Robert Heinlein's novel where humanity has become an interstellar empire. The director recalled to Empire, "I stopped after two chapters because it was so boring. It is really quite a bad book... It's a very right-wing book." So what did Verhoeven do with the book he couldn't even finish? Why, make a movie out of it, of course.
As /Film's Erin Brady has written about, Verhoeven and his screenwriter Ed Neumeier decided their "Starship Troopers" wouldn't be just an adaptation of the novel,...
Verhoeven was especially repelled when he tried to read "Starship Troopers," Robert Heinlein's novel where humanity has become an interstellar empire. The director recalled to Empire, "I stopped after two chapters because it was so boring. It is really quite a bad book... It's a very right-wing book." So what did Verhoeven do with the book he couldn't even finish? Why, make a movie out of it, of course.
As /Film's Erin Brady has written about, Verhoeven and his screenwriter Ed Neumeier decided their "Starship Troopers" wouldn't be just an adaptation of the novel,...
- 11/14/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
A Hollywood studio is rumoured to be remaking the Dutch director’s 1997 space epic. But will it, like so many others, miss the irony behind the film’s pseudo-fascist bombast?
When Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers originally hit cinemas in 1997, the reviews were scathing. The Los Angeles Times’ Kenneth Turan argued that the Dutch director of Robocop, Total Recall and Basic Instinct had delivered a space flick “rigorously one-dimensional and free from even the pretense of intelligence”, even suggesting that the film-maker had preserved the “fascist utopianism” of the 1959 Robert A Heinlein novel that it had been based on. “Troopers takes us to a militaristic future where video bulletins encourage young people to ‘Join the Mobile Infantry and save the world’,” wrote Turan. “Schools teach that ‘violence is the supreme authority’ and nothing solves problems with the efficacy of ‘naked force.’” The Washington Post described Verhoeven’s tone as “so...
When Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers originally hit cinemas in 1997, the reviews were scathing. The Los Angeles Times’ Kenneth Turan argued that the Dutch director of Robocop, Total Recall and Basic Instinct had delivered a space flick “rigorously one-dimensional and free from even the pretense of intelligence”, even suggesting that the film-maker had preserved the “fascist utopianism” of the 1959 Robert A Heinlein novel that it had been based on. “Troopers takes us to a militaristic future where video bulletins encourage young people to ‘Join the Mobile Infantry and save the world’,” wrote Turan. “Schools teach that ‘violence is the supreme authority’ and nothing solves problems with the efficacy of ‘naked force.’” The Washington Post described Verhoeven’s tone as “so...
- 11/12/2022
- by Ben Child
- The Guardian - Film News
"Starship Troopers" is a movie that we at /Film are no strangers to, especially as a piece of poignant sociopolitical commentary. Our very own Jacob Hall wrote in his dedicated Daily Stream that it is "less of an adaptation and more of an evisceration, a shiny, big-budget middle finger to fascism disguised as a vapid blockbuster." When it was released back in 1997, many didn't pick up on the dark humor, confusing the satire for either full-blown apologia or just a really weird attempt at a monster movie. Perhaps the most famous example of this confusion came from The Washington Post's review of the film, which called its tone "so inconsistent that it's impossible to decide whether he's sending up the Third Reich or in love with it."
This statement seems ridiculous now, twenty-five years since the film's release. However, at the time, Paul Verhoeven was not a director people associated with outlandish irony.
This statement seems ridiculous now, twenty-five years since the film's release. However, at the time, Paul Verhoeven was not a director people associated with outlandish irony.
- 11/7/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
This year marks 25 years since the release of Paul Verhoeven’s movie adaptation of the Robert A. Heinlein novel, Starship Troopers. It’s a great movie, although not one that hues tightly to its source material. You could even be forgiven for thinking the director had never read the book or that this was a completely unrelated film which has had the Starship Troopers title slapped on it to sell more tickets.
Because, as it turns out, both of those things are true. Verhoeven is on record as saying he tried to read Starship Troopers but stopped after two chapters “because it was so boring;” meanwhile the movie began as a script called “Bug Hunt at Outpost 7.” Scriptwriter Ed Neumeier even described the original idea for the film as being “a big, silly, jingoistic, xenophobic, let’s-go-out-and-kill-the-enemy movie, and I had settled on the idea that it should be against insects…...
Because, as it turns out, both of those things are true. Verhoeven is on record as saying he tried to read Starship Troopers but stopped after two chapters “because it was so boring;” meanwhile the movie began as a script called “Bug Hunt at Outpost 7.” Scriptwriter Ed Neumeier even described the original idea for the film as being “a big, silly, jingoistic, xenophobic, let’s-go-out-and-kill-the-enemy movie, and I had settled on the idea that it should be against insects…...
- 9/3/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
This review contains She-Hulk spoilers
Our She-Hulk: Attorney at Law reviews will be adopting a different format than the one we use for MCU shows with longer episodes; more of a breakdown that we hope will still satisfy regular readers but also help those less familiar with the MCU keep up.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at episode one, “A Normal Amount of Rage”.
The Case: What Happened?
We first meet gamma radiation-imbued lawyer Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) as she is practicing a terrific closing argument for an upcoming case. Friend and paralegal Nikki (Ginger Gonzaga) is in cheerleader mode, supporting Jen before they take to the court, while fellow lawyer Dennis is telling her it would be better if he, a man, took over. Men, eh? Tch!
Full disclosure: I’ve seen the first four episodes of this series and there are more heavy-handed “Men,...
Our She-Hulk: Attorney at Law reviews will be adopting a different format than the one we use for MCU shows with longer episodes; more of a breakdown that we hope will still satisfy regular readers but also help those less familiar with the MCU keep up.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at episode one, “A Normal Amount of Rage”.
The Case: What Happened?
We first meet gamma radiation-imbued lawyer Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) as she is practicing a terrific closing argument for an upcoming case. Friend and paralegal Nikki (Ginger Gonzaga) is in cheerleader mode, supporting Jen before they take to the court, while fellow lawyer Dennis is telling her it would be better if he, a man, took over. Men, eh? Tch!
Full disclosure: I’ve seen the first four episodes of this series and there are more heavy-handed “Men,...
- 8/18/2022
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
Synopsis
From the bridge of the Fleet Battlestation Ticonderoga, with its sweeping galactic views, to the desolate terrain of planet Klendathu, teeming with shrieking, fire-spitting, brain-sucking special effects creatures, acclaimed director Paul Verhoeven crafts a dazzling epic based on Robert A. Heinlein’s classic sci-fi adventure. Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Muldoon, and Michael Ironside star as the courageous soldiers who travel to the distant and desolate Klendathu system for the ultimate showdown between the species.
Disc Details & Bonus Materials
• 4K Ultra HD Disc
• Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision
• Dolby Atmos audio + 5.1
• Special Feature:
o New: Starship Troopers 25th Anniversary Reunion – an all-new virtual reunion featuring screenwriter Ed Neumeier and actors Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Clancy Brown, Michael Ironside, Jake Busey, Patrick Muldoon and Seth Gilliam
Blu-ray Disc™
• Feature presented in High Definition
• Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio...
From the bridge of the Fleet Battlestation Ticonderoga, with its sweeping galactic views, to the desolate terrain of planet Klendathu, teeming with shrieking, fire-spitting, brain-sucking special effects creatures, acclaimed director Paul Verhoeven crafts a dazzling epic based on Robert A. Heinlein’s classic sci-fi adventure. Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Muldoon, and Michael Ironside star as the courageous soldiers who travel to the distant and desolate Klendathu system for the ultimate showdown between the species.
Disc Details & Bonus Materials
• 4K Ultra HD Disc
• Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision
• Dolby Atmos audio + 5.1
• Special Feature:
o New: Starship Troopers 25th Anniversary Reunion – an all-new virtual reunion featuring screenwriter Ed Neumeier and actors Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Clancy Brown, Michael Ironside, Jake Busey, Patrick Muldoon and Seth Gilliam
Blu-ray Disc™
• Feature presented in High Definition
• Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio...
- 7/28/2022
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Photo: ‘Predestination’ Doing the Impossible — in More Ways Than One You may recall that not too long ago we celebrated the 25th anniversary of ‘Starship Troopers’, one of the goofiest (and yet most politically serious) movies of its time. The film was a very loose and irreverent adaptation of the Robert Heinlein novel of the same name, reviving interest in Heinlein a good decade after his death while also having the perverse effect of spawning misconceptions about his work. Despite being a massively important author in science fiction, Heinlein (along with fellow giant Isaac Asimov) has rarely been translated to the screen — big or small. There was apparently a ‘Starship Troopers’ anime produced in the 1980s, and most recently a Japanese movie adaptation of The Door into Summer, but you can easily count the number of Heinlein adaptations on one hand. Related Video: Full Commentary on 'Top Gun: Maverick': Tom Cruise,...
- 6/10/2022
- by Brian Collins
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Spring has sprung. Depending on what part of the country (or world) you’re in that’s either true or a deceptive lie no matter what scientists say about the equinox. But whether temperatures are really starting to thaw for you or it’s another six, long, cold weeks of winter, there’s one thing we can all depend on: streaming content.
And like the veritable Bo Burnham once said on a Netflix project last year, daddy’s made your favorite with a slew of genuine classics and plenty of crowdpleasers, new and old, coming to the service. Enjoy a preview of the best of the selection below.
Gattaca (1997)
March 1
Released the same year as Starship Troopers (see below), Gattaca attacked a different kind of fascism than that film–one built on eugenics instead of military superiority. In Andrew Niccol’s cerebral, intense debut as a director and writer, children...
And like the veritable Bo Burnham once said on a Netflix project last year, daddy’s made your favorite with a slew of genuine classics and plenty of crowdpleasers, new and old, coming to the service. Enjoy a preview of the best of the selection below.
Gattaca (1997)
March 1
Released the same year as Starship Troopers (see below), Gattaca attacked a different kind of fascism than that film–one built on eugenics instead of military superiority. In Andrew Niccol’s cerebral, intense debut as a director and writer, children...
- 2/28/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
The Empire Strikes Back is a masterpiece of blockbuster cinema and the standard by which we measure all other big-screen space adventures. But before it became the magnum opus of the original Star Wars trilogy, the spark that would become The Empire Strikes Back floated in the nothingness of space, waiting for its big bang.
When Star Wars premiered in May 1977, the saga’s sequel could have gone either the low-budget or blockbuster route. Although we got the latter, there was already a plan in case the film wasn’t a huge hit. George Lucas hired Alan Dean Foster, who ghost-wrote the novelization of the first film, to write a relatively subdued sequel. That story eventually became the first Expanded Universe novel in the franchise’s history, Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, which sees Luke and Leia crash on a jungle planet and face off with Darth Vader in...
When Star Wars premiered in May 1977, the saga’s sequel could have gone either the low-budget or blockbuster route. Although we got the latter, there was already a plan in case the film wasn’t a huge hit. George Lucas hired Alan Dean Foster, who ghost-wrote the novelization of the first film, to write a relatively subdued sequel. That story eventually became the first Expanded Universe novel in the franchise’s history, Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, which sees Luke and Leia crash on a jungle planet and face off with Darth Vader in...
- 5/21/2021
- by jbindeck2015
- Den of Geek
Andy Weir is all about survival. His first novel, The Martian, centers upon the attempts of astronaut Mark Watney to survive long enough on the Red Planet for a rescue mission to reach him. His sophomore book, Artemis, is a fast-paced survival story of a different kind, set among various criminal factions on the Moon. His latest novel, Project Hail Mary, raises the stakes even higher— it’s about the survival of our entire species, and all life on Earth.
In Project Hail Mary, the Sun is getting dimmer, thanks to a mysterious substance known as Astrophage, a type of interstellar infection. Humanity is facing a ticking ecological time bomb; unless the secret of the Astrophage can be discovered and the planet-wide cooling process reversed, it’s goodnight for life as we know it. There’s just one long shot left for humankind: send a starship to make contact with...
In Project Hail Mary, the Sun is getting dimmer, thanks to a mysterious substance known as Astrophage, a type of interstellar infection. Humanity is facing a ticking ecological time bomb; unless the secret of the Astrophage can be discovered and the planet-wide cooling process reversed, it’s goodnight for life as we know it. There’s just one long shot left for humankind: send a starship to make contact with...
- 5/3/2021
- by Kayti Burt
- Den of Geek
It is unfortunate that comparisons to Starship Troopers (1997) will plague the new science fiction film Voyagers, as the two films are indelibly dissimilar. While Paul Verhoeven’s film was an intentionally over-the-top examination of the dystopian worldview that the novel’s author, Robert A. Heinlein, saw as the inevitable outcome of human evolution, Voyagers is more of a slow-burn think piece that attempts to re-envision Lord of the Flies by William Golding as a sort of teen-centric adventure story that manages to remain engaging and somewhat entertaining throughout.
It is 2063, and the Earth is in imminent peril. Life will soon be unsustainable on the planet. The solution that is devised to ensure the survival of the human race involves hurling a couple dozen specifically bred and trained children across the cosmos to colonize a planet similar to Earth. Accompanying the children on this journey is the scientist in charge of the mission,...
It is 2063, and the Earth is in imminent peril. Life will soon be unsustainable on the planet. The solution that is devised to ensure the survival of the human race involves hurling a couple dozen specifically bred and trained children across the cosmos to colonize a planet similar to Earth. Accompanying the children on this journey is the scientist in charge of the mission,...
- 4/9/2021
- by Mike Tyrkus
- CinemaNerdz
There still doesn't seem to be a lot of traction with the Starship Troopers TV show that has been at least talked about since 2019 when original writer Ed Neumeier detailed plans that were underway for a possible series based on the 1997 sci-fi film which is, itself, based on the novel of the same name by Robert A. Heinlein. The show was to have the original…...
- 3/2/2021
- by Gaius Bolling
- JoBlo.com
A Starship Troopers TV show has been discussed in the past but we haven't heard any updates in some time. Last year, original writer Ed Neumeier detailed plans that were underway for a possible series based on the 1997 sci-fi film which is, itself, based on the novel of the same name by Robert A. Heinlein. If the TV show moves forward, one of the film's stars is game to return and he wants…...
- 8/28/2020
- by Gaius Bolling
- JoBlo.com
This Star Trek: Lower Decks article contains spoilers.
With most new Star Trek shows, locating the Easter eggs and references takes probably at least two viewings. But, with Lower Decks, you can watch an episode four times and still be missing references and Easter eggs. This is saying something when you also consider that these episodes are half as long as episodes of Discovery or Picard. So, with that in mind, like in the previous episodes, there is almost certainly something we missed in trying to gather all the Easter eggs and references from Lower Decks episode 4, “Moist Vessel.”
From a surprise guest star (Haley Joel Osment) to a heartwarming story about Mariner and Captain Freeman (briefly) becoming allies, this episode was about a lot more than just Easter eggs. But that’s not why you’re here. You came for the Trekkie eggs and you shall have them!
Here...
With most new Star Trek shows, locating the Easter eggs and references takes probably at least two viewings. But, with Lower Decks, you can watch an episode four times and still be missing references and Easter eggs. This is saying something when you also consider that these episodes are half as long as episodes of Discovery or Picard. So, with that in mind, like in the previous episodes, there is almost certainly something we missed in trying to gather all the Easter eggs and references from Lower Decks episode 4, “Moist Vessel.”
From a surprise guest star (Haley Joel Osment) to a heartwarming story about Mariner and Captain Freeman (briefly) becoming allies, this episode was about a lot more than just Easter eggs. But that’s not why you’re here. You came for the Trekkie eggs and you shall have them!
Here...
- 8/27/2020
- by Kayti Burt
- Den of Geek
The world may be upside down, but the Hugo Awards are forever! The Hugos are the longest-running fan-voted awards in the genres of science fiction and fantasy, first bring presented in 1953. The awards are generally given out during the World Science Fiction Convention, which is in a different host city every year. Sadly, the 78th Worldcon, aka CoNZealand, set to take place in (you guessed it) New Zealand, will have to be virtual this year. The Hugo ceremony will therefore also take place online.
Today, CoNZealand announced the finalists for this year’s Hugos, voted on by 1,584 people, who submitted 27,033 nominations. Those who were members of last year’s Worldcon, An Irish Worldcon, and members of this year’s Worldcon, CoNZealand, were eligible to vote, however, only CoNZealand members will be able to vote on the final ballot and choose the winners. You can still purchase a Supporting Membership on...
Today, CoNZealand announced the finalists for this year’s Hugos, voted on by 1,584 people, who submitted 27,033 nominations. Those who were members of last year’s Worldcon, An Irish Worldcon, and members of this year’s Worldcon, CoNZealand, were eligible to vote, however, only CoNZealand members will be able to vote on the final ballot and choose the winners. You can still purchase a Supporting Membership on...
- 4/7/2020
- by Kayti Burt
- Den of Geek
A review of this week’s Watchmen, “A God Walks Into Abar,” coming up just as soon as the chicken and the egg come at the very same time…
It is the spring of 1988. I am reading Watchmen for the first time, in a thick trade paperback collection I brought home from Waldenbooks at the Willowbrook Mall. I am particularly stunned (and, admittedly, a bit confused) by how Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons depict Dr. Manhattan experiencing every moment of his existence at the same time.
It is December of...
It is the spring of 1988. I am reading Watchmen for the first time, in a thick trade paperback collection I brought home from Waldenbooks at the Willowbrook Mall. I am particularly stunned (and, admittedly, a bit confused) by how Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons depict Dr. Manhattan experiencing every moment of his existence at the same time.
It is December of...
- 12/9/2019
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Kayti Burt Apr 2, 2019
Nominees include Black Panther, Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, The Expanse, Doctor Who, and more.
The Hugo Awards are amongst speculative fiction storytelling's most prestigious honors. Given out annually since 1953, the Hugos are voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Convention (aka WorldCon), and are presented at the annual event. This year's WorldCon, WorldCon 77, will be held in Dublin on August 15-19.
Earlier today, the Hugo Awards finalists for 2019 were announced—alongside the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book, the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and the 1944 Retrospective Hugo Awards nominations.
read more: Den of Geek's Best Fiction Books of 2018
If you're a fan of inclusive science fiction, the nominations are pretty exciting—which hasn't always been the case in recent years.
Finalists included some of the books, TV shows, and movies that Den of Geek has written about over the past year,...
Nominees include Black Panther, Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, The Expanse, Doctor Who, and more.
The Hugo Awards are amongst speculative fiction storytelling's most prestigious honors. Given out annually since 1953, the Hugos are voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Convention (aka WorldCon), and are presented at the annual event. This year's WorldCon, WorldCon 77, will be held in Dublin on August 15-19.
Earlier today, the Hugo Awards finalists for 2019 were announced—alongside the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book, the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and the 1944 Retrospective Hugo Awards nominations.
read more: Den of Geek's Best Fiction Books of 2018
If you're a fan of inclusive science fiction, the nominations are pretty exciting—which hasn't always been the case in recent years.
Finalists included some of the books, TV shows, and movies that Den of Geek has written about over the past year,...
- 4/2/2019
- Den of Geek
A couple of years ago it was announced that Sony Pictures would be developing a remake of Starship Troopers. Well, now it looks like there’s also a TV series in development and it could bring back the original cast of the 1997 film.
This latest information comes from screenwriter Ed Neumeier. In a recent interview with Hn Entertainment, he was asked about the possibility of a sequel, and that’s when he said:
”Well, I think they can. I don’t want to jinx anything, but we are talking about trying to do a television show that is based on that idea.”
The series would be set 30 years after the events of the film and it’s definitely something that I’d be interested in watching! What fan of the original film wouldn’t!? Neumeier went on to share that he has "mixed feelings" regarding the remake:
”Well, I have...
This latest information comes from screenwriter Ed Neumeier. In a recent interview with Hn Entertainment, he was asked about the possibility of a sequel, and that’s when he said:
”Well, I think they can. I don’t want to jinx anything, but we are talking about trying to do a television show that is based on that idea.”
The series would be set 30 years after the events of the film and it’s definitely something that I’d be interested in watching! What fan of the original film wouldn’t!? Neumeier went on to share that he has "mixed feelings" regarding the remake:
”Well, I have...
- 1/28/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Whether you see it as a brilliantly subversive satire of jingoistic propaganda or just a fun, goofy little flick about killer space bugs, 1997’s Starship Troopers continues to hold a special place in the hearts of many a sci-fi fan. You can therefore imagine that writer Ed Neumeier will pique the curiosity a lot of people with his claim that we could be seeing the first film’s cast make a comeback for a new TV series.
As well as penning the script for Paul Verhoeven’s interplanetary actioner, Neumeier also worked on the property’s two live-action sequels, and also as the 2017 animated film Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars. Now it seems that he has his sights set on a TV show, and when Hn Entertainment asked him if he’d be interested in bringing back the old cast, the scribe said that the team is already discussing the idea:
“Well,...
As well as penning the script for Paul Verhoeven’s interplanetary actioner, Neumeier also worked on the property’s two live-action sequels, and also as the 2017 animated film Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars. Now it seems that he has his sights set on a TV show, and when Hn Entertainment asked him if he’d be interested in bringing back the old cast, the scribe said that the team is already discussing the idea:
“Well,...
- 1/26/2019
- by David Pountain
- We Got This Covered
Robert Heinlein’s frighteningly brilliant sci-fi horror concept spawned an entire generation of biological invasions from outer space. Stuart Orme’s faithful, authorized adaptation has a lot going for it, including sensationally good, gloppy special makeup effects, and a commanding performance from a dour, authoritative Donald Sutherland.
The Puppet Masters
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1994 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 109 min. / Street Date December 4, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Julie Warner, Eric Thal, Keith David, Will Patton, Richard Belzer, Tom Mason, Yaphet Kotto, Marshall Bell.
Cinematography: Clive Tickner
Film Editor: William Goldenberg
Original Music: Colin Towns
Special Makeup Effects: Greg Cannom, Larry Odien
Written by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, David S. Goyer from the book by Robert A. Heinlein
Produced by Ralph Winter
Directed by Stuart Orme
Paranoid conspiracy movies got an early hold in film noir but really took off in early science fiction, abetted by rumors (and some evidence...
The Puppet Masters
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1994 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 109 min. / Street Date December 4, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Julie Warner, Eric Thal, Keith David, Will Patton, Richard Belzer, Tom Mason, Yaphet Kotto, Marshall Bell.
Cinematography: Clive Tickner
Film Editor: William Goldenberg
Original Music: Colin Towns
Special Makeup Effects: Greg Cannom, Larry Odien
Written by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, David S. Goyer from the book by Robert A. Heinlein
Produced by Ralph Winter
Directed by Stuart Orme
Paranoid conspiracy movies got an early hold in film noir but really took off in early science fiction, abetted by rumors (and some evidence...
- 12/4/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The winners of the 1943 Retrospective Hugo Awards were announced on Thursday, August 16 at Worldcon 76.
Best Fan Writer
Forrest J Ackerman
Best Fanzine
Le Zombie, edited by Arthur Wilson “Bob” Tucker
Best Professional Artist
Virgil Finlay
Best Editor – Short Form
John W. Campbell
Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form
Bambi, written by Perce Pearce, Larry Morey, et al., directed by David D. Hand et al. (Walt Disney Productions)
Best Short Story
“The Twonky,” by Lewis Padgett (C.L. Moore and Henry Kuttner)
Best Novelette
“Foundation,” by Isaac Asimov
Best Novella
“Waldo,” by Anson MacDonald (Robert A. Heinlein)
Best Novel
Beyond This Horizon, by Anson MacDonald (Robert A. Heinlein)
The administrators report 703 valid ballots (688 electronic and 15 paper) were received and counted from convention members.
The Hugo Awards, presented first in 1953 and annually since 1955, are science fiction’s most prestigious award, and one of the World Science Fiction Convention’s unique and distinguished institutions.
Since...
Best Fan Writer
Forrest J Ackerman
Best Fanzine
Le Zombie, edited by Arthur Wilson “Bob” Tucker
Best Professional Artist
Virgil Finlay
Best Editor – Short Form
John W. Campbell
Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form
Bambi, written by Perce Pearce, Larry Morey, et al., directed by David D. Hand et al. (Walt Disney Productions)
Best Short Story
“The Twonky,” by Lewis Padgett (C.L. Moore and Henry Kuttner)
Best Novelette
“Foundation,” by Isaac Asimov
Best Novella
“Waldo,” by Anson MacDonald (Robert A. Heinlein)
Best Novel
Beyond This Horizon, by Anson MacDonald (Robert A. Heinlein)
The administrators report 703 valid ballots (688 electronic and 15 paper) were received and counted from convention members.
The Hugo Awards, presented first in 1953 and annually since 1955, are science fiction’s most prestigious award, and one of the World Science Fiction Convention’s unique and distinguished institutions.
Since...
- 8/17/2018
- by Glenn Hauman
- Comicmix.com
Author: Linda Marric
Directed by Michael and Peter Spierig and starring Helen Mirren, Winchester is the latest gothic horror offering from the people who brought you, amongst other things, the hugely underrated 2009 film Predestination, an adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein’s cult sci-fi novel All You Zombies. However, anyone expecting more of the same from the hard working duo’s latest outing would be sorely let down by this deeply muddled and frankly baffling production, which simply fails to deliver on an otherwise great premise.
Set sometime around the turn of the last century, Winchester opens with a laughably predictable “based on a true story” pre-credit title and carries on much in the same fashion with a crash, a bang, and jump-scare until its inevitable denouement, which couldn’t come soon enough.
Helen Mirren is Sarah Winchester, the stern matriarch at the head of the Winchester gun company. Locked in...
Directed by Michael and Peter Spierig and starring Helen Mirren, Winchester is the latest gothic horror offering from the people who brought you, amongst other things, the hugely underrated 2009 film Predestination, an adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein’s cult sci-fi novel All You Zombies. However, anyone expecting more of the same from the hard working duo’s latest outing would be sorely let down by this deeply muddled and frankly baffling production, which simply fails to deliver on an otherwise great premise.
Set sometime around the turn of the last century, Winchester opens with a laughably predictable “based on a true story” pre-credit title and carries on much in the same fashion with a crash, a bang, and jump-scare until its inevitable denouement, which couldn’t come soon enough.
Helen Mirren is Sarah Winchester, the stern matriarch at the head of the Winchester gun company. Locked in...
- 2/2/2018
- by Linda Marric
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Author: Dave Roper
This month Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars gets its home entertainment release with Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer returning from Paul Verhoeven’s original to add their voices to the latest entry in the series. The release of this new animated movie marked the twentieth anniversary of the original film, and, more than any other entry in the series, aims to recapture the magic and mayhem of Verhoeven’s 1997 classic.
Things have moved on a great deal since the days of Rico’s Roughnecks and Neil Patrick Harris’s wonderful military uber-scientist. The war with the bugs is still ongoing, and bloodier than ever. Each of the movie sequels has broken off from the main events of the first film and taken a more intimate look at the ravages of constant war. Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars and its predecessor Invasion bring us back to the...
This month Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars gets its home entertainment release with Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer returning from Paul Verhoeven’s original to add their voices to the latest entry in the series. The release of this new animated movie marked the twentieth anniversary of the original film, and, more than any other entry in the series, aims to recapture the magic and mayhem of Verhoeven’s 1997 classic.
Things have moved on a great deal since the days of Rico’s Roughnecks and Neil Patrick Harris’s wonderful military uber-scientist. The war with the bugs is still ongoing, and bloodier than ever. Each of the movie sequels has broken off from the main events of the first film and taken a more intimate look at the ravages of constant war. Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars and its predecessor Invasion bring us back to the...
- 1/15/2018
- by Dave Roper
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Ryan Lambie Oct 25, 2017
A new 350-page book will celebrate classic sci-fi art from more than a century of books and magazines. But it needs your help...
Such writers as Hg Wells, Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein defined the way we thought about technology and the future, but in many cases, it was the work of an army of cover artists who got us to pick up their books in the first place.
See related Preacher season 2 episode 13 review: The End Of The Road Preacher season 2: Dominic Cooper interview 50 upcoming comic book TV shows, and when to expect them
Whether their work graced the front of a first edition dust jacket or a pulp magazine, these illustrators - often working in relative obscurity - gave colour and shape to the author's future visions. Not all readers will be familiar with Chris Foss, say, but they'll more than likely recognise the exotic,...
A new 350-page book will celebrate classic sci-fi art from more than a century of books and magazines. But it needs your help...
Such writers as Hg Wells, Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein defined the way we thought about technology and the future, but in many cases, it was the work of an army of cover artists who got us to pick up their books in the first place.
See related Preacher season 2 episode 13 review: The End Of The Road Preacher season 2: Dominic Cooper interview 50 upcoming comic book TV shows, and when to expect them
Whether their work graced the front of a first edition dust jacket or a pulp magazine, these illustrators - often working in relative obscurity - gave colour and shape to the author's future visions. Not all readers will be familiar with Chris Foss, say, but they'll more than likely recognise the exotic,...
- 10/25/2017
- Den of Geek
Depending on how cute you get with your math, there are no less than four separate universes focused upon Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers. First, of course, came the original novel itself, then the 1997 blockbuster film by Paul Verhoeven. From there, things get a little dicier. There was Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles, an animated […]
The post ‘Starship Troopers,’ the Unlikely Cult Franchise: Would You Like to Know More? appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Starship Troopers,’ the Unlikely Cult Franchise: Would You Like to Know More? appeared first on /Film.
- 8/18/2017
- by Matthew Monagle
- Slash Film
Ryan Lambie Jul 7, 2017
To tie in with the Into The Unknown exhibition, on now at London's Barbican, we look at how sci-fi has become a major cultural force...
It's not always easy being geeky. The celebrated genre writer Ray Bradbury knew this all too well; as a kid growing up in the 1920s and 30s, he was intoxicated by all things otherworldly and imaginative: classic horror movies, pulp sci-fi stories about Mars, comic strips detailing the exploits of Buck Rogers. Eventually, Bradbury's peers teased him mercilessly, until, in a bid to fit in, he ripped his Buck Rogers comics to shreds. But far from helping the young Bradbury draw a line under his obsessions, the destruction of his beloved comics left him feeling unhappy and soulless.
See related Twin Peaks season 3 episode 8 review: Gotta Light? Twin Peaks season 3 episode 7 review: There’s A Body All Right Twin Peaks season 3 episode...
To tie in with the Into The Unknown exhibition, on now at London's Barbican, we look at how sci-fi has become a major cultural force...
It's not always easy being geeky. The celebrated genre writer Ray Bradbury knew this all too well; as a kid growing up in the 1920s and 30s, he was intoxicated by all things otherworldly and imaginative: classic horror movies, pulp sci-fi stories about Mars, comic strips detailing the exploits of Buck Rogers. Eventually, Bradbury's peers teased him mercilessly, until, in a bid to fit in, he ripped his Buck Rogers comics to shreds. But far from helping the young Bradbury draw a line under his obsessions, the destruction of his beloved comics left him feeling unhappy and soulless.
See related Twin Peaks season 3 episode 8 review: Gotta Light? Twin Peaks season 3 episode 7 review: There’s A Body All Right Twin Peaks season 3 episode...
- 7/4/2017
- Den of Geek
Starship Troopers has an interesting legacy. For most, it was just a forgettable sci-fi action movie featuring a bunch of CGI bugs and Neil Patrick Harris in a supporting role. But some people—mostly young men who were raised in the 1990s—absolutely love Starship Troopers. The film’s bizarre tone and excessive use of bug guts have imprinted themselves on the psyches of these fans and ensured that the movie will live on in memes for years to come. Now, to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary, one such fan has cut together a trailer that gives Starship Troopers the gravitas it so richly deserves.
According to director Paul Verhoeven, the film was meant as a satire of the militarism and fascism promoted in the Robert Heinlein novel it’s loosely based on, despite the fact that Verhoeven stopped reading the book after two chapters because “it was so...
According to director Paul Verhoeven, the film was meant as a satire of the militarism and fascism promoted in the Robert Heinlein novel it’s loosely based on, despite the fact that Verhoeven stopped reading the book after two chapters because “it was so...
- 6/15/2017
- by Dan Neilan
- avclub.com
Ryan Lambie Jun 8, 2017
Two years on, Neill Blomkamp reflects on the themes and critical reaction to his divisive sci-fi film, Chappie...
"Part sci-fi action film, part crime thriller, part existential drama" was how we described Chappie when it came out in 2015: a genre piece that, beneath its off-beat tone and designer violence, said something quite pertinent and moving about the human experience.
See related Poldark: a beginners’ guide Poldark series 3: brand new trailer
Its central character, an innocent robot installed with artificial intelligence, is as vulnerable to his surroundings and upbringing as any human child; little wonder, then, that in the space of a few days of living with a pair of gangsters, Chappie (played by a mo-capped Sharlto Copley) goes from budding young artist to gun-toting outlaw. For us, this was one reason why Chappie was such an effective, absorbing sci-fi movie - though, to our surprise,...
Two years on, Neill Blomkamp reflects on the themes and critical reaction to his divisive sci-fi film, Chappie...
"Part sci-fi action film, part crime thriller, part existential drama" was how we described Chappie when it came out in 2015: a genre piece that, beneath its off-beat tone and designer violence, said something quite pertinent and moving about the human experience.
See related Poldark: a beginners’ guide Poldark series 3: brand new trailer
Its central character, an innocent robot installed with artificial intelligence, is as vulnerable to his surroundings and upbringing as any human child; little wonder, then, that in the space of a few days of living with a pair of gangsters, Chappie (played by a mo-capped Sharlto Copley) goes from budding young artist to gun-toting outlaw. For us, this was one reason why Chappie was such an effective, absorbing sci-fi movie - though, to our surprise,...
- 6/7/2017
- Den of Geek
Robert A. Heinlein's seminal sci-fi novel Starship Troopers first came to life on the big screen nearly 20 years ago, and now the bugs are coming back in Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars, a new CG sequel that features franchise favorites Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer, who return to voice Johnny Rico and Dizzy Flores, respectively.
Fathom Events will release Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars in theaters for one night only on Monday, August 21st, and you can learn more from the official press release and trailer:
Press Release: Denver -- It's a beautiful day to Kill Bugs! The CG animated sequel to the 1997 cult classic “Starship Troopers” will get the big screen treatment when “Starship Troopers: Traitor Of Mars” hits cinemas nationwide for one night this summer. Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer return as the voices of Johnny Rico and Dizzy Flores alongside comedian...
Fathom Events will release Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars in theaters for one night only on Monday, August 21st, and you can learn more from the official press release and trailer:
Press Release: Denver -- It's a beautiful day to Kill Bugs! The CG animated sequel to the 1997 cult classic “Starship Troopers” will get the big screen treatment when “Starship Troopers: Traitor Of Mars” hits cinemas nationwide for one night this summer. Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer return as the voices of Johnny Rico and Dizzy Flores alongside comedian...
- 6/6/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Simon Brew Jun 6, 2017
Casper Van Diem is back - in voice form - in the new Starship Troopers film. Here's the trailer...
Here’s a thought to make some of you out there feel nice and young: Starship Troopers is 20 years old this year. Paul Verhoeven’s loose adaptation of Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi novel remains some piece of work too, although the less said about the straight-to-dvd live actions sequels the better. However, the animated follow-ups have been far more on the money, and another is arriving later this year.
Starship Troopers: Traitor Of Mars will see Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer reprising – in voice form at least – their roles from the first movie. Ed Neumeier is back to pen the screenplay, as well. The film will see Johnny Rico demoted, and sent off to a small station on Mars. In the meantime, the Federation is still bug hunting,...
Casper Van Diem is back - in voice form - in the new Starship Troopers film. Here's the trailer...
Here’s a thought to make some of you out there feel nice and young: Starship Troopers is 20 years old this year. Paul Verhoeven’s loose adaptation of Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi novel remains some piece of work too, although the less said about the straight-to-dvd live actions sequels the better. However, the animated follow-ups have been far more on the money, and another is arriving later this year.
Starship Troopers: Traitor Of Mars will see Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer reprising – in voice form at least – their roles from the first movie. Ed Neumeier is back to pen the screenplay, as well. The film will see Johnny Rico demoted, and sent off to a small station on Mars. In the meantime, the Federation is still bug hunting,...
- 6/6/2017
- Den of Geek
Ryan Lambie Apr 6, 2017
Adverts and TV form an integral part in Paul Verhoeven's classic sci-fi films, RoboCop, Total Recall and Starship Troopers...
"I looked at American society in a kind of dazed way when I was doing RoboCop," director Paul Verhoeven told us earlier this year. Back in the mid-80s, when he was better known for his Dutch films like Soldier Of Orange and The Fourth Man, Verhoeven was still getting used to the pace and tone of American culture - and his outsider status arguably fed into the wry, spikily satirical edge in all three sci-fi films he made while in Hollywood.
See related Deadpool: Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick interview Deadpool: Ryan Reynolds on channeling the character
"It was all so different from living in Holland," Verhoeven recalled. "A lot of my, let's say, amazement, at American society is in RoboCop; in the commercials, in...
Adverts and TV form an integral part in Paul Verhoeven's classic sci-fi films, RoboCop, Total Recall and Starship Troopers...
"I looked at American society in a kind of dazed way when I was doing RoboCop," director Paul Verhoeven told us earlier this year. Back in the mid-80s, when he was better known for his Dutch films like Soldier Of Orange and The Fourth Man, Verhoeven was still getting used to the pace and tone of American culture - and his outsider status arguably fed into the wry, spikily satirical edge in all three sci-fi films he made while in Hollywood.
See related Deadpool: Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick interview Deadpool: Ryan Reynolds on channeling the character
"It was all so different from living in Holland," Verhoeven recalled. "A lot of my, let's say, amazement, at American society is in RoboCop; in the commercials, in...
- 3/31/2017
- Den of Geek
Sean Wilson Mar 16, 2017
From Total Recall and RoboCop through to Turkish Delight and Flesh+Blood, we look at the musical scores of Paul Verhoeven films...
The Netherlands' arch-provocateur and filmmaker extraordinaire Paul Verhoeven is back in cinemas right now with Elle. A characteristically confrontational and provocative thriller, it spins a rape-revenge storyline into a mordantly funny, blackly comic and off-kilter odyssey, and has garnered an Oscar nomination for extraordinary lead Isabelle Huppert in the process.
See related The Maze Runner 3: Dylan O’Brien seriously injured on set Maze Runner 3 release now delayed, Dylan O’Brien still not back
It's exactly what we've come to expect from a veteran director who's done it all, having made jaws drop in both Europe and Hollywood - but beneath Verhoeven's love of excess and shock tactics lurks real artistry, and nowhere is this more evident than in the remarkable run of film scores...
From Total Recall and RoboCop through to Turkish Delight and Flesh+Blood, we look at the musical scores of Paul Verhoeven films...
The Netherlands' arch-provocateur and filmmaker extraordinaire Paul Verhoeven is back in cinemas right now with Elle. A characteristically confrontational and provocative thriller, it spins a rape-revenge storyline into a mordantly funny, blackly comic and off-kilter odyssey, and has garnered an Oscar nomination for extraordinary lead Isabelle Huppert in the process.
See related The Maze Runner 3: Dylan O’Brien seriously injured on set Maze Runner 3 release now delayed, Dylan O’Brien still not back
It's exactly what we've come to expect from a veteran director who's done it all, having made jaws drop in both Europe and Hollywood - but beneath Verhoeven's love of excess and shock tactics lurks real artistry, and nowhere is this more evident than in the remarkable run of film scores...
- 2/9/2017
- Den of Geek
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