Starship Troopers (1997)
★★★ — Starship Troopers (1997)
Paul Verhoeven arrived at Starship Troopers fresh from the back-to-back American blockbusters RoboCop (1987) and Total Recall (1990), plus the more controversial Basic Instinct (1992) and Showgirls (1995), making him a director with a well-established taste for excess and satire. The film adapts Robert Heinlein's 1959 science fiction novel, a source text with a notably militaristic and politically charged reputation, though Verhoeven has been open about deliberately subverting its politics into fascist parody rather than celebration. Produced by TriStar and Touchstone on a substantial $105 million budget, it was a genuine studio gamble given the R-rating and the satirical tone, and it only narrowly turned a profit on its theatrical run. The production was filmed largely in Wyoming and South Dakota, using the American high plains as alien terrain.
Starship Troopers (1997) is the definition of a cult classic. A glossy, over-the-top sci-fi satire that looks like a high school military recruitment ad directed by a madman. Paul Verhoeven’s take on Robert Heinlein’s novel isn’t subtle, it’s not serious, and it’s definitely not good in the traditional sense. The acting is hilariously hammy with Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer all delivering lines like “Would you like to know more?” with deadpan intensity. The special effects are a mix of practical bugs and early CGI that haven’t aged well, and the whole thing reeks of 90s excess: tight uniforms, slow-motion walks, explosions for no reason. But here’s the thing: it knows it’s ridiculous. Beneath the surface, it’s a razor-sharp satire of fascism, militarism, and propaganda, disguised as a big, dumb action movie. The world-building is chilling when you pay attention (the media broadcasts, the us-vs-them rhetoric, the glorification of violence) it’s all terrifyingly on brand. Most people miss it and just enjoy the bug-squashing spectacle, which is probably exactly what Verhoeven wanted. A modern B-movie masterpiece that works because it’s so committed to its own absurdity. Not great cinema, but essential viewing if you love films that pretend to be stupid while actually being very smart. Or if you just want to watch humans fight giant space insects with flamethrowers. Either way, it delivers.
Rating: ★★★ | Year: 1997 | Watched: 2025-12-01
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Rakuten TV · Sky Store
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK
Affiliate disclosure: Movies With Macca may earn a small commission on purchases or subscriptions started via these links. It costs you nothing extra.
Related on Movies With Macca
More from Paul Verhoeven: Hollow Man (2000)
More from the 1990s: Lessons of Darkness (1992) · Shinjuku Boys (1995) · Blue (1993) · Cemetery Man (1994)
More adventure: Alice in Wonderland (1951) · The Eagle (1925) · Louisiana Story (1948) · The General (1926)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
