Starship Troopers (1997)

Original Theatrical Release Date: November 7, 1997
Director: Paul Verhoeven

In the distant future, the world is a fascist and militaristic society where a person can only become a citizen by joining the military and its never ending fight against an insectoid alien race looking to destroy humanity. Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) is the son of two wealthy non-citizens who is looking to join his girlfriend Carmen (Denise Richards) in the armed forces in order to be with her and to gain his citizenship. Soon, though, the realities of military life and the hardships of the war separate Johnny, Carmen, and their friends from one another and they must overcome the chitinous tide of the Bugs if they are ever to reunite.

This film is based on the (much better) science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein – adapted to the screen by Edward Neumeier.

It’s been a while since the last time I watched this movie, but my brother gave me the DVD for my birthday this year. I was kind of interested to see how all the special effects and everything held up over the last 17 years. I was not disappointed to find out that most of it still looked pretty decent after all that time. The only thing that seemed dated at times was the retro-futuristic 1950’s-as-interpreted-by-the-late-1990’s hairdos and clothing styles for the characters. Other than that, though, I was transported through the film’s fun tongue-in-cheek narrative style.

I still have no idea where Casper Van Dien went to after the late 1990’s – but as Johnny Rico he was decent (if somewhat unbelievable) as the screaming, gun-firing, tough-guy lead. Denise Richards co-stars with her full and pouty lips as the always-effervescent (but still wooden) pilot Carmen Ibanez. Also, I was shocked to see Neil Patrick Harris in his role as Carl Jenkins – a role I forgot he’d done. (The last thing I remember him in was Harold And Kumar)

The bugs were creepy and not cheesy. The “internet” – style videos interspersed throughout the film add a nice touch, though the internet of the “future” looks pretty dated compared to our own, now. There is a creepy and unbelievable love triangle in the movie, but the real draw is the action sequences – which are peppered liberally throughout the movie. Still, the movie is a bit too long for an action flick.

All in all, not a perfect movie – but a nice flick to come back to every now and then if you want some sci-fi action.

JOE Rating: ★★★★

Movie Trailer For Starship Troopers

Commando (1985)

Original Theatrical Release: October 4, 1985
Director: Mark L. Lester

Retired colonel John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger), lives with his daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano) in the mountains. An exiled Latin-American dictator named Arius (Dan Hedaya) sends henchmen to find Matrix and force him to assassinate the president of his country, using Jenny as a hostage. Matrix becomes a one-man army as he fights to get his daughter back from the clutches of an evil madman.

No matter what I think of the actual film, this is one of those movies that’s just classic and re-watchable over and over again.

Despite some bad acting, sloppy politics and logic, and some cheesy one-liners and action scenes, this movie is a real guilty pleasure as far as Schwarzenegger movies are concerned.

There are better action movies from the time period, for sure. The one female character is annoying and almost all the bad guys have fake-looking mustaches and can’t hit the broad side of a barn with their bullet sprays, but it’s one of those films you can watch with your buddies and laugh at. (Also, it made me feel like a creepy perv seeing Alyssa Milano so young in this movie after seeing her in a film like Embrace of the Vampire which was made about a decade later)

JOE Rating: ★★★

Movie Trailer For Commando