Director: Edward Neumeier
Running time: 105 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15
Watched on Sky+ Sunday 24th January 2010.
PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.
In the past I have seen the original Starship Troopers (1997) and enjoyed it because it was quite different to all the other sci-fi films out at the time. Later on I saw the straight to DVD/Video release, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004), which was a much grittier story set in the same universe, also quite enjoyable. And so we now come to the third instalment. Just one of the characters from the original has survived this far, Johnny Rico and he is in command at an outpost called Roku San that is being attacked by Earth’s arch foe, the arachnid bugs.
During a visit by Sky Marshal Omar Anoke, the base is overrun and Rico disobeys the orders of his superior, Dix Hauser and is placed under arrest. During their escape the Sky Marshal, his pilot, Captain Lola Beck and four other crew members are shot down and stranded on a bug planet. They send a distress call but it is deliberately ignored back on Earth by Admiral Enolo Phid, who has designs on the Sky Marshal’s position. Hauser, Anoke’s aid, hears about the distress call and decides to go behind the back of the Admiral and launch a rescue mission. Just one problem, the best man for the job is under arrest and has been sentenced to death. By faking his execution, Hauser gets Rico out of prison and into a top secret program called Marauder. Assembling a team of just seven, Rico sets off to the rescue. The story has quite a bit more depth than I’ve described here, but I think you have enough there to know it’s not the greatest plot ever written.
The stoty is set in a future where Earth is ruled by whet seems to be a very fascist regime; I find a lot of the political views distasteful. That’s not to say I don’t understand why it’s taken this turn, a democracy would still be arguing the toss as they’re being overrun, I’m just intrigued to know how Earth got that way before the bugs were discovered. But I digress; it’s not the best made film in the world, the special effects look quite dated, although the hordes of bugs still look pretty good. Most of the dialogue is pretty forgettable, along with most of the performances. Although I will give praise to Jolene Blalock, who stood out as Captain Lola Beck. So, just honourable mentions go to Casper Van Dien as Colonel Johnny Rico, Stephen Hogan as Sky Marshal Omar Anoke, Boris Kodjoe as Gen. Dix Hauser, Amanda Donohoe as Admiral Enolo Phid and Marnette Patterson as Holly Little.
Over all, not a great film, but if you leave your brain at the door and just want some mindless violence, then this is the film for you. For me, yes, it was entertaining in parts, but as a whole it lacked the originality of the first film and the grittiness of the second.
My score: 5.0/10
LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0844760/
Official Site: Starship Troopers 3 - Official Site
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi2397110553/
Running time: 105 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15
Watched on Sky+ Sunday 24th January 2010.
PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.
In the past I have seen the original Starship Troopers (1997) and enjoyed it because it was quite different to all the other sci-fi films out at the time. Later on I saw the straight to DVD/Video release, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004), which was a much grittier story set in the same universe, also quite enjoyable. And so we now come to the third instalment. Just one of the characters from the original has survived this far, Johnny Rico and he is in command at an outpost called Roku San that is being attacked by Earth’s arch foe, the arachnid bugs.
During a visit by Sky Marshal Omar Anoke, the base is overrun and Rico disobeys the orders of his superior, Dix Hauser and is placed under arrest. During their escape the Sky Marshal, his pilot, Captain Lola Beck and four other crew members are shot down and stranded on a bug planet. They send a distress call but it is deliberately ignored back on Earth by Admiral Enolo Phid, who has designs on the Sky Marshal’s position. Hauser, Anoke’s aid, hears about the distress call and decides to go behind the back of the Admiral and launch a rescue mission. Just one problem, the best man for the job is under arrest and has been sentenced to death. By faking his execution, Hauser gets Rico out of prison and into a top secret program called Marauder. Assembling a team of just seven, Rico sets off to the rescue. The story has quite a bit more depth than I’ve described here, but I think you have enough there to know it’s not the greatest plot ever written.
The stoty is set in a future where Earth is ruled by whet seems to be a very fascist regime; I find a lot of the political views distasteful. That’s not to say I don’t understand why it’s taken this turn, a democracy would still be arguing the toss as they’re being overrun, I’m just intrigued to know how Earth got that way before the bugs were discovered. But I digress; it’s not the best made film in the world, the special effects look quite dated, although the hordes of bugs still look pretty good. Most of the dialogue is pretty forgettable, along with most of the performances. Although I will give praise to Jolene Blalock, who stood out as Captain Lola Beck. So, just honourable mentions go to Casper Van Dien as Colonel Johnny Rico, Stephen Hogan as Sky Marshal Omar Anoke, Boris Kodjoe as Gen. Dix Hauser, Amanda Donohoe as Admiral Enolo Phid and Marnette Patterson as Holly Little.
Over all, not a great film, but if you leave your brain at the door and just want some mindless violence, then this is the film for you. For me, yes, it was entertaining in parts, but as a whole it lacked the originality of the first film and the grittiness of the second.
My score: 5.0/10
LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0844760/
Official Site: Starship Troopers 3 - Official Site
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi2397110553/
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