Starship Troopers

In the first and finest RoboCop movie, director Paul Verhoeven combined near-future science fiction with a keen sense of social satire--not to mention enough high-velocity violence to satisfy even the most voracious bloodlust. In Starship Troopers, Verhoeven and RoboCop cowriter Ed Neumeier take inspired cues from Robert Heinlein's classic sci-fi novel to create a special-effects extravaganza that functions on multiple levels of entertainment. The film might be called "Melrose Place in Space," with its youthful cast of handsome guys and gorgeous women who look like they've been recruited (and in some cases they were) from the cast of Beverly Hills 90210. Viewers might focus on the incredible, graphically intense action sequences (definitely not for children) in which heavily armed forces from Earth go to off-world battle against vast hordes of alien "bugs" bent on planetary conquest. The attacking bugs are marvels of state-of-the-art special-effects technology, and the space battles are nothing short of spectacular. But Starship Troopers is more than a showcase for high-tech hardware and gigantic, flesh-ripping insects. Recalling his childhood in Holland during the Nazi occupation, Verhoeven turns this epic adventure into a scathingly funny satire of fascist propaganda, emphasizing Heinlein's underlying warning against the hazards of military conformity and the sickening realities of war. It's an action-packed joy ride if that's all you're looking for, but Verhoeven has a provocative agenda that makes Starship Troopers as smart as it is exciting. --Jeff Shannon

The previous, two-sided DVD of Starship Troopers included a lot of bonus features, but this special-edition two-DVD set represents a considerable improvement, including all those features and then adding an all-new half-hour documentary that covers every aspect of the production and interviews all of the principal cast and crew. Also new is a funny, energetic commentary track by costars Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, and Neil Patrick Harris; unfortunately, Denise Richards is absent, but director Paul Verhoeven is present to enhance their rousing reminiscence. Special FX comparisons show live-action "plates" before and after the addition of miniatures and/or digital effects, and commentary by composer Basil Poledouris on the isolated-score track offers privileged insight into the process of creating a motion-picture score. "Know Your Foe" featurettes explore the variety of "bugs" that populate the film, and Verhoeven--one of the liveliest of all DVD commentators--analyzes the techniques employed for two pivotal effects sequences. For Troopers fans, this is almost as fun as a Klendathu bug hunt. --Jeff Shannon