Starship Troopers
Metascore
51 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 20 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 20
  3. Negative: 3 out of 20
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  1. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Scott Rosenberg
    30
    In this bizarrely discordant mixture of ultraviolent action footage, bad acting, crisp special effects and futuristic camp, the remnants of Heinlein's rhetoric of military pride stick out like a grimy Marine uniform at a high-toned Hollywood party.
  2. Newsweek
    Reviewed by: Jeff Giles
    30
    An empty videogame of a movie about interplanetary pest control.
  3. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Rita Kempley
    20
    It's exactly like "Star Wars" -- if you subtract a good story, sympathetic characters, intelligence, wit and moral purpose.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 65 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 3 out of 22
  1. AndyM.
    5
    One thing that immediately struck me about the film was the absolute gender equality that seemed to be present in this society. Such an aspect starts out as being novel and inspiring, until you realize it's just an excuse for the filmmakers to put hot women in scenes which would otherwise be all-male. In addition, the themes of war and violent conflict are addressed, as well as the morality of the destruction of life that may be sentient and intelligent. But these thought-provoking concepts are quickly thrown away for more entertaining things like dramatic visuals and gore. It is an entertaining picture, I'll give it that. The "brain bug" that is apparently intelligent looks like it has a vagina on its face. Yet, there are so many ridiculous things... the prominent one being the strange ability for overgrown bugs to attack other planets, yet without any kind of tool use other than "throwing a meteor". Additionally, I was constantly wondering why these troopers went around blasting fruitlessly at this unaffected bug-monsters with rifles, when they could just drop a huge bomb and be done with it! Oh, right, classic weapons make better cinema. I mean, despite the faults, one should watch it for free on hulu.com, while it's up. Otherwise... you could skip it.… Full Review »
  2. TomT
    10
    A thought-provoking, entertaining sci-fi action film based on Robert A. Heinlein's Hugo award winning classic sci fi military novel..that is not for the squeamish, the humorless or the knee jerk, politically correct.… Full Review »
  3. FluxX.
    1
    Astonishingly awful film, thanks to the plot and dialogue and acting. I think that's why I dislike it so; since they had the special effects and budget and even the fascist satire angle to make a good film. They just ruined it with the impossibly insipid cutie teen actors and the complete idiocy of their every action. If you completely unplug your brain you might be able to sit through this one for the pretty colors and explosions, but any thought will doom your enjoyment. Why do humans go down on planets that are death traps? Why don't they have insecticide or lasers or virtually anything that would work better than the completely ineffective machine guns? Why don't humans just nuke all the planets? How did the bugs evolve their abilities to shoot things into orbit? How do the bugs live without any food or water on their planets? How do they throw a rock millions of lightyears through space in a few months without space ships or any sort of technology? How can they aim it once they throw it? Why didn't they just throw a rock big enough to extinguish life on earth in the first place? I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Dumbest movie ever.… Full Review »
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