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.… Expand

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.

No story, but when has an all-action film had a story. Great special effects and funny too.

Has effects and action to please everyone, but it takes a little to long to get to the bug battles. The movies fails in its dramatic scenes, as the dead are quickly forgotten. The result is a film that's fun, but alienating and shallow in the end.It won't endure multiple viewings well, because despite all that's good about it (FX and gunfire action), it doesn't quite stick with you anymore, now that society has awakened to war's reality because of films like Saving Private Ryan.… Expand

A lot of people were clueless to this depiction of a society?s conversion from innocence, humanity and tolerance into the simplistic and ruthless political will to go to war. In this case against alien insects, as public policy turns fascist and becomes, ?The only good bug is a dead bug.? Perhaps the future world where it is set, with its lack of social entitlements, baffled many. If it had come out right after 9/11, it might have been hailed as an omniscient masterpiece. Its violence, with its upbeat acceptance of humanity?s warlike and genocidal alter ego, is hardly a speculative reality check. In Verdun there is an ossuary filled with the body parts of 130,000 unidentified WWI soldiers collected from local battlefields. As WWII ensued, millions of non-combatants were exterminated. We have now been provoked into a mindset that the only good Al-Qaeda is a dead Al-Qaeda, and the laments of idealists and social experimenters have taken on an obnoxious tone. Our new attitude has recently slopped over to include selected Iraqis. When the veteran soldier remarks early on in this movie that figuring things out for ones self is the only freedom one ever really has, notice is given that the story will proceed beyond satire and strip away all the pretensions we complacently indulge in. The enthusiastic acting is simplistic, but not to the point of being distracting. There is an insufficiently examined implication that long-term military rule is not problematic for the advancement of society. As contemporary commentary the movie falters here because our history proves otherwise, but as science fiction it is not so much about that as about the altruistic selflessness of a commitment to soldiering. 10. … Expand

Bad movie. I'm antiwar, yet I was insulted by the repeated ideology that was stated so clearly in the final scene by an offical as, we need more soldiers in the army, "More meat for the grinder." Possible political motives aside, this was a low-budget rip off of aliens with a surplus of softcore porn scenes.

Exciting, great special effects. Good storyline.

The only people who don't like this movie are the one who don't get it. Yes, it's supposed to be cheesey. Yes, there are a lot of things left unexplained. No, it's not Star Wars. It's a 1940s John Wayne movie set in space. The beauty of this movie is its simplicity. It allows us to see common themes in all war movies. It also helps to read the book, especially to get a feeling of the society.… Expand

It may not be the most original, epic or awe-inspiring movie ever, but it's FUN. You remember that? FUN? The thing we used to have before every movie is now rejected if it isn't a Jane Austen drama?

An honest attempt at adapting the book to the screen.

Works much better as a satire then an action movie and as a satire it's pretty good. Not exactly 'Dr Strangelove' or 'Brazil' but still works in it's own way! The major problem I have with this film is they're the least convincing high school students ever to be put into film. Also Satire is supposed to be at least a bit light hearted while this takes itself more seriously then 'The Postman'

Horrifically cheesy. I'm still trying to decide whether or not this film wants its audience to take it seriously. Even if it doesn't, as a satire it still remains as a big fat nothing of a blockbuster - all attempts at drama die in seconds and tragedy doesn't seem to exist in this ridiculous space age. Of course the themes are 'there' but what of them? The film makes no effort to extend a single message, or point. If it's not supposed to be taken seriously, the film sure fails at making that clear in the first place.… Expand

A moderately entertaining but incredibly stupid action flick that doesn't even come close to the book. Grab some popcorn and turn off your brain and it'll be pretty decent, but don't expect anything incredible.

Different at the time.... rather funny and great anti war type of message to it. I saw it on cable first but I have to admit I've watched it a few times since through the years. Worth watching and there is definitely much worse ways to spend time.

Tongue and cheek sci fi at its best. Doesn't take itself too seriously and once you don't take the movie too seriously either and enjoy it for what it, is a human kick alien butt sci-fi action movie with major plot holes, unbelievable swings/changes in how the aliens act and characters so wooden you could build a raft with them, 50's B movie stock given a nineties twist....classic.

All talking, story and characters are just an excuse to show killing bugs. Epic killing thousands of bugs. And you know what: it's the best truly epic science-fiction movie. If you're not looking for more than killing space bugs - this movie is for you.