Metascore

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 21 Critics What's this?

User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 19 Ratings

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 21
  2. Negative: 19 out of 21
  1. 67
    While much of the film is taken over by enormously entertaining dogfight sequences … much of it also rests on the narrative drive, which seems clipped part and parcel from one of those old “Why We Fight” documentaries that Frank Capra doled out to keep our G.I.s in fighting mode.
  2. Reviewed by: Ken Fox
    50
    The script too often sounds like an encrypted communique itself, and it's tiring trying to keep all the nonsensical space-jargon straight. The effort is more demanding than hanging onto a joystick, and not entirely worth the effort.
  3. Reviewed by: Mike Clark
    38
    Even if this movie wasn't based on a computer game, Starship Troopers' reputation would still have just shot up another 50 notches. [19 March 1999, Life, p.11E]
  4. Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    38
    Tries mightily to give these warmed-over cliches the proper seasoning, but in the end, these leftovers fail to satisfy. [12 March 1999, Friday, p.L]

See all 21 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 6 out of 9
  1. AndersB.
    10
    Brilliantly scripted and marvelously acted Sci-Fi movie based on the all-time favorite PC-game. The intense combination of an intergalactic war-story and a classic Shakespearian love-tale makes this movie an adrenaline-pumping tears-jerker of historical proportion. Mankind can traverse the darkest depths of space, it will always bring along its emotions! The Kilrathi character-depth is the secret of its success, diminishing the personality of Hamlet to a superficial cartoon-character. While the lines spoken by the Kilrathi have the rhythm of a Swiss watch, it is the depth of their meanings that truly fascinates. Only repeated viewing can reveal the many layers of its message. Once discovered, your will agree that this is what takes Wing Commander beyond the level of the greatest classics of Hollywood or even global cinema. The people of the future will divide human history in the pre-Wing Commander era (or the Dark Age) and the post-Wing Commander era, when humanity finally became enlightened by this masterpiece and its powerful message. At a lower level, you are bound to forget the part of your life that was spent - wasted really - before you could become a wittness yourself to the brillance that is Wing Commander. Oscars may be awarded for artistry in film-making, only a Nobel Prize (or several) could do justice to the levels of excellence reached by Wing Commander. This production will no-doubt be remembered by the many generations to come as a turning point in movie-making. Its message, when correctly interpreted, will influence society as only the Holy Bible may have done before. Be ready to experience never-felt-before emotions as you watch this hallmark movie over and over again. It will leave its tracks on your soul Expand
  2. Sam
    6
    I'm not surprised the movie was critically panned. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy myself.
  3. JB.
    6
    It really saddens me to see this film here. Let me break it down: the settings and scenery and especially the Kilrathi (cat-people) costumes were clearly produced on a low budget. That's the bad part. The good part? The acting, which was solid the entire way through. It's really not that bad a film, but perhaps one needs to see really bad films to realize that. Expand
  4. 0
    The smallest, faintest glimmer of hope that one day, perhaps one day there could be a good movie adapted from a video game died with the release of Wing Commander. Well, what did you expect when you picked the cast of Scooby-Doo to be your action stars. Expand

See all 9 User Reviews

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