Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10409 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-05-28
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 129 minutes

Amazon.com
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. The DVD includes an above-average commentary by the director and Neumeier, several deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes documentary and promotional featurette, cast bios, production notes, and more. --Jeff Shannon

DVD features
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

Customer Reviews

Best of the Series
For the Starship Troopers movie series, this is the best of them. This is a great action film, though do not look for any quality acting. This is an enjoyment only type movie.

Good transaction
I bought the DVD of Starship Troopers for my wife (believe it or not). She had a video tape of Starship Troopers but the VCR ate it and I am surprising her with the DVD for Christmas. I am very satisfied with the price and the shipping time was ok.

Complete Crap
The polar opposite of the book in so many ways - from the political themes to the weapons and combat.

The combat scenes are a terrible joke. I'd like to think that if we can transport troops to other planets, we could arm them with something better than a current 5.56 rifle. And, maybe arrange for a few mortars or artillery.

Just an awful movie based on one of the greatest military sci-fi books ever written.