Starship Troopers / Starship Troopers 2 (Box Set) (DVD)

...at the bit to see Starship Troopers 2 Hero of the Federation. Seeing as he loved the first film and it was only £19.99 for the two I got him this box set.

STARSHIP TROOPERS

Starship Troopers is based on the novel by Robert Heinlein who wrote it in 1959. This film was made in 1997 and was directed by Paul Verhoeven who also made the first Robocop film. The film is a certificate 18. Film running time 129 minutes.
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...EXTRAS
The making of Starship troopers Featurette
Audio Commentary
Scene development
Deleted Scenes
Screen Tests
Theatrical trailer



STARSHIP TROOPERS 2 HERO OF THE FEDERATION

This was made this year (2004) and was directed by Phil Tippet who co-directed Robocop 3.
This film was never on general release at the cinema and I think it was made for DVD and then ... more

I bought this box set the other day for my husband who was champing at the bit to see Starship Troopers 2 Hero of the Federation. Seeing as he loved the first film and it was only £19.99 for the two I got him this box set.

STARSHIP TROOPERS

Starship Troopers is based on the novel by Robert Heinlein who wrote it in 1959. This film was made in 1997 and was directed by Paul Verhoeven who also made the first Robocop film. The film is a certificate 18. Film running time 129 minutes.

CAST.

Casper Vin Dien - Johnny Rico
Dina Meyer - Dizzy Flores
Denise Richards – Carmen Ibanez
Jake Busey – Pvt Ace levy
Neil Patrick Harris – Col Carl Jenkins
Clancy Brown – Sgt Zim
Seth Gillian – Pvt Sugar Watkins
Patrick Muldoon – Zander Barcalow
Michael Ironside – Lt Jean Rasczak
Rue Mcclanahan – Biology Teacher
Marshall Bell – General Owen
Eric Bruskotter – Breck Inridge
Matt Levin – Kitten Smith
Blake Lindsley – Katrina Mcintire

The Film starts of on Earth in the far distant future (doesn’t give an exact year). The earth is now governed by an organisation called the Federation (have you noticed that there is a lot of sci fi films that have a federation in them some where). This federation has split the population of Earth into two categories civilians and citizens.
Civilians – There are just your normal every day type of person but they are not allowed to vote and need a licence to have children.
Citizens – Are allowed to vote and when they become citizens they are automatically get the right to have children. Any one can become a citizen if they complete at least two years military service.

The Earth is under threat from a hostile species of bug like aliens (throughout the film they are referred to as bugs and are never given a species name). As of yet these bug have not attacked earth only a few out posts on other planets. Also throughout the film there is consent adverts about the war. These are adverts showing news about what’s going on and how they are progressing with the battle against the bugs. The adverts go something like this.
“ Don’t just shoot the limbs off the bugs as they just keep coming back, you have to shoot them in the central nervous system to kill them” and at the end of ever advert there is a voice that says “ What to know more?” I’m not sure why there adverts have been included in the film but some of them are quite amusing. Right now that you know the basics it’s time to get to the story.

Four school friend From Buenos Aires Johnny Rico, his girlfriend Carmen Ibanez, Dizzy Flores and Carl Jenkins all decide to join the military. Johnny only really joins because Carmen joined up as she has a big dream about becoming a pilot. Carl joins the military because he’s is a physic and wants to join the intelligence core. Dizzy joins because she is secretly in love with Johnny and wants to be with him. After they join up they are all sent on there separate ways. Carmen to pilot school Carl to the intelligence core and Johnny and Dizzy are both sent to the same unit to train as infantry soldiers. The film only shows the training of Carmen, Johnny and dizzy and not Carl. You see Carmen training to be a pilot where she meets up with Zander Barcalow who she had been chatted up by at a football game before she joined up. He turns out to be here flight instructor and before long there is a hint of romance between them.

While all this is going on Johnny and Dizzy are going through there basic training. The make another friend Ace Levy who is a bit cocky and mad but they do become firm friends. The training is a very gruelling and painful time for the trainees. The drill instructor Sgt Zim things nothing off injuring his men and at one point breaks a recruit arm, in hand to hand combat and on another occasion her throws a knife at ace and it goes right through his hand. After he had injured them he shout “medic”. Before long Johnny get a Dear John letter from Carmen from which he is gutted. He tries to put it behind him and works hard and eventually becomes Squad leader. However while on a live firing training exercise on of his squad is kill in an accident and he decides to leave the military. Just as he is leaving news come through that the bugs have fired a large asteroid at his hometown Buenos Aires completely destroying the whole town. The planet is now at all out war with the bugs. He decides to stay with the military and fight the bugs.

They are shipped out (just by coincidence on the same ship that Carmen is on) to a planet called Klendathu, which is believed to be the bug’s home planet. A huge battle follows which results in over 100 000 human deaths. While this has been going on scientists (Carl) have found that the bugs probably have one large bug, which has all the brains of the species. So the troopers are given the mission to seek out this brain bug and try and capture it alive so they can learn more about how these creatures work. While the troops are on the ground battling there way through thousands of bugs. The fleet of ships that took them there comes under attack and the ship Carmen is on is badly destroyed. She and Zander manage to escape in a small ship just before their ship blows up. They crash land on the surface of the planet slap-bang in the middle of the bug’s lair and come face to face with the brain bug. On hearing this Johnny mounts a rescue mission. Will Johnny be able to save Carmen? Will they capture the brain bug? Well if you want the answers to these questions you’ll just have to watch the film.

MY THOUGHTS
This isn’t a bad film it has quite a few funny bits in it. It is however very gory and there is scenes of people being cut in two and bugs being splattered all over the place. The special effects are quite good; they do make the bugs look believable. The acting is ok. I’m not a big fan of Casper Vin Dien as I don’t think he’s a very good actor but he does do the job adequately all the other actor do the job quite good. This is one of these films that people will either love or hate personal I thought it was not bad and worth watching although it’s not a film I would of bought for myself but my husband loved it. If you like creature feature films you’ll probably love this one.

DVD EXTRAS
The making of Starship troopers Featurette
Audio Commentary
Scene development
Deleted Scenes
Screen Tests
Theatrical trailer

STARSHIP TROOPERS 2 HERO OF THE FEDERATION

This was made this year (2004) and was directed by Phil Tippet who co-directed Robocop 3.
This film was never on general release at the cinema and I think it was made for DVD and then eventually onto TV. The film is also a certificate 18 and the running time is 88 minutes.

THE CAST

Bill Brown – Pvt Ottis Brick
Richard Burgi - Captain Dax
Kelly Carlson – Pvt Charlie Soda
Cy Carter – Pvt Billy Otter
Tim Conlon – Fleet Pilot
Sandrine Holt – Pvt Jill Sandee
Robbie C King – Smiling Lieutenant
Ed Lauter – General J G Sheperd
J P Manoux – Sgt Ari Peck
Lawrence Monoson – Lt Pailov Dill
Colleen Porch – Pvt Lei Sahara
Drew Powell – Pvt Kipper Tor
Ed Quinn – Cpl Joe Griff
Jason Shane Scott – Pvt Duff Horton

The film is set not that long after the first one on a different planet. A small group of Infantry soldiers are stranded on this planet after them being the only survivors of a huge battle against the bugs. Light years away from any reinforcements they are forced to retreat from the battle and seek shelter. The come across an abandoned out post and decide that this is the best place to build a defence in till a rescue ship reaches them. While in the out post the come across Captain Dax who has been locked in a furnace (it’s not been switched on). On closer examination of paper work that was left behind they find out that Dax murdered his general. While this is going on the base is surrounded and yes you’ve guessed it another firefight takes place. One of the solider who is a physic decides to let Dax out of his temporary prison as she has a feeling that he won’t hurt anyone and could help with the fight which he does. They manage to lock themselves in the base and have relative safety in till members of the group start to act strangely.

A couple of the group is mysteriously killed and captain Dax gets the blame of it. It becomes apparent about half way through the film that some of the groups have been taken over buy the bugs. Somehow a spider like thing managed to get inside one of then and was able to infect other by producing more of these thing and passing then on by mouth to mouth contact. Realising that Dax was not responsible for kill the other members of the group he is released just in time before he is infected. Now the race is on to destroy the humans that have been infected with these creatures before the rescue ship arrives as if they get off the planet it could mean the end of the human race. They have also got the added problem that there are thousands of bugs on the outside that are trying to find their way in to the base. Will they survive and be rescued? Will they destroy they infected humans? Why did Dax kill his General? Watch it and find out.

DVD EXTRAS
Director, writer and producers commentaries
From green screen to silver screen Featurette
Inside the federation Featurette
Photo Gallery
Theatrical trailer

MY THOUGHTS
Well I really couldn’t get into to this film when it first went on I thought oh no not more of the same. I thought it was just going to be like the first one but with even worse actors. However I was wrong the film does get into it’s own but the story of bugs infecting humans had been done before in many different films and a lot better I may add. I think it had the potential to be a good film but every thing just seamed wrong I found it difficult to warm to the characters and throughout the film I just got the feeling that there was something missing but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. The special effects are just as good as the first one. If you loved the first one then you’ll probably like this one too and yes my husband loved this one too but then again he’ll watch anything.

Overall the first one is defiantly worth watching but to be honest I wouldn’t bother too much about the second one. My advice would be to try before you buy.
 

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