The ’90s saw the release of a number of sci-fi films, some of which are now considered true classics of the genre.The Matrix(1999), which caps off the decade, remains one of the most seminal science-fiction movies ever made, but it was preceded by a number of other important titles.James Cameron’sTerminator 2: Judgment Daystarts the decade off strong in 1991, and its groundbreaking effects helped to cement it as one of the most acclaimed sequels of all time.
In addition to these seminal works, the ’90s saw the release ofIndependence Day(1996), which was pure popcorn entertainment, as well asThe Fifth Element(1997), which was far more idiosyncratic. Other notable sci-fi movies from the decade includeTotal Recall(1990),Stargate(1994),12 Monkeys(1995),Contact(1997),Men in Black(1997), andGalaxy Quest(1999). Another sci-fi film from the latter half of the decade, however, puts the military front-and-center in what marks a satirical and action-packed adventure.
Starship Troopers Features Some Surprising Levels Of Realism
The Paul Verhoeven Film Gets Some Details Right
Former U.S. Army drill sergeant Lamont Christian reveals thatStarship Troopers' boot camp scene isn’t far off from reality, despite the movie’s distant future setting.Directed by Paul Verhoeven,the 1997 sci-fi film takes place in a fascistic future in which the human military battles against a race of giant alien bugs. Though much ofStarship Troopersconsists of gooey and gory warfare sequences involving these bugs, the film also features an extended look at the boot camp training for members of the United Citizen Federation’s military.
The Only Good Bug Is A Dead Bug: 10 Best Quotes From Starship Troopers
Though the film was not particularly well-received by critics, Starship Troopers is a decent sci-fi action flick with memorable quotes.
In a recent video forInsider, Christian breaks downStarship Troopers' boot camp scenes, explaining that, despite the film’s far-future setting, the military training is actually fairly realistic. According to Christian,the fundamentals of military training have remained more or less the same for the last few hundred years, but it’s the technology that evolves.
Though aspects of the training are correct,Christian takes issue with Clancy Brown’s Sergeant Zim challenging a recruit to a one-on-one fight, which he highlights has the potential to be very humiliating for the trainer. Check out Christian’s analysis below, as well as his score forStarship Troopersout of 10:
Now we’re talking in the future, and ironically, the military has the space force now. I used to use this way to explain to drill sergeant candidates when I was running the Drill Sergeant Academy that basic training, or boot camp, is pretty much going to stay the same from the past into the future. The training that we did for the Revolutionary War using muskets in 1776 was the same training that we did in 1966 sending people to Vietnam with the M16 rifle is the same training we’ll do in 2036. How we train is what changes.
We will still have to take an ordinary citizen and train them to be able to do the basic fundamentals of engaging targets. You know, properly breathing, getting a good sight picture, even if we’re using lasers.
Looking at this, even when I was a drill sergeant myself, I never would attempt to take on a trainee. It was one reason why. As time went on and I got more wise, I understood that some of the recruits coming in might actually have a skill set that might be better than mine. I mean, you look at it now, you have UFC fighters, boxers, and world-class wrestlers that might join the military. You don’t want to be embarrassed if one of these people came through and they had a lot more skill than you.
I would have to give it a five[out of 10]. I don’t know if we’re going to be in this space, literally and figuratively, in the future, but I would say again, what we train over time but how we’re able to do that is actually the thing that evolves.
In addition to Brown, theStarship Trooperscastfeatures Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, and Michael Ironside.
Our Take On Starship Troopers' Accuracy
How Realism Can Help Science Fiction
Clearly,Starship Troopersis not meant to be entirely realistic, but it is meant, like all sci-fi, to have elements that feel familiar to audiences, even if they take unexpected forms.These familiar elements are often what allow sci-fi films to comment on present day issuesor help create an emotional response in viewers.
Ultimately,Starship Troopersis a satireand is over-the-top by design as a means to comment on the dangers of fascism. The accuracy of its boot camp scenes helps to further make this theme clear while also giving audiences time to get to know some of the lead characters, enhancing later scenes in which many of these characters don’t survive.
Starship Troopers
Cast
Considered a cult classic film, Starship Trooper is set in the not-too-distant future when humanity is at war with an alien race called the Arachnids. The film follows Johnny Rico, a teenager recruited into the military and the war against the Arachnids. Casper Van Dien stars as Johnny Rico, with a further cast that includes Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey, and Neil Patrick Harris.
