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| A+ A+ A+ | |
| Review by Xibo | Date seen: November 8, 1997 |
| Viewing Location: Secaucus | Grade: A+ |
| Summary: Great film adapted from a novel by one of my favorite authors. | |
| One of Robert A. Heinlein's most popular novels is given the deluxe, ultra-premium treatment in this superbly done cinematic rendition of his coming-of-age tale. Set in the future, our young hero, Johnny Rico, signs up for Federal Service right after high school graduation, hoping to impress his favorite Lust Object, Carmen Ibanez, who has signed up for the service. Their friends also sign up. Carmen gets chosen for astrogator pilot, thanks to her grades. Their friend Carl, a genius, gets military intelligence. Our hero, full of heart, but with poor grades, is stuck with mobile infantry. In this future, only people who serve a term in the Federal Service get citizenship. Meanwhile, a war is going on, against ugly bug-like creatures that slice of limbs and chop off heads, making for very bloody scenes. The movie is not so much about the war, however, as it is about Johnny Rico, and how he matures into a man, and learns the true meaning of citizenship. The special effects in this film are completely top-notch, among the best ever done. This is partly thanks to Industrial Light & Magic, which gives us a preview of what the upcoming Star Wars films will be like. Reading the credits is quite an experience, as over half are concerned with computer people and special effects artists, job descriptions that did not exist twenty years ago. And for the first time, which pleases me to no end, the systems administrators are listed in the credits. It's very interesting to see what the movie industry has become, and to have people I know in the credits now. The movie itself is one of the best this year; definitely top-notch, and I could not find any faults with it. I loved it, it was an exhilirating experience, and that may be partly due to the fat that Heinlein is one of my favorite authors, and I can only hope more of this stories are given this treatment. | |
| A A A | |
| Review by Jigen | Date seen: 0, 0000 |
| Viewing Location: Ye Olde DVD | Grade: A |
| Summary: Lord help me, but I think this is a classic | |
| Ok.. Why do I LOVE this film so much. Well, I guess it's the whole concept of Beverly Hills 90210 in space, with guns, blowing up giant evil bugs, with tactical nuclear bazookas. It really doesn't get any more craptacular than this. There are so many great lines in this movie, so many unintentional laughs, that this movie is a much watch in my book. We are talking some of the best of the worst here. DO NOT expect serious sci-fi here. Think more along the lines of a bad horror movie, but set in space, with guns, the cast of freakin' Party of Five, and some nukes. | |
| C- C- C- | |
| Review by smeehrrr | Date seen: February 7, 2000 |
| Viewing Location: The Evil Empire | Grade: C- |
| Summary: It doesn't work on so many levels | |
| Take one of Heinlein's less interesting novels. Take out the interesting parts. Cast a bunch of good looking but fairly talentless actors in the main roles. Put in a bunch of bugs and a bunch of gunfire. Ignore plot, dialog, or character development. Oh, and Kurgen is in it too. The only good parts of this movie are the infrequent news breaks, which are fairly amusing. I have a theory that no one who was in this movie can ever be in a good movie ever again. So far I'm batting 1000, with Denise Richards showing up in crapfests like Wild Things and the new James Bond movie, studboy Rico showing up in Sleep Hollow, and the hotshot navy guy starring in The Second Arrival. Ouch. | |
| B+ B+ B+ | |
| Review by tmon | Date seen: August 4, 2000 |
| Viewing Location: New York City | Grade: B+ |
| Summary: Blood, guts and gore. | |
| Cliche dialogue. Nazi-esque uniforms. Okay, bugs are throwing rocks at Earth. Go squash the bugs. Throw in a little melodrama and some gratuitous nudity as male and female soldiers shower together. I liked the actions scenes, but all the rest makes this Starship Poopers in my book. | |
"I should put quotes here."