STARSHIP TROOPERS III - MARAUDER

[indianasmith]

I figured someone else would have already posted a review of this one already, but I guess no one else took the plunge.  I watched the first STARSHIP TROOPERS back when it came out in 1997 and loved it.  The futuristic Nazi-type totalitarian government creeped me out then and now, but spacemen (and some extremely hot spacewomen) battling giant bugs is a bait I can't resist, so I have been on board for the whole franchise.  Both sequels were direct-to-video, and the second movie was, to be honest, pretty forgettable.  This one is not good, but it isn't forgettable either.

First, its technical side.  The CGI is awful, barely video-game quality.  The bugs in the original film 11 years ago were much more realistic, especially the arachnids.  This was obviously a very low-budget film.

The cast - Caspar van Diem returns as Johnny Rico from the first movie, now a Colonel in the Mobile Infantry.  Jolene Blalock of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE shows up as a hotshot pilot and old friend of Rico's, Lola Beck (and she keeps her clothes on the whole movie, sorry Cheeze!).  The Federation's greatest military leader, Sky Marshall Anoke, not only gives great motivational speeches but also sings to get the troops stirred up - his biggest hit is "A Good Day to Die."  And rounding out the leads is a general who is buddies with Rico and in love with Beck, Dix Hauser.

OK, the plot - Johnny Rico is commanding Federation troops at a farming colony where the bugs have launched a full scale invasion.  The war is not going well; colonies are falling left and right and defeatism is punishable by hanging.  Sky Marshall Anoke and General Hauser come to visit the troops at the front.  The Arachnid bugs are launching themselves at the fence repeatedly, immolating themselves like moths at a bug zapper, as the Sky Marshall tours the facility. Suddenly the fence goes down and the bugs overrun the compound.   The wounded Sky Marshall is recovered, and Beck lifts off to get him back to earth as Rico and Hauser, who have bitterly quarrelled earlier in the evening after some local farmers insulted the general and Rico  kept him from shooting one of them, are left to defend against the bug onslaught.

The Sky Marshall's ship is shot down on a remote planet, the colony is lost, and Rico catches the blame and is condemned to hang, while Hauser is decorated for his heroism in leading the defense.  But then Hauser finds out that the distress call from Anoke's ship was never answered and the Federation has no intention of rescuing the Sky Marshall. So he recruits Rico (after faking his death by hanging) and his crew to take the new Marauder spacesuit/combat vehicles and rescue the Marshall . . .  and his ladylove Beck.

OK, it's low budget, but it's kinda fun.  There was a Christian subtext woven into this movie that I found to be frankly disturbing.  Religious expression is forbidden in the Federation, but both the Sky Marshall and his cute secretary begin spouting prayers and hymns while they are stranded, and eventually the religious element plays a big part in the movie's denouement.  The performances are pretty much B-movie quality all the way through.  The film includes some nudity but no sex - mainly what you see is Rico and his crew (3 men, 3 women) strip down for a detailed bioscan.  The movie preserves the cheesey, propaganda-reel narration of the original, with the catch phrase, "Do you want to know more?" repeated often. 

All told, not as good as the original, but not bad either.  Anyone else see this one?

[CheezeFlixz]

I rented this the other day, haven't had time to watch it ... geez I haven't had time to anything but work. I'm going to watch it before Wed, when they are due back.

[Torgo]

I liked the 1st one a great deal but the 2nd flick was god awful (and was directed by Phil Tippett to boot1).

I know that Ed Neumier wrote/directed this one but I really don't know if I could commit to watching it after how terrible the 2nd one was.

[indianasmith]

I liked the 1st one a great deal but the 2nd flick was god awful (and was directed by Phil Tippett to boot1).

I know that Ed Neumier wrote/directed this one but I really don't know if I could commit to watching it after how terrible the 2nd one was.

Just surrender to the cheesiness . . . . it is your DESSSTINY!!!!   

[Trevor]

I liked the 1st one a great deal but the 2nd flick was god awful (and was directed by Phil Tippett to boot1).

I know that Ed Neumier wrote/directed this one but I really don't know if I could commit to watching it after how terrible the 2nd one was.

Just surrender to the cheesiness . . . . it is your DESSSTINY!!!!   

Aaaaaaaaaandddddd rememberrrrrrrr...... this movie was made in Cape Townnnnnn.....

[Torgo]

I liked the 1st one a great deal but the 2nd flick was god awful (and was directed by Phil Tippett to boot1).

I know that Ed Neumier wrote/directed this one but I really don't know if I could commit to watching it after how terrible the 2nd one was.

Just surrender to the cheesiness . . . . it is your DESSSTINY!!!!   

I'm sure that Sci-Fi channel has already option the rights to it and I'll be subjected to it at some point when I least expect it.

[Neville]

I found it pretty bad, but at least it made me remember the original, which is something the first sequel couldn't do. It almos compensated for the wooden acting and the lackluster filmmaking.

It had its funny things, too, like the godawful FX (I think I saw some of the bugs in the fort attack being pupetted by the extras), Casper Van Diem delivering acting that truly belongs to high school representations, or the well deserved panning on how governments use religion for their own interests.

[Cult Movie Mania]

I liked the 1st one a great deal but the 2nd flick was god awful (and was directed by Phil Tippett to boot1).

I know that Ed Neumier wrote/directed this one but I really don't know if I could commit to watching it after how terrible the 2nd one was.

Really?  You thought Part II was that bad?  I understand it wasn't theater quality, however I found it to be much superior than many similarly-styled sci-fi/Alien sequels/rip-off's.  It was a much different film than the original.  In Part II, the bugs are almost an afterthought.  I liked it much more than I ever thought I would, and in many ways I think it's superior to the first. 

What I didn't appreciate about the original film was the casting of too many pretty people, and I can't take seriously the scene of what's-her-name piloting a spaceship (with that huge, glamor smile).  And 'doogie howser'?  What's that all about?  With the exception of Michael Ironside and the actor who was in Highlander (can't recall his name), it was not a cast picked to please the fans.

I'm a fan of Part II, but want to get more information about the third installment, since I'm very skeptical of modern-day sci-fi efforts, most of which come off as CGI extravaganzas with little or no good, solid filmmaking imbued in them.

[Jack]

I absolutely loved the first one, it took the whole Beverly Hills 90210 crowd and stuck them in this future society that was frankly pretty darned interesting.  Always got a kick out of Verhouven talking about his philosophizing etc., because I think he made an incredibly pro-war film.  I also liked the second one.  Agree with Film Ranch, it was a lot better than many Alien type ripoffs.  Good characters, good suspense, gory as hell, and the bugs were pretty cool too.  To be perfectly honest, your review doesn't make me want to see the third one at all.  Sounds like they've taken the whole political thing and stuck it way too far into the foreground.  And now they're religious too, and they sing?  Eh, maybe wait 'till it comes out on cable