Starship Troopers 3: Marauder [DVD]

Movie / Show Details

Amazon.com

Hewing closer to Paul Verhoeven’s original and much-maligned Starship Troopers than the all-brawn-no-brains sequel, Hero of the Federation, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder blends high-power action with a dose of socio-political commentary in its story of gung-ho Marines versus insidious alien bugs. Ed Neumeier, who penned the Verhoeven film, is back as writer and director, as is Casper Van Dien as lantern-jawed hero Johnny Rico. Now a full-fledged colonel, he is dispatched to a planet where the military faces opposition from both the insect army and dissenting citizens. But after a trumped-up murder charge lands him on death row, Rico discovers that he’s being sent on a secret mission to rescue a Sky Marshal (Stephen Anouke) who’s gone missing deep in bug territory. Neumeier uses the well-worn military movie tropes to launch a satiric assault on all manner of current real world issues, from ultra-patriotism and military torture to religious fundamentalism and even pop culture as propaganda (Anouke’s sky marshal is also a chart-topping singer). He lands a fair share of his jabs, and those that fall flat–Marnette Patterson’s grating flight attendant–are tempered by sights like a ring of mechanical warrior ‘bots forming an angelic halo. Unfortunately, said special effects are not particularly special, with the robots–the Marauders of the title–arriving far too late in the game. But with so many direct-to-DVD genre titles delivering little more than shoot-em-ups and CGI demonstrations, the tinge of black humor that runs through Starship Troopers 3 is appreciated. The disc includes two commentaries, one featuring Neumeier, Van Dien and Jolene Blalock (Enterprise), and the other with Neumeier and producer David Lancaster; a featurette on the new bugs on display in Troopers 3, as well as interviews with the movie’s soldiers, round out the extra features. –Paul Gaita

Product Description

Casper Van Dien, star of Paul Verhoeven’s original theatrical hit STARSHIP TROOPERS, returns after over a decade for this second sequel to the alien-bug-battling, action-packed splatter-fest satire. After the celebrated Johnny Rico (Van Dien), now a colonel, attempts to defend the planet Roku San from some nasty arachnids, he finds himself put on death row for acting inappropriately during battle. But when a Federation starship piloted by tough soldier babe Lola Beck (Jolene Blalock, ENTERPRISE) crashes on a far-away alien planet, only the bug-squashing Rico can save the day, and so the authorities have no choice but to release him for the mission. Director: Ed Neumeier Star: Casper Van Dien, Jolene Blalock Special Features: Anmorphic Widescreen 1.85 Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, Subtitles: English, French Subtitles, English, French, Spanish Optional Running Time: 105 minutes.