Starship Troopers - Deceptively Smart Satire

I've been waiting a long time for this one. Paul Verhoeven's 1997 sci-fi action epic, Starship Troopers, turned out to be a surprisingly sharp and biting satire on modern culture. Would you like to know more?
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[@NeilBFormy]

Ah yes, we’re all here 2 years later because of Helldivers 2.

[@ianbrown8663]

True I haven’t Even bought the game yet

[@HeyJoJoTF2]

Sad for the ST franchise considering their latest game literally had 0 presence 😬 But helldivers has been amazing, even bringing old groups together

[@thealchemist5653]

Real

[@Sky-bg5wt]

FOR SUUUUUUUUPER EEEEEEAAAAARRRRTTTTHHH! *mid 150 round burst into the bugs*

[@crucifierdrums3209]

Yes we are

[@brennanferris7400]

I love that the algorithm is suggesting me this now that I’m watching Helldivers 2 contact.

[@kelpermoon23]

Cringe

[@sabi771]

​@@kelpermoon23your mom

[@steelheart538]

​@@sabi771that's the best response to "cringe".

[@NSD150]

​@@kelpermoon231.4k people would like to disagree with you.

[@kelpermoon23]

@@NSD150 they’d be wrong

[@killjam17]

Had to rewatch this since I've been managing democracy on helldivers. Best starship troopers game ever made.

[@havefuntazarasu5367]

These bugs are literally allah

[@epictoe7179]

For super earth ✊

[@valide1]

Have a Democratic day, soldier.

[@A_Steam_User]

HOW ABOUT A NICE CUP OF LIBER-TEA?!?!?

[@yourmumgay7901]

I’d rather call it "sci fi war game" instead since it’s taking some super heavy influence from warhammer

[@dabbingraccoons6416]

Now we have helldivers 2

[@jayhollows5729]

Good ole parodys of fascist imperialism that goes over peoples heads

[@avoxxtea]

Yep.

[@Hugofoxli]

Yep.

[@CruciferWarden]

Yep

[@donnie7013]

Yep.

[@3AHoles]

Cast: "We'll only do this scene if you're naked too, Paul." Paul swivels around in his chair: "I've been naked this whole time."

[@Morbutt]

Pretty clever way to shake up the "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" game

[@waltercomunello121]

that scene _always_ got me by surprise.

[@jkdbuck7670]

"An unfortunate shmelting acshident."

[@fistimusmaximus6576]

ATTENTION!

[@pauldacon828]

"Haha you fools! If only you knew that beneath my clothes I've always been naked!"

[@benmasta5814]

When I was a kid I used to think "this movie is so weird, why are people acting so crazy? People wouldn't act like that." Then I grew up... and.... yeah.... lol

[@trauko1388]

The concept of adulthood is a lie told to small children so they would obey the grown children.

[@scrappydoo7887]

Lol I loved it but when I watched it with my younger brother I had to endure him having really bad nightmares of being sucked into space after he saw the fleet being hit..... Fun times lol

[@cstlbrvo5615]

Yeah. And then you found out. .......Oh, my God! NOooooo....

[@popeyethepirate5473]

@@trauko1388 we used to have rituals that would draw the line in the sand for this very purpose.

[@natejennings5884]

Some Conservative points were well made. Rico's teacher brings up the failings of social scientists resulting in top down authority and how "that which is given has no value". These two points I agree with Conservatives on. Look at how social scientists cooked up alotta the critical theory (like critical race theory) and gender studies crap that's dividing society and may require an iron hand to bring under control. Look at how spoiled Millennials are given so much yet appreciate nothing. Michael Ironside made some damn good points in that scene.

[@Erich8101]

Here again because Helldivers 2 is the Starship Troopers game we all needed Edit: Not even 24 Hours and this Comment blew up somehow

[@thisusedtobemyrealname7876]

For Super Earth!!! For Democracy!!!

[@craftmaster300]

I was wondering why this video got recommended to me 😅

[@Vogonslayer]

Spreading Liberty one clip at a time

[@s70driver2005]

SES Aegis of Peace standing by in orbit!!!

[@gruffski]

Haha! 💯!! I'm picking it up tomorrow! 😁

[@brianhale2977]

The really scary scene is when Rico is supposedly testing Carl's ESP abilities to guess which card is next in a deck but it is actually a double blind experiment to see how well he can put the cards into Rico's mind.

[@Shokisan1]

That's a big part of how it actually works too... 👁

[@kingmany1]

Wow, never saw that good observation 😊

[@GetMeOuttaHereGaming]

No one talks how insane the CGI looks and how well it holds up. THE WAS MADE IN 1997! That's absolutely insane to me.

[@misanthropicattackhelicopt4148]

I think they also used pratical effects mixed in with the cgi.

[@irgendeineperson5350]

@BenjaminTheRogue The CGI looks legit better than some stuff today.

[@isaacschmitt4803]

Meanwhile, Star Wars Episode 2, which came out a whopping five years later and had a substantially better budget, had scenes with absolutely awful CGI that forcefully ejected you from the movie.

[@cstlbrvo5615]

The CGI work in this film is exceptional. I wish all movies had this level of computer animation.

[@rirakkunick]

Agree it still holds well.

[@vincentpolaris8297]

The Giant insects are more relatable than Rey in the 3 last Disney Star Wars movies, Especially the one with 4 legs

[@zulfirdauszain8810]

Hell, even the cockroach that helped the brainbug to move had more characteristics and emotion than daisey ridley as rey

[@guilherme5094]

Yes sir.

[@KlebinDaBoca]

Don't remember seeing a Rey with 4 legs, but I assume that I was asleep at that part.

[@CrazyBomber22]

Rey? Is Rey some sort of bug too?

[@ALDAL]

those are cool!

[@ButterNutt300]

"starship troopers improves with age" said 2 years ago than hell divers 2 drops and explodes

[@kelpermoon23]

Cringe

[@torgranael]

Only reason I started playing HD2 was because I heard it was basically a love letter to ST. So hyped to see the rest of my generation catch up and finally watch this gem.

[@mastervava4325]

Need to rewatch this movie after playing Helldivers II

[@HER0_]

I salute you, fellow helldiver

[@mastervava4325]

@@HER0_ For Managed Democracy!

[@MrDrumcorey]

Sweet, Liberty.

[@JarisJ_]

I just did las night because of helldivers

[@kelpermoon23]

Helldivers cringe

[@JMUDoc]

Cast: "We'll do the shower scene nude, but only if you _direct_ it nude." Verhoeven: "... what's the catch?"

[@dingerling9017]

I don't get that honestly lol.

[@schiz0phren1c]

Also Verhoeven, "welp, at least I'll have something to hang my towel off...ladies"

[@Hjerte_Verke]

@@dingerling9017 Being European, Verhoeven wouldn't be nearly as prudish as Americans about simple, non sexual nudity because Europe or the Netherlands has a long history of naturism or nudism--clothing optional activity (nude beaches, resorts, etc). He might even be a nudist himself. There are many clothing optional beaches and resorts all over Europe; it's engrained in the culture.

[@dingerling9017]

@@Hjerte_Verke I am European. I didn't understand them being fine as long as the director was also nude. This wasn't some invitation for you to to rant about how Europe is just full of nudist and hoe nobody considers nudity a big deal which just isn't even true.

[@AsbestosMuffins]

@@dingerling9017 they were trying to bluff him into toning the scene down, they didn't think he'd actually agree, but he called their bluff and agreed.

[@CajunTexan1]

"You even need a license to get pregnant now" UK government: "write that down write that down!!!!"

[@derek96720]

Honestly, the world would be a better place in some ways if people needed a license to have more than a certain number of kids. Parents should also have to take mandatory classes on childhood development, nutrition, and communication before they are entrusted to raise a child. So many generations of fucked up people doing fucked up things, all because parents don't know what the fuck they're doing.

[@parrotshootist3004]

@@derek96720 only applies to Brits though, not UN citizens in UN regulated territory in UK.

[@janehrahan5116]

Legitimately this line (not in the books btw) is the only thing that is genuinely an eyebrow raiser, even so rico's parents had no issues nor did carmens so *Shrug*

[@doobas2171]

@@emjay3066 thats not caused by that,

[@olotocolo]

@@emjay3066 yes and nazis breathed air so we should stop. Not everything china does is bad just beacuse china does it. That's tribal mindset.

[@steve.wright3780]

Helldivers 2 - for Democracy!!

[@tenkmusou542]

Hell Yeah Brother!

[@humrH2360]

FOR FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!

[@thorslam3791]

You mean SUPER DEMOCRACY!!!

[@kelpermoon23]

Cringe

[@iOokami_]

GET SOMEEEEEE

[@beefgoat80]

My friend shouted "napalm snot rocket!" when the artillery bugs started using their flamethrowers. That's stuck with me since the 90s.

[@alejandroortega705]

“Citizenship is an attitude, a state of mind, an emotional conviction that the whole is greater than the part...and that the part should be humbly proud to sacrifice itself that the whole may live.” ― Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers

[@Cyricist001]

That quote sounds more fit a collectivist mentality than a libertanian one.

[@cretansuperbos2121]

@@Cyricist001 Not everything is as simple as "collectivist" vs liberty. Individual freedom is preserved by people who sacrifice their own autonomy for the group's.

[@Mrdardas99]

@@Cyricist001 Taken without context, yes. However, in the book it is established exceedingly well that being a full citizen with voting rights (non-citizens have total equality of rights, other than voting - there's none of that bizarre "pregnant license" the movie invented) is a personal choice. They first show you how much you have to sacrifice before you complete the enlisting process, and you can quit anytime you want. The point is that only someone who is willing to lay down his life to protect the people of the country should have a say in how it is actually run. Being a soldier is not something that is common or even looked really high-upon - Rico's dad can't even understand why he won't go into business like everyone else. Also, they are supposed to be MOBILE infantry - as in skilled troops with high-tech mechanized suits, not entire battalions of stupid grunts running with rifles, that's just sad really.

[@gamingforever9121]

@@Mrdardas99 the movie was a piss take of the authors ideas by the films director which I’m honestly ok with I appreciate the book for its insight and good story and the film for its fun 🤩 nature.

[@ericgrace9995]

@@Mrdardas99 Yep. The landing /power suits that could "leap tall buildings" and the mini nukes they carried.!! These things were smaller versions of what you saw in Pacific Rim..

[@joshbanks6367]

The special effects still look better than anything from a modern Netflix Original.

[@TopblokeGolf]

Yeah I was thinking that

[@hcwbsfu]

Because the creatures are actually real. They spent a lot of time and hard work building each bug and even made them move mechanically - check it - kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJTcnYGkeMaIf5I

[@markleonard.]

Honest to god, netflix originals have spiralled so much. Gonna cancel my subscription now.

[@chrissullivan6572]

Aged surprisingly well

[@isaacfoster1377]

Im pretty sure netfix has better SPECIAL effects cause they have well trained specials to do the job right.

[@WikedEvo]

Who else is here because this review randomly popped up? Well played algorithm. Carry on Divers!

[@kelpermoon23]

Cringe

[@LOTDF220]

What better time to look back at Starship troopers than with the release of Helldivers 2

[@kelpermoon23]

Helldivers sucks tho

[@LordFalzar]

Lmfao, that'll do pig. That'll do. Go play some Starfield or something.@@kelpermoon23

[@hangman5918]

maybe try to connect your mouse to your PC@@kelpermoon23

[@mikavirtanen7029]

When Michael Ironside says "they sucked his brains out" it doesn't sound ridiculous at all. Man is a legend and canucks should raise a statue for him.

[@vormina9808]

Michael Ironside and Clancy Brown, two very under rated actors.

[@noahbody9875]

When I saw that part of the movie, I thought "Well in that case, you are all safe."

[@michaelsinger4638]

Michael Ironside can make anything sound cool and badass.

[@fostermoody]

As a canuck I approve this message

[@cstlbrvo5615]

Yeah, a statue dressed as a trooper with that mechanical hand...

[@mahatmarandy5977]

I remember our local newspaper critic said of this movie, "Denise Richards is easily the most beautiful robot working in films these days."

[@CowboyRobot2000]

She is a tremendous anchor around the neck of any movie she's in. My favorite Brosnan Bond is "The World Is Not Enough." Sophie Marceu was an epic Bond villain, and smokin' HAWT! Then Richards pops up in a Russian nuclear weapons depot as a nuclear physicist wearing a tank top and short-shorts. Ugh... Even Brosnan looked pained in their scenes together. Fortunately, she didn't have much presence or impact on the story, but she kept it from being up there with 'From Russia With Love,' 'Goldfinger,' 'For Your Eyes Only,' and 'Skyfall.'

[@mikesully110]

@@CowboyRobot2000 I remember watching this as a young teen and I thought she was strange looking too. I can't remember who it was who said she always looks like she's just smelt a particularly smelly guff. Honestly I thought that girl who trains with her during the fleet scenes was much prettier and more elegant looking.

[@maskambasadak867]

@@mikesully110 tasty coma wife

[@rjzavala87]

Hahaha

[@happyhammer1]

Savage

[@antares8826]

Freedom. Liberty. Democracy.

[@drrale6707]

Danger. Darkness. Dwarves.

[@Bloopet]

Helldivers 2 reference for sure

[@nightknight69187]

Yeah, I think this was probably a teaser for the Game

[@seatbelts365]

I didn't play the first one, but I'm pretty sure that's what the video is about. I didn't watch the video.

[@wasabi-in-my-eye3134]

Love it when studios were allowed to use real giant bugs back then. If this movie was made now it would be cgi. Good old days.

[@mecrumbly429___4]

This is actually brilliant

[@keykilla78]

One extra gets impaled and suddenly you have people crying about human rights, safety, responsibility, etc., and then before you know it we're using shitty CGI aliens. Just ridiculous.

[@MrFreeGman]

That's why movies like this and lord of the rings still look better than modern day films all these years later. The late 90s and early 00s were the golden age of Hollywood. It's been all downhill since then.

[@karengiovanni9410]

Hol'up

[@gustavopereira4924]

@@MrFreeGman fr They are not even hiring Minotaurs anymore... Even the one Multiverse of Madness was CGI smh

[@alejandroortega705]

"My mother said violence never solves anything." "So?" Mr. Dubois looked at her bleakly. "I'm sure the city fathers of Carthage would be glad to know that." Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers

[@Narapoia1]

The next line in the book is 'everyone knows that carthage was destroyed'. They changed that to Hiroshima in the film because 90% of the audience would have no idea where or what Carthage was. How things can change, it was only 38 years between the book and the film.

[@ronaldthompson4989]

@Atheist Biologist "progressive"

[@SumDumGy_formerly_Tim_Walden]

@ Narapoia1, Not at all disagreeing with you here, let’s at least consider the possibility that Carthage reference went over a lot of people’s heads when the book was originally published, too.

[@SoyElDiabloRojo]

@@Narapoia1 Carthago delenda est!

[@intlidave]

@@Narapoia1 Even worse, Hiroshima is now (and was in the 90s) a thriving city of over a million people...

[@NeonGhostin]

"Would you like to know more?" - I use this line as I scroll through social media.

[@trebizond4865]

Helldivers 2 bringing back the classic starship trooper vibe

[@killbee503]

I love that Drinker brings up that the asteroid attack could be a false flag. No one brings up the fact that the Arachnids would had to fire that asteroid millions of years in advance and do incredibly complex calculations to hit earth when it did. But the Federation is surprised that the bugs are smart when they invade despite this.

[@shaggy_snacks]

I think the satire of the movie works better the way the movie did it.

[@christophergreen2892]

The book hints that it was a false flag. And the Sky Marshal resigned because the close formation caused the fleet disaster over Klendathu. Bugs didn't have anti-ship artillery in the book.

[@TransRoofKorean]

Heinlein was known for adhering very strictly to known physics, paying attention to details like that. And considering The Moon is a Harsh Mistress involves a similar style of attack (the moon being a bit closer, they say), obviously he would have been entiiiiirely aware that said, I only ever did an audiobook of Starship Troopers, and fell asleep a few times, so I remember the movie far better

[@maicka4417]

I can remember for sure, but I think one of the later movies claimed it was a false flag. And as Chris green said, the book makes that more clear. I like the subtlety

[@sabiti5428]

Some things are best implied. Those smart enough know the truth, those who are not have no attack.

[@bigJovialJon]

I loved the way that the army got younger as the movie went on (older, experienced soldiers were killed off and replaced by whoever was left).

[@NJGuy1973]

Just like the U.S. Civil War.

[@texasbeast239]

Or any space anime.

[@calessel3139]

I think that's more of a reference to Nazi Germany. By 1945, the end of the war, literal children were being drafted into the Wehrmacht due to Germany's massive loss of military aged men.

[@iurhviusdfavhi]

At the start, the average German soldier was a big ass 28 year old tough guy, at the end they were 19 year old scared kids that were left trying to fight...war sucks...

[@calessel3139]

@@iurhviusdfavhi They were even younger than 19 earlier in the war. If you read the autobiography of Guy Sajer ("The Forgotten Soldier"), who was in the German army during WW2, he and his platoon were all recruited at the age of 16 in the winter of 1942. So Germany ran into manpower shortages much earlier than 1945.

[@H.M.SKingGeorgeV]

The more you watch these scenes, the more and more I see it in Helldivers 2.

[@ErikDeMann]

"Figuring things out for yourself, is the only freedom anyone ever really has." ~Colonel Rasczak, Starship Troopers.

[@maxman1602]

It also teaches a valuable lesson: Don't simp after a girl who abandoned you and is now long gone from your life.

[@johnthomas2485]

Or simp after a guy that is obsessed with another girl

[@judsongaiden9878]

More importantly, don't simp for the state.

[@captainmaim]

@@npcimknot958 I would argue Rico became a walking death-dispenser because he 'died' in combat and came back. It's also useful that he's got no family or home left, but you're not wrong.

[@adamhenriksson6007]

No, it teaches us that we should chase the girl, and enlist TODAY. Do it for fascism. Sexy, sexy space fascism.

[@AlphariusandOmegon]

Don't simp for anyone, ever.

[@Headless_Bill]

For me, Starship Troopers is still the closest we'll probably get to a Terran vs. Zerg Starcraft movie.

[@NadavMerom]

Lol! correct!

[@chrish281]

underated comment right here

[@mikestorms4752]

amen brother

[@xxxslappyxxx]

We could hold out for a Space Hulk movie, and get Real Space Marines and Tyranid... for the Emperor!

[@Junokaii]

Beat me to it. Be cool if they introduced a "Protoss" like species for fun.

[@alanjm1234]

The thing that really struck me was the CGI. It was so good, so well done, you basically didn't notice it.

[@dread46]

The best CGi is that one which you don't even recognize as cgi.

[@leBoldman]

rewatched this as part of my training to become a citizen, I used to love it as a kid but man it cuts much deeper than i remembered. I'M DOING MY PART

[@aires69uk]

I think RoboCop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers are a trio of movies that everyone should have in their top 5 must see sci-fi popcorn movies.

[@Splenetic-]

What I like to describe as “the holy trinity” of satirical sci-fi 👍🏻

[@hi14993]

@@Splenetic- idk man def add demolition man to that list

[@daveharrison84]

The other 2 are Minority Report and Blade Runner

[@ballswalls8189]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZ60Xnptmd2kbtU

[@Acesahn]

Don't forget Terminator and even better Terminator 2

[@acpmc76]

Casper Van Dien says that people still shout "Johnny Rico!" at him many years later :)

[@Hiraghm]

He doesn't look at all Filipino, though. He looks German.

[@graemesharp1982]

Ricos roughnecks!

[@MalkavSaiyaYautja]

Death from above!

[@waynemangan9925]

Probably because they cant remember his real name when they think it might be him.

[@visvivalaw]

@@FoRmaTiTo No. In the book his mother is killed in a Bug attack while she's visiting Buenos Aires, Johnny's family lives in North America. They're Filipino.

[@StoryMode-gq9ei]

MY LIFE FOR SUPER EA-A-ARTH!!!

[@MrJZNICA]

Helldivers 2 is making me reminisce about this gem of a movie

[@notacompleteidiot...1285]

Awww. Missed opportunity to close with: "Would you like to know more?" "Go away now!"

[@Tevikolady]

OMG, yes!

[@ficture3001]

Indeed!

[@phillytheflyerable]

i'd buy that for a dollar

[@ChrisisisB]

5:58 "Would you like to know more?" Was the clickbait at the end of every MSN article for a while. Always saw the use in the film as comment on the risk of Microsoft taking over the news industry.

[@cattysplat]

​@@ChrisisisB The irony is they were still not wrong, that has come to pass anyway. They predicted the internet would be an endless circle of news from the same source, keeping you in their propaganda loop of mental control under the guise of "informing" you more.

[@adman1381]

Starship Troopers is the closest we will ever come to a Warhammer 40k movie about the Imperial Guard fighting against the Tyranids.

[@arsennegiovanna]

For the time. At least we still have those incredible CGI shorts made by Astartes

[@albatross8361]

I think I hear cries of 'Hold my beer !'.

[@hiddensalami4334]

@@arsennegiovanna That series by Astartes is fucking amazing. I wasnt even interested in 40k until I stumbled upon that work of art.

[@ww-uq8ls]

@@arsennegiovanna to bad they got swallowed up by games workshop and got stripped of all the awesome audio work and music

[@SafetyBriefer]

I am Alpharius.

[@russellpierce3987]

Watched this with friends recently for the same reason many others have lately, and one of the things that really stuck with me in terms of the characters is how they are essentially groomed to be the ideal of what the military wants from them. it was a little difficult to understand why the psychic stuff is in there, but Carl specifically mentions control, over other people even, and in by the end Johnny has been so whipped into shape that he ignores Carmen for the mission, and only decides to go for her because of Carl telling him to. To me it feels like they're setting up the sort of roles they want people to play in service where everyone is like Johnny, unfeeling and only about the mission, and malleable to whatever commands are given to alter that.

[@mar10ssj1]

So let me get this straight. The director purposefully hired good looking actors who can't act to drive the point of his movie...... BRILLIANT!!! That is some 4-D level chess right there.

[@stevemaurer8120]

It's Schrodinger's satire. Bad acting, bad writing, sexploitation, overtly "propaganda", basically everyone found it overwhelmingly stupid -- so it becomes, "it's satire bro!" The only people who liked this movie were fanboys of 1950s style agitprop.

[@tubetorpedo]

@@stevemaurer8120 Nah, it was and is nice action-flick in it's own right. Not that deep or that logical with it's message, but entertaining nonetheless.

[@kiraselby3790]

@@stevemaurer8120 I mean, it's pretty fucking obvious that it's satire if you actually watch the movie for three seconds - especially if you know literally anything at all about the book. The entire movie is intended as a giant middle finger to Heinlein from start to finish, and it's pretty dumb to claim otherwise.

[@stefanmaier1853]

The other brilliant point of the movie is that the source material, Heinleins book actually took itself seriously. That militaristic outlook of the society, the citizen model introduced weren't warnings like in 1984 but what Heinlein actually thought would make a good society. So Paul Verhoeven took a book that depicted in the authors eyes a hypermeritocratic militaristic borderline fascist utopia and turned it upside down.

[@stevemaurer8120]

@@kiraselby3790 Satire requires sophistication, a keen sense of irony. This movie is more like a guy doing a "satire" of Carmina Burana by repeating it entirely in autotuned fart noises.

[@GeorgeBPryor]

"the average citizen doesn't even have the right to vote." Sure they do, you're thinking of civilians.

[@SwingDancer61]

One of the elements the director accidentally left in from the book.

[@AHagridLookalike]

Service guarantees citizenship, of course.

[@Parasiticism]

@@AHagridLookalike Rico dad argued with him about enlisting. His parent are civilians and they were doing fine.

[@reasonerenlightened2456]

The class society of ancient Rome had citizens and civilians. Women were also considered civilians. Robert Anson Heinlein had this irrational belief in the existence of the warrior who would use force for the good of the many. In all his work he failed to address a solution to the exploitative relationship between 'owners' and 'employee'. Ultimately, the 'Employee' makes the products, takes those products to the market, sells the same products, he made, to himself and finally he pays a fee known as Profit to some 'Owner' for a permission to own the same products he made and sold to himself. The owner gets to collect profit for doing nothing.....and many call that 'earning' instead of 'taking'. The way forward to a better society is to increase and maintain a strong minimum purchasing power of the end-consumer using the magic formula. (Magic Formula: 'Your minimum Purchasing Power' = 'minimum wage' + 'Benefits payments' - 'Cost of dignified living from cradle to grave' - 'Taxes, fees, penalties') Firms are no more "legal entities" than your back-up power generator is a "legal entity", and it does not matter if it runs on fossil fuels or if a bunch of humans must run on treadmills all day. Firms are just property and should be treated as such by the laws. Save the minimum purchasing power of the human citizens instead of saving businesses/firms.

[@roberthill5549]

@@reasonerenlightened2456 - It's pretty obvious you've never attempted to start and own a business. The vast majority of business owners start from scratch, need to pay wages, taxes, upkeep, rent, benefits, insurance, etc. If there is a profit after all that, they get to pay themselves and feed their families. If not, they need to find ways to keep going, or they lose their entire investment. Most business owners are the first ones there and the last ones out. They are the ones that provide jobs for everyone else, and that's possible because instead of depending on someone else to make a living, they take on the entire risk and monetary investment of the business. Instead of whining about how unfair it is that a fairly successful business owner pretty well off, you could learn HOW they succeeded. Unless that's too much work for you.

[@PerunaMuayThai]

I've got a nice cup of Liber-Tea!

[@traestyles25]

love this movie, rewatched it again last night. RICO, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!

[@agentoy6065]

I wish they showed rico as the comptent commander he is in tje books

[@johnnada649]

"Johnny himself is kind of dumb and directionless, enlisting because he doesn't know what else to do with his life" Damn, that reminds me of... me.

[@parrotshootist3004]

Put some sunglasses on. They live.

[@MM-js4nf]

Service guarantees citizenship?

[@DOYLETWAT]

Me too ✋

[@P.T.S.E.]

In the movie Johnny was a self-centred jock with fake confidence based on his parents' social status. He signed up because he wanted to impress his girlfriend and didn't even stop to think for a second about what he has learnt in class. He wasn't directionless, but took life too lightly and thought that he could breeze through things as he was used to it, but ends up in the bottom rung of the military. Drinker is relying on the director's post-creation interpretations too much.

[@dragonknightleader1]

Yeah, 18 year olds are like that in general.

[@ehdoo426]

On my rewatch the thing that stood out to me was how Rico decides to disregard orders out of nowhere because of "a feeling" and go down a different tunnel then shortly later his psychic pal turns up. Earlier in the film his psychic pal controls a ferret and jokes he can't affect humans, yet. It led to a horror moment that the psychic intelligence division could be mind controlling the grunts without their knowledge.

[@elijahaitaok8624]

Probably how Zim found the brain bug too. The animated movies touch up on it more and its more out in the open with the psychic when it does happen

[@filiphavlicek6804]

Making them no different from the bugs, with one central brain controlling hordes of mindless minions... This movie indeed is a lot more complex than poeple give it credit for!

[@AthelstanKing]

Yeah wouldn't it be terrible if your officers went out of their way to save you and the mission via telepathic warnings. The horror. THE HORROR.

[@bigzigtv706]

@@AthelstanKing freewill = bad

[@eldriswenbro8957]

@@AthelstanKing Well...Carl only did that because he was best friends growing up with Rico and Carmen, and while Carl changed the most of all, he still cared for them. Also, he knew Johnny cared about Carmen and was looking out as his faithful wingman. He already had Zim (Johnny and Dizzy's (( his former crush )) former drill on the mission to catch the brain after it rang from Rico's squad.

[@josemansuetoortizo2095]

Mobile Infantry made me Immobile 6:25

[@ceetruth4709]

I actually just finished watching this now after 15 years. This movie is much better than I remembered it. It was always a fun watch as a kid, but now it truly reveals itself as a gem. Watching it again prompted me to search for a review or analysis video on it, and that's how I found this video.

[@Aebischer1984]

“ The enemy cannot push a button if you disable it’s hand” Sgt Zim.

[@PaulSmith-nb6md]

Legendary words

[@Aebischer1984]

@@PaulSmith-nb6md from the man who caught the brain bug 😎💪

[@nhmooytis7058]

Or bust a cap in its occiput....

[@frankgesuele6298]

Sgt Zim absolute legend.

[@MISTAJZA]

Medic!

[@starfire451]

The best nugget line was, "Remember your training and you will make it out alive." When you actually think about the training, it was hilariously devoid of any bug shooting

[@kaibean8046]

Maybe because they weren't training for bug fights yet?

[@ballswalls8189]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZ60Xnptmd2kbtU

[@neohermitist]

The guy who said it appears dead during the landing sequence. Seems like he died before even touching down.

[@rickyclarke1757]

If Im not mistaken, he told everyone to remember their training & he then got killed by a bug as soon as he got off the landing craft-love this film!

[@MrSpartanspud]

Yeah that's part of it that's actually pretty funny. They're trained for urban combat against humanoids but they end up fighting giant bugs in open desert.

[@avantegarde7797]

Wow, Drinker....now I have to go and do a rewatch of this gem, that I've not seen in so many years, to all that stuff I missed.

[@georgewashington2813]

This is the helldivers prequel films and you can't tell me otherwise

[@envy6727]

You can even find skeletons on bug planets that look like the troopers in this movie

[@erikwolff2942]

A Race of "insects" called "arachnids" lmao, the biologist inside me is screaming

[@taylorwatson7932]

That sounds like something a bug supporter would say.....

[@ItsNuxFury]

Insects, arachnids, THE ONLY GOOD BUG IS A DEAD BUG

[@paulhumphries7246]

FRANKLY I find the idea of a bug that thinks OFFENSIVE - the film even manages to satirise today's ideology that being offended = being right.

[@doublebackagain4311]

The plasma-launching ones did have 8 legs tho -

[@rudilator2178]

I think what you're trying to say is "But where were the spiders?"

[@johnbyron1077]

Cast: We'll only do it if you direct the scene naked. Verhoven: Joke's on you, I'm into that shit

[@Nloveru]

*Verhoeven

[@ktowniecity7269]

Going Dutch

[@ihave7sacks]

He was probably already wearing a robe with nothing underneath.

[@chrisricks6363]

@@ktowniecity7269 Commando?

[@hansgruber9685]

“You mean I don’t have to do that part when I get back to my hotel room? Wunderbar!”

[@zacklastname2362]

I don't think we would have Helldivers in any form without Starship Troopers.

[@TheSpecialJ11]

Lmao, KZbin algorithm is on point today. I watched a Critical Drinker interview early in the day, and then a Helldivers 2 video in the afternoon. Now this. Excellent.

[@BezimiennyBot]

The thing that really made me realize the hidden depth of this movie was the fact that violence done to animals (the cow in the beginning of the movie and the insect queen in the end) was censored during the live broadcast, while all the gore imagery of people being torn apart was going through no problem.

[@captainmaim]

How can you call it propaganda when they have journos getting killed on the front lines broadcasting live? I think this review is complete shit. Drinker didn't read the book and neither did Paul Verhoeven. The Sky-Marshall who screwed up took full responsibility and stepped down, that's not a tyranny. Yes, the federal network is punchy and over-the-top... so? Go rewatch the classroom scene where Ironside explains about violence, Drinker.

[@jdottdeestv8149]

@@captainmaim Film and book are two different adaptations through different eyes. I for one have never read the books but love the movies, and Drinkers 3/4 there. Soooo you be a little salty huh...

[@MachinaGirlRobots]

I appreciated that

[@Razzlion]

@@captainmaim And if this was a review of the BOOK your point would be perfectly valid.

[@steelbear2063]

@@Razzlion Same shit happens in the movie, what are you talking about?

[@MoreImbaThanYou]

"You even need a licence to get pregnant now." Considering some people, I am not as opposed to this idea as I should be...

[@Leispada]

unfortunately, i too responded with 'holy shit, good idea'.. xD

[@knightmarespawn2690]

Honestly doesn't sound like a bad idea, especially in today's social climate

[@kaiseryuuki4098]

...you want to bring back the "Fornication Under Control of the King" law?

[@garrettlowell7637]

The problem will be just like with current social justice: “they” decide that your parents should never have been parents at all, in line with current licensing standards, and then....

[@Jams848484]

Considering some people, I don't think we should give them the right to determine who's allowed to have kids.

[@glennpeterson1357]

Late 90s CGI holds up surprisingly well too

[@gilesa.4052]

'He's a f**king Dutchman...😅😂

[@TheChuckFina]

Drinker: "I don't think handing children live ammunition is a good idea." Me: "That's an American tradition. We call'em stocking stuffers!"

[@brll5733]

You call children that?

[@GlacialScion]

This is not even hyperbole for a certain percentage of our population.

[@nofunatall4094]

lol cant say I got ammo for christmass but my sister and I got 22 rifles one year.

[@elias_xp95]

You call them stocking stuffers, I call them finger bangs.

[@NonyaDamnbusiness]

I always got a bulk-pack of .22LR ammo for Christmas as a kid, to use in my Ruger 10-22. Just because Drinker grew up in a fascist monarchy that doesn't allow him much freedom doesn't mean that everyone else grew up that way. I highly suggest he get some perspective and come on over to Kentucky for some BBQ, bourbon, and range time with various weapons. IN THAT ORDER!

[@snoopywriter3643]

“Remember your training And you’ll make it back alive!” Said the officer who is the first to die 😂

[@Nurgles_Rot_]

It's not called a forlorn hope for nothing! First in the breach is the first to die!

[@Zontar82]

part of the satire of course

[@sofaking7045]

@@Zontar82 haha look how smart we are for pointing out the obvious while we sit on our asses and have poor people do all the grunt work for us

[@Zontar82]

@@sofaking7045 ....what

[@sofaking7045]

@@Zontar82 ah yes I feel like a genius watching soldiers shooting bugs up knowing how truly evil the military is

[@ountak2395]

I love how this got recommended to me AFTER I played Helldivers 2

[@Jcarroz]

This is a very underrated movie. I was in high school when it came out and remember thinking “that was dumb and Awesome and Denise Richard’s 😮”. When I saw it again years later i noticed that it was actually a smart satire…nice one Paul!

[@jackalope2302]

That bit about Paul V. selecting good-looking actors with limited skills on purpose is hilarious.

[@channelbelongtous]

Easily believable. The man is a troll of the highest skill

[@mmyers6441]

Watch Showgirls for more proof 😂

[@Mustlord_Guitar_Ambient]

TALK ABOUT A BALLER MOVE

[@Adjustment42]

Yeah, so hard to find in hollywood....

[@KrillLiberator]

@@Adjustment42 IKR, but to do it for satirical purposes rather than to coin it from your dumb audience without blowing the game...

[@ROSHing1]

"Won't somebody think of the children?" Heinlein is based, voting should be earned.

[@NucleaRaptor]

​@@emjay3066 It's been a while, but IIRC you could do civil service, doesn't have to be military. The point was to earn your stake in society, since you could only be trusted with the power to guide the course of your nation with a vote once you have direct investment in its well-being.

[@drmattbarnes1371]

Yup

[@janehrahan5116]

@@emjay3066 The bugs attacked first, the "propaganda" is far less dishonest or insidious than allied war propaganda (to say nothing of axis war propaganda) in the second world war. Heck, they even showed live footage to the general populace of a massive defeat with an accurate casualty report. Everything you say about this is wrong. (incidentally drinker missed the mark on it as well though he did make some decent points unlike you)

[@drmattbarnes1371]

@@emjay3066 I see someone 1. Did not read the book. And 2. Did not pay attn to the movie well...

[@NucleaRaptor]

@@janehrahan5116 >falling for the Buenos Aires falseflag

[@raincloud8025]

Watched soo many helldivers 2 to the point that im getting starship troopers

[@dre_t10]

HellDivers 2 Baby!!!!

[@MDTako]

"That which is given has no value" is an idea that rings pretty true. In America we see what happens when kids take their rights as citizens for granted, not realizing the true cost paid to get those rights.

[@sarasunshinemt4444]

"Service GARUANTEES citizenship" There were other ways to be a citizen, they just took away defacto citizenship and replaced it with EARNED citizenship. Kinda makes a lot more sense in our "globally connected" world, don't it? Have you seen Sargon of Akkad's review if this movie and the book? It's really REALLY good and has lots of insights.

[@cma454ns]

@@sarasunshinemt4444 Also the only thing gained by citizenship was the right to vote and hold elected office. All other rights were held by all.

[@nicholasbrassard3512]

Wanna send em to war to earn that citizenship? US has plenty of conflicts for them to be used in..

[@n3viem]

@@emjay3066 yeah, because some dudes from afgan mountains look more dangerous yet what happened

[@MDTako]

@@nicholasbrassard3512 complete a term of service, military or otherwise, and receive the right to vote and engage in the process to make policies. In Starship Troopers, being a civilian doesn’t mean you have no rights or opportunities, you just have no say in laws passed or the government. Anyone can become a citizen if they put the effort in

[@drgonzo305]

*_This CGI still looks better than She-Hulk lol_*

[@philpants44]

Until you get the the 3rd one then it's shocking lol

[@RYKOR_ranger]

That's not really saying much

[@GameNabber]

Edgy*

[@mucy2807]

What’s In my toilet after waking each morning looks better than she-sulk 😂😂😂

[@liamortega3541]

​@@mucy2807 shit hulk

[@captianfluffy1003]

Helldivers 2 anyone?

[@g3ar75]

Yes SIR

[@antares8826]

For Super Earth!

[@boberto22]

I quote this movie whenever I fix anyone's computer at work, "your computer has more bugs than Klendathu."

[@waitandhope]

Good one

[@josephcoon5809]

@@gsesquire3441 You seem like a lot of fun. I’ll remember to pander to the lowest common denominator when you are in the room. 😂

[@Thomas-fz9xw]

@@gsesquire3441 But it all pays off when that one guy goes "I'd like to know more!" It's called putting yourself out there.

[@josephcoon5809]

@@gsesquire3441 And why would laughter behind your back be relevant when their laughter is based on their own ignorance? 😂 You’re funny.

[@josephcoon5809]

@@Thomas-fz9xw BAM. Thomas gets it. Mr. Myagi gave chores to Danial. Only Danial didn’t realize his lesson was multi-layered. You can find use in everything around you, even mundane tasks. You can learn quicker and better when just the right emotion powers the neuronal connections being created and integrated. Don’t always assume you are the wisest one in the room because of your preconceived notions of superiority over others. You’re basically the Karate Kid before the opening credits. 😂

[@chrisford8403]

"It sucked his brains out" Only Michael Ironside could deliver that line and come across as serious. LOL!

[@christopherregan1654]

And then later that huge bug literally sucked that guy's brains out.

[@victorboucher675]

Well, how big of brains did these actors have, like maybe not so hard to do?

[@xgreenxcloverx]

Dude I swear he drops another brains line like that in something! Total Recall or Scanners, I can't remember! Does that ring a bell??

[@stevenpitcher5585]

Michael Ironside is a legendary human being. The undisputed king of the cheese...

[@texasbeast239]

@@victorboucher675 - Just a light low-cal snack. Horderves. Mostly full of air. That first trooper was probably a plant. Just to piss the big bug off.

[@Demonicdumbassss]

If you loved star ship troopers you'll love being a helldiver

[@poonchild]

“Criminally underrated” is an expression that is criminally overused, but this film truly is criminally underrated.

[@Mellofro]

That and " Masterpiece"

[@bofetada6841]

Well expressed.

[@terrylandess6072]

Geez, I just now realized where I've seen the black actor whom plays that 'preacher' on the Walking Dead. "They don't seem like so much when you're scrapping them off your boot..."

[@jakekgfn]

The fact you know That the bad guy from highlanders name is Kurgan proves you’re a consummate professional

[@berserkerpride]

He's THE Kurgan.

[@eldeano9964]

Also the sadistic prison guard from the shawshank redemption and Mr Krabs

[@timothyfitzgerald3168]

He's also going to always be the best Lex Luthor. he was the voice of him in the animated Superman show.

[@halloweenjack8655]

He's the prison guard from Shawshank.....No he's Mr Krabs from Spongebob....

[@eddysandland58]

You can add Dark Hold? From Invincible!

[@justinthewarrior9165]

Oh man. I grew up with this movie. I had such good memories with it. You see a long story short. You see when I was a kid or around? I believe 10 years old. I was at my first ice skating wing. And I got A accident there and was forced to go to the hospital. And why I was waiting at the hospital. I noticed a unique movie that they were putting on that movie was this. And I loved it this movie as a teenager. I loved and as an adult now I still love it

[@3xtraspicy]

man they don't make movies as awesome as this these days

[@kletusfawa1182]

"M.I does the dying, fleet just does the flying" - J. Rico.

[@JohnSmith-qi6pm]

OmG tHaNkS fOr QuOtInG. Dipshit.

[@redclayscholar620]

@@JohnSmith-qi6pm Welcome to the Roughnecks, Rico's Rouchnecks! Fuck Face.

[@araliusmaximus8799]

@@JohnSmith-qi6pm It's afraid!!

[@darthXreven]

@@JohnSmith-qi6pm you're the one who's brains the queen ate first aren't you?? cus only a brainless would say something so....thoughtless 😈

[@kletusfawa1182]

@@JohnSmith-qi6pm yOu MaqD BrO

[@ZontarDow]

Drinker: *makes this* Sargon and Arch: "I felt a disturbance in the force, as if a million viewers thought that The Federation was fascist"

[@deesevrin8570]

I still find it surprising every time someone intelligent thinks it's a story about fascism. Then again, I can't think of any other movies that are the product of two wildly different political messages akwardly stitched together.

[@vidard9863]

What boggles my mind is when people say that THE BOOK was about fascism.

[@Reimerguns]

Service guarantees citizenship! Keep up the fight for the truth!!!

[@CWB342]

@@deesevrin8570 Paul verhoven made a great movie, but it could have been one of the best ever made if he had really dove into ideas like "service garauntees citizenship." If he had really explored both the positives and negatives. Apparently he read the book and only took "space nazis" from it. I dont expect much more from a Hollywood director, but it's still a missed opportunity.

[@vidard9863]

@@CWB342 in an interview after the movie verhooven said that he personally never read the book.

[@YazzFIoot]

I've only seen one other person notice that in the opening montage of doing your part, they put that kid in uniform, and toward the end of the film when Rico meets his new squad there are kids not much older than the one depicted earlier. Seems like they used someone super young like 12 or 13 to make people think of it as super exaggerated, but then we come across 15 or 16 year olds actually on the front lines. This way the viewers think either "haha the infantry seems fun and jokey" or "haha nice comic relief," but the video also serves as a subtle disclaimer. "Just because you took it as a joke, doesn't mean we meant it that way" type of deal. Genius

[@ez_w0rks]

Man, how much I loved this as a kid. It’s incredible that it still looks better, more real and enjoyable than many action sci-fi movies today. Gotta rewatch it.

[@fredgoodrum771]

Heinlein's original story, written in 1959 really drives home what the film started to capture. There are several social topics that are on point and many still debate which one is dominant. The man was a very, very forward thinker.

[@Hiraghm]

yes he was. and the movie makes a mockery of what he was trying to teach us.

[@KR4FTW3RK]

Read it twice, loved it.

[@lthammox]

Are you serious? Did you read the book? It’s a fascist manual wrapped in military porn. If you made a movie that didn’t take the piss out of it, you’d either be a laughing stock or Leni Riefenstahl, or both. That’s why Verhoeven’s version is so genious.

[@yogmesh]

Yep, a great book, especially when paired with his anti-establishment revolutionary book The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

[@aaronleverton4221]

@@Hiraghm And the writer of MASH hated both the film and the tv series. Didn't make him correct.

[@christianwestling2019]

"He's a fucking dutchman, as if he's going to have a problem striping off." My sides! :D

[@Flakey101]

Communal showers are already standard in many of the Netherlands naval vessals. Why you get so many in the British navy volunteering for exchange programs with them.

[@josephcoon5809]

I’m surprised they didn’t explain the Double Dutch Rudder.

[@arbanalechordin4710]

Yes, our people have a thing for the naked and degenerate I'm affraid.

[@josephcoon5809]

@@arbanalechordin4710 Meh...if anything, clothing is degenerate. It makes people weak. The microbiological structures in our body that regulated our internal environment have atrophied since the advent of clothing.

[@josephcoon5809]

@Char Aznable 😂 Which? The Double Dutch Rudder, or the reliance on clothing?

[@ryandodrill4023]

Good analysis. Grew up on this movie and you're right... I missed sooo much rewatching as an adult. Genius.

[@mikemcconeghy4658]

Thanks for explaining the chronology. I remember being confused about it when I watched this.

[@jonathanbonde8808]

"Damn, this is Last Jedi levels of military incompetence" hahaha.

[@NeSeeger]

Who would you trust more the Resistance or the Terran Federation?

[@Unknown-hb3id]

At least the Federation has manpower and not just a single capital ship. Plus the Federation actually manages to create and maintain an actual society.

[@speedracer1945]

A national guard could fight better than these guys . If they used more jets dropping napalm on those aliens or a nuke would had wiped out most then send in the ground troops to the caves.

[@mrbojangles8133]

well this is older so it's more the other way around surely? No it isn't, and don't call me shirley.

[@kaihanstein52]

Yepp.. Speed Racer pointed out already some (!) issues. If you think about it, this "Fed" is REALLY incompetent. That is not a bug: its a feature! Goes under one of the many satire-elements of verhoevens masterpice: the whole society is based on military fashism thats hold together though war-hero propaganda.

[@XBullitt16X]

An absolute classic, this film has aged so well, its incredibly iconic.

[@Cpt.Str4ng3]

one of a few.

[@dennis4774]

Book got deeper details even Johnny Rico's dad survived and became a private under Johnny Rico.

[@darkandedgy1457]

@@dennis4774 yeah the book is alot less satire and much more thought provoking I learned

[@broco1163]

One of my top 5 movies of all time. Such delicious 80s-90s action cheese, but with solid satirical undertones. Drinker seems like my kinda dude. Drinker needs to host a watch party at some point where 100 people show up, get blasted, and marathon a bunch of action schlock.

[@dunff85]

A key point from Sargon: "In ancient republics, it was the citizens that voted, and the citizens that fought. The people that defend what you have are the ones with the franchise. And these days, you defend what you have by paying your taxes, which funds an army, which is why every pacifist is a hypocrite. Their life would not exist were it not for their ability as citizens to provide force."

[@kailin8223]

“Another victory for the right side of history”

[@Swiftduck00]

Loved you in dungeon crawler Carl. At first I thought Hayes was the most talented VA ever. "No way this dude sounds exactly like critical drinker!" Great job in that role! Hope to hear more of you around somewhere random lol.

[@deadcatthinks6725]

"The enemy cannot push a button if you disable his hand....MEDIC!" oh Clancy, you devil.

[@ThomasMorris55]

read the book , its a bigg point of power of the single man

[@elgusaniiiodeljuego6823]

The actual lesson is that can’t win a war with only nukes.

[@TysoniusRex]

Clancy Brown truly is underrated, both here and in Highlander.

[@Deviantygr]

@@TysoniusRex And as Mr. Krabs!

[@fredmax2541]

@@TysoniusRex Truly untapped potential.

[@orionred2489]

I was kinda mad at Denise Richards for dumping Johnny so quickly too. There are deleted scenes that show that other pilot deleting Johnny's messages and telling her lies about Johnny that explain what was really going on. It also made that dude's death more satisfying.

[@derek96720]

Honestly, I prefer the way it went down in the movie much more. Xander might have been an arrogant douche, but he wasn't a bad guy in the end. He was courageous in the face of death and I like how the movie makes us empathize with him at the end.

[@kaspersaldell]

@@derek96720 Agreed

[@s1050]

Dizzy was way better

[@christophermiller1595]

@@s1050 yes, she was...

[@daviswhite3591]

Trust me. The final cut was the more appropriate cut. How's the song go? I like her, she likes him and he loves someone else.

[@ivyking4149]

Paul Verhoeven, robocop too; Very proud on him making it in Hollywood and taking some dutch humor and critical views with on the world stage. Robocop and Starshiptroopers, even showgirls have more to them than meets the eye. Grts from Amsterdam

[@mrains100]

Thank you, Mr. Drinker, I will revisit this flick because of your unique insigth.

[@nostromo2112]

In the book jonnys father survives the attack joins him in the fleet. ‘Service guarantees citizenship’ Nothing of value is ever free

[@folgore1]

I read the book too...Heinlein threw it out as a last-second surprise. There are some things you can do in books that you can't do in movies.

[@Hereticalable]

In the book the Federation is a representative Democracy that uses the Mobile Infantry as precision strike special forces. Rico is also a Filipino in the book...and he is initially mocked by his father for wanting to join as they have a good family business, and there haven't been any wars in a long time. Federal Service is not primarily military in the book either

[@balrighty3523]

Yep. Citizenship (as per the novel) comes after you've earned it; you get a voice to effect change after you've shown you're willing to work within the system and be responsible for that voice in the first place. You have to do more than simply be born alive on one side of a political border. Also in the novel, civilianship did come with basic human protections and decency. About the only thing civilians didn't have was a vote (since it hadn't been earned yet). Though they did have the automatic right to apply for citizenship; everyone had a chance to volunteer.

[@jazzbear02]

Also, in Heinlein's book "service" does not equate to "military service". There are a myriad of non-military, non-violent options available, all good for citizenship.

[@flatebo1]

@@Hereticalable And it may not be in the movie's world, either. We are only shown the military, though, which leaves the impression that only military service counts. But it is, I would contend, a false impression. The point of service being a precondition to citizenship is to ensure that the citizen exercises mature judgment. You don't want a citizenry that just votes for whatever dumbass policy feels good in the moment. You want the franchise restricted to people who have skin in the game. To people who know that enforcing government policy means, ultimately, killing people who disobey. To people who have demonstrated that, when push comes to shove, they are personally willing to do that killing and consequently (in theory) won't adopt frivolous policies which put lives at risk for trivial reasons. What you don't want is citizens who vote for policy, then bitch about how that policy is enforced because they never bothered to spend a half-second thinking about how policy is enforced. Because service is a precondition to citizenship, the Federal Service has to take anyone who wants to serve. Regardless of ability. They'll find something for you to do, but the willingness to serve, to put country before self, to take personal responsibility for the safety of the people and the state is the essence of citizenship. And they very much mean "to take personal responsibility". There is no "I was only following orders" defense here. And that's why the Federation is not and cannot be a fascist regime. Fascism is about the subordination of the citizen to the state. Fascism is the fetishization of state power. It is about the duty of the citizen to the state. But the state has no responsibility or duty to the citizen. In a fascist state, service is required at the demand of the state. In the Federation, service must be voluntary. Verhoeven copied the aesthetic of fascism - the propaganda style, the uniforms, etc. - in the apparent belief that image defines reality. But under his fascist paintjob lies an antifascist core. Which Verhoeven never understood because he couldn't be bothered to read the book - or even pay attention to the parts of the book transposed into his script. He sees the Federation as fascist because he views the military as inherently always fascist. And since his movie is about the military...the military must be fascist. This is junior high school level political analysis.

[@dionysius4353]

Read the book, it’s an entirely different story from the movie! And it really has great implications in our modern day situation

[@menorcaventura3442]

Hell, read every book by Heinlein. The man was a literary and moral genius. His speech at Annapolis should be required reading for all US students.

[@bengale9977]

The book is great. It's a shame that the movies are so afraid to just give us the proper M.I.

[@trevorking2820]

Agreed. I saw the movie when I was 7 and didn’t touch the book till I was 28. Wish I had gotten to it in my teens

[@c-secofficer123]

The book is fantastic. Couldn’t put it down. A faithful adaptation would be amazing.

[@stimpy_thecat]

What is this word "book" you use?

[@Devast8r34]

Just rewatched this and omg the satire is amazing and i love it and i love the acting and cant get enough