21 out of 25 people found the following review helpful:

trotsuk from from LONDON, 27th September, 2004

The just don't make enough films like this. A clever, satircal film masquerading as a big, loud and stupid actioner. It's got guns and blood and bugs and Doogie Howzer. What else do you need?

12 out of 12 people found the following review helpful:

Ultimate multi-levelled film

A Customer from London, 13th July, 2007

This film has 2 distinct levels, as anyone that has watched the directors commentary will know. There is the level 'everyone gets' .. alien pummelling -- guns -- explosions -- macho rubbish. Highly enjoyable with popcorn in hand. Skin deep blood & gore, and the only level 95% of the film's audience will ever understand. But the Director was actual making a statement on how easily we can slip into an authoritarian military dictatorship -- and how the vast majority of a population would agree with such a system and jost go with the flow. The society the Director sets up is actually inspired by the Nazis (in real life). My friends and I thought on first viewing being in the marines sounded ultra-cool. Then when we found the whole thing was based of the various units of the German army (including the SS - recognise the 'intelligence officer' uniform?) we felt kind of sick. A truly great film, one which offers a skin deep 'B-movie' blast for the masses, but a truly amazing 'deeper level' message about authoritarianism, xenophobia, and how being 'taken along for the ride' in a military dictatorship, disregarding all the principles of freedom and democracy, can actually, and quite awfully, happen very easily, feel really, really great! 'Remember, you have to earn your right to be a citizen'. Clever stuff. Makes the viewer live in an effective Nazi Germany, and even more interesting, makes them enjoy it.

7 out of 8 people found the following review helpful:

Satire and violence... can't be beat!

Alex Morris from UK, 2nd December, 2004

Ahhh... good old Paul Verhoeven. Plenty of satire about gung-ho militaristic endeavours and the propaganda that accompanies them, married to a story of a small group of friends about whose welfare we're persuaded to care. Lots of black comedy, lots of violence, and Dina Meyer's bare chest. It's a winner!

6 out of 7 people found the following review helpful:

Absolute classic!

DirtyHarry from , 17th September, 2004

One of my favourites - all the right ingredients - great special effects, plenty of blood and gore (which scares the kids off to bed early), a little love and romance/betrayal thrown in for good measure. Non-stop action all the way with some pearls of wisdom thrown in - excellent viewing if you have a reasonably strong stomach!

6 out of 7 people found the following review helpful:

Arthropod Ugliness meets human over-confidence.

WideEyeWatcher from Ceredigion, 27th January, 2004

The monsters in this picture are worth fighting: they have more than two eyes and more than four legs, orange and green blood, and they are attacking earth.

On the backdrop of intergalactic warfare, a trio of graduates are followed as they enter military service and advance in their careers. She becomes a pilot, her innumerate boyfriend goes into the infantry, and their brainy and psychic buddy goes into intelligence. They grow apart and develop other interests, but the fortunes of war brings them together again at the victorious ending.

In the background of the picture there hover some niggly questions. Why is it better to be a 'citizen' than a 'civilian'? Are there other ways of serving except as a soldier? Why are the military intelligence personnel dressed in SS-like uniform? Does the crude recruitment advertising really attract servicement, or are there other means of persuasion?

And in the end the open question: if a bug can have fear, what other human traits does it have? Is it not possible to come to some accord with them?

But don't let the questions bother you: sit back and enjoy the action!

4 out of 4 people found the following review helpful:

"Right-wing, jack-booted propaganda!"

David McGuire from Glasgow, 3rd July, 2004

Honestly, how thick do you want your satire? One of the most misunderstood films of the '90s, it is amazing that anyone watching this would think a notoriously liberal director would have made a fascist rallying cry, but they did so - in droves. Perhaps people just don't expect sub-text in sci-fi anymore. You can of course ignore all that and enjoy a furiously violent war-is-hell-but-I-love-it sci-fi action movie. I did. Weak lead characters don't help, however, although Neil Patrick Harris should have had more screen time as the amoral Gestapo-esque intelligence officer. The battle sequences (particularly the fort seige - lifted straight from a Western) are worth the money alone - they were and remain awesome set pieces, and some of the most gory action ever seen in a Hollywood blockbuster. Not seen the sequel - don't plan to. This is a fantastic, subversive sci-fi.

3 out of 3 people found the following review helpful:

loptexbewick from NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, 28th June, 2004

This little classic of a movie has good all around adventure and is in my opinon a grade a classic movie.
its basically the same old story with heightned ability to stretch the truth in the year set aside .. boy has girlfiend, boyfriend is dumped by girl for sexier boy, boy falls for second best girl whom is killed in action, and reverts back to old flame .. also he wants to be a marine or (Mobil infantry) and denise richards (whom is one Sexy babe) plays the young but ambitious flight girl.
Oh and lots of killing and bug hunting or is it the other way round ..
Good all rounder a defintive masterpiece.

2 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Cheesy

A Customer from Canterbury, England, 1st November, 2007

Typical gory, blood-spattered, sci-fi movie with shallow characters and little human interest. That said, there are a few tense moments, but not enough to make you want to see it twice.

2 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

The best and worst film ever!

A Customer from Wirral, UK, 7th February, 2006

It's so bad it's good! The script is terrible. The action is awesome. The premise is stupid. The effects are mind-blowing. The acting is rubbish. But Dina Meyer gets her baps out... There are so many reasons why this film should never have been made; but I'm really glad it was! Ultimately, I think without the amazing CGI, which is ground-breaking, and totally works (and still not always achievable today) this film would definately suffer beyond the-point-of-no-return. But for me, its the silliness/seriousness that is what makes this such a joy-ride. Casper Van Dien in particular comes straight from the Adam West school of acting. Its a man-macho all over; total sh*te, but great fun while it lasts.

2 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Nuke 'em Rico!

Alexander Howard from Nottingham, 18th June, 2005

Truly awesome sci-fi action film. Great camp training sequence that borrows from Full Metal Jacket and massive battles and gore with a huge insect like species which borrows from Aliens. Cheesey one-liners and tongue in cheek humour, great looking special effects. If you haven't seen this film rent it now!