Movie News, Reviews, & Reactions 2012

[TheTSKoala]

Just saw the new Total Recall ... If you are a Cyberpunk fan in the slightest (like Alex and myself), you have to see the film. There are serious elements to this film from the game and genre like light tattoos, aerodynes, and even cellphones in your hand.

It is much better than Schwarzenegger's version. I paid matinee (10AM) prices and feel like I underpaid.

My recommendation is to go see it for a good ride and staying more faithful to the story without going to Mars.

DesertPuma.  Thanks for this.  I was worried about the RottenTomatoes bashing.. but Ebert liked it.  So I was torn.  Now we shall see it!  Thanks!

[Desertpuma]

You're very welcome, Koala.

Beckinsale is excellent as Lori the villain and her athleticism proves itself early in the film when the foot chase starts between her and Colin Farrell. In this version, the woman are just as athletic as the men compared to the 1990 version where most of it is Arnold.

BTW, a solid catfight between Beckinsale and Biel.

(click to show/hide)

Colin's single camera take where eliminates a squad of police is very cool to watch. It took 22 takes for him to get it right but it is worthy of any big combat sequence where 1 man takes on a number of opponents.

[RusVal]

Ya know, I get that any goodwill towards any movies titled "Starship Troopers" went out with the first sequel, and the newest might not exactly be AAA, but dang it, at least they seem to be putting some effort into it!

Also, I heard that this movie retcons the other two sequels out of existance, so that's a plus, right?

[MilitiaJim]

Will they every get around to making a movie version of the book?

[ludomastro]

Just saw the new Total Recall ... If you are a Cyberpunk fan in the slightest (like Alex and myself), you have to see the film. There are serious elements to this film from the game and genre like light tattoos, aerodynes, and even cellphones in your hand.

It is much better than Schwarzenegger's version. I paid matinee (10AM) prices and feel like I underpaid.

My recommendation is to go see it for a good ride and staying more faithful to the story without going to Mars.

I just got back from an afternoon showing and agree that it is a great film.  The cyberpunk elements were perfect if you are looking for inspiration.  However, I'm not sure I would say that it is flat out better than Arnold's version.  His was good for it's time ... but there's a reason some things should stay in the past.

Enough talk; go see it already.

[Sletchman]

Ya know, I get that any goodwill towards any movies titled "Starship Troopers" went out with the first sequel, and the newest might not exactly be AAA, but dang it, at least they seem to be putting some effort into it!

Also, I heard that this movie retcons the other two sequels out of existance, so that's a plus, right?

That actually looks pretty cool.  Though, like Jim, I would like to see the book.  Still, I think I'll check it out once it's released.

[Wolverine]

Also, I heard that this movie retcons the other two sequels out of existance, so that's a plus, right?

Very much so.

"From Exec Producer Casper van Dien" - he's going to ride this pony till he dies.

[Crafty_Pat]

Also, I heard that this movie retcons the other two sequels out of existance, so that's a plus, right?

Very much so.

"From Exec Producer Casper van Dien" - he's going to ride this pony till he dies.

Not until it dies, mind.

[MilitiaJim]

Also, I heard that this movie retcons the other two sequels out of existance, so that's a plus, right?

Very much so.

"From Exec Producer Casper van Dien" - he's going to ride this pony till he dies.

Not until it dies, mind.

That is going to take some time, since it was never alive.

[Desertpuma]

Kill the zombie! Kill the zombie!

[Krensky]

Ya know, I get that any goodwill towards any movies titled "Starship Troopers" went out with the first sequel, and the newest might not exactly be AAA, but dang it, at least they seem to be putting some effort into it!

Also, I heard that this movie retcons the other two sequels out of existance, so that's a plus, right?

The first sequal wasn't horrible. It wasn't good mind you, but it didn't make me want to cry/laugh/blow stuff up the way Marauder did.

This on the other hand looks as much like a Roughnecks movie as much as a sequal to the first movie and Shinji Aramaki is a good sign.

I'm looking forward to it.

[Viperion]

I'm vaguely embarrassed to admit I didn't realise it was (entirely) CGI until about 30 seconds in. Those "human movement" animations are getting really good!

(also vaguely embarrassed that the first Starship Troopers is one of my favourite "brain off, enjoy" movies of all time)

[tracker7]

(also vaguely embarrassed that the first Starship Troopers is one of my favourite "brain off, enjoy" movies of all time)

Nothing to be embarrassed about. It's not a good movie, but it is entertaining, and it delivers on the three tenets required by American Orthodox Verhoevenism: casual nudity, ridiculous violence, and media mockery.

[MilitiaJim]

(also vaguely embarrassed that the first Starship Troopers is one of my favourite "brain off, enjoy" movies of all time)

As a random sci-fi flick, it is entertaining and well done.  As the movie version of Starship Troopers, the movie is [splutters out a stream of profanity].  All they have in common is the existence of "bugs" and the character names.  Oh, and there are mobile infantry.  Nevermind feeding those idiots to the bugs, my old company would mulch their asses.    

Where was the powered armor?  The bomb throwers?  The jump jets?  The HEAVY FLAMER?  Cutter ray?  Fine, dump the skinnies and skip the countdown bomb but come on.  It's The Future.  You've got space ships and your infantry is worse equipped than the US Army was ten years ago.  Gee.  Tee.  Eff.  Oh.

TL; DR:  Brainless fun sci-fi.  No actual connection to the book.

Now get off my lawn.   

[Mister Andersen]

Well, it seems that the movie that became Starship Troopers didn't start off that way; the rights to the book came along fairly late in the day and they simply adapted a somewhat derivative movie that was already being made. At what point this resulted in the white washing of the book's main characer Juan "Johnny" Rico, an ethnic Philipine, into the rather more Aryan Casper van Dien (and the gender flipping of Dizzy to provide a romantic triangle with Carmen) I have no idea.