Review of "Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation," DVD version

Review of

Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, DVD version


Four out of five stars

 Insects have been on the Earth for millions of years before humans and they have evolved complex and very successful survival strategies. The collective intelligence of an insect colony can be considerable. If life has evolved on other planets in a manner similar to Earth, it is reasonable to believe that insects would emerge as the highest form of life, capable of developing their own version of a technological society. If there was contact with humans, it is nearly inevitable that there would be conflict. That was the premise of the classic work by Robert Heinlein, “Starship Troopers.”

 This movie continues the story in the first “Starship Troopers” movie that ended with the humans capturing a “brain bug.” The obvious conclusion was that the humans now had the upper hand in the war against the bugs. As one would expect, the bugs adapted and are now an even greater threat.

 It opens with a small band of troopers on a rise of land on a largely desolate planet fending off a massive attack of bug soldiers. They learn that there is an abandoned Federation outpost nearby and while a small band remains behind to fight a rearguard action, the remaining troopers take off for the outpost.

 They arrive there and are able to make it reasonably secure against attack. However, there are other, more dangerous menaces from within. When they are inside, they discover a human prisoner named Dax that has an extremely checkered service record. Once an officer, he is now a pariah and up on charges.

 The action is intense and sometimes very gory, for this is a battle to the death of one of the species. In keeping with the first movie, male and female soldiers are treated equally, fighting and dying side-by-side. There are some touching human-to-human moments, but they are light. The focus is on fighting the enemy.

No one knows if there will ever be an interstellar war where humans fight another species. If it were to happen, the side that adapts the fastest will likely win. Throughout this movie, you never know if the humans will be victorious, even at the end.