The Trailer for the Animated ‘Starship Troopers’ Sequel Sure Is… Something
Here’s a guilty confession for you: I kinda liked the second Starship Troopers movie. Granted, I caught it on DVD when I was still a teenager, so I’m not entirely sure it withstands the test of time, but Starship Troopers 2: Heroes of the Federation is such a blatant ripoff of John Carpenter’s The Thing — a deserted outpost where a species develops the ability to mimic human physiology — that I couldn’t help but enjoy it a little. When you’re directed by a guy known for Star Wars and Robocop special effects, you’re at least going to have a few fun visuals to keep you company along the way. And now we have a trailer for fifth film (via SyFy), and it's... well, it's half-interesting, anyways.
Honestly, "half-interesting" could describe the entire Starship Troopers franchise. The film film was a major Hollywood blockbuster with a $100 million budget; the second (Starship Troopers: Heroes of the Federation) and third (Starship Troopers: Marauder) were direct-to-video adaptations that nevertheless cost about $7 million to make; and the fourth (Starship Troopers: Invasion) and fifth (Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars) are animated sequels, with the latest film in the series bringing back original stars Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, and original screenwriter Edward Neumeier. Will that be enough to elevate Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars above its video game graphics — seriously, it looks like someone edited together spare cutscenes from Halo and Metal Gear Solid — and give fans more bang for their one-night-only bucks? There's gotta be Starship Troopers diehards out there somewhere, right?
Here’s the, uh, plot synopsis of Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars? Sorta?
C’mon You Apes, You Wanna Live Forever?! I have only one rule. Everybody fights, no one quits. The bugs have breached Mars and the Federation’s Fleet is too far to help. It’s up to us to save the planet. On the bounce, Troopers! The only Good Bug is a Dead Bug! Oorah!
Oorah indeed, Johnny. Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars will hit theaters for a single night on August 21, 2017.