Paul Verhoeven makes violent, sexually frank genre films that let us feel the appeal of things we ought to question. We rate his blunt satire, though Starship Troopers also shows how much patience his characters can require.
Fi1m perspective
The mock newsreels in Starship Troopers (1997) sell military obedience with a briskness that leaves no room for questions. The society looks healthy, clean and thoroughly pleased with itself. Paul Verhoeven knows that making it repellent from the start would miss what makes it dangerous: people might actually want to join. We value his willingness to make that attraction felt, even when the bloodshed becomes hard to watch.
The appetite for provocation was there before Hollywood. His Dutch breakthrough, Turkish Delight (1973), led to a run of provocative films through The Fourth Man (1983). RoboCop (1987) made violent action serve social criticism, while Basic Instinct (1992) put him to work in the erotic thriller. Those familiar genres suited a director interested in upsetting an audience's expectations. He returned to Europe for Black Book (2006), followed by the French productions Elle (2016) and Benedetta (2021).
In Starship Troopers, screenwriter Edward Neumeier helps turn military enthusiasm into a habit nobody thinks to examine. Cinematographer Jost Vacano gives the human world the reassuring polish of a television soap, while Allan Cameron's production design makes the apparent utopia inviting. The gruesome insect battles disrupt that cleanliness, with effects convincing enough to make the creatures frightening. We felt uneasy about how much we enjoyed the fighting after laughing at the military advertisements, because the excitement helped explain why their invitation worked. Verhoeven lets that discomfort stand without explaining the joke in a speech.
His taste for provocation does not excuse the dull stretches. The teenage romance in Starship Troopers is a substantial drag, and some of the acting tests our patience. Start with it if science fiction is your territory, but expect to lose patience with the courtship and feel uncomfortable about enjoying the combat.
Biography
Paul Verhoeven is a Dutch film director, screenwriter and producer. He was born on 18 July 1938 in Amsterdam and studied at Leiden University.
Verhoeven began his career in the Netherlands with films such as Turkish Delight (1973) and Soldier of Orange (1977). He later directed several Hollywood productions, including RoboCop (1987), Total Recall (1990), Basic Instinct (1992), Showgirls (1995) and Starship Troopers (1997).
His work often features explicit content and social satire. He has also directed Black Book (2006) and Benedetta (2021).
