live blogging starship troopers [1997]

the troops just landing on the bug planet & are getting their asses kicked by the bugs.   but what i don't understand is why the Fed Govt. doesn't just nuke the bug planet from orbit, just to be sure.  why land & sacrifice lives as human beings use their advanced technology on very aggressive but yet unarmed insects?

i've never read the source novel by robert a. heinlein.  i tried reading A Stranger in a Strange Land when i was a wee lad but couldn't get thru it.  i place all the blame on me.

now the troops are back on board their ships licking their wounds & reading the long list of their dead.  the music is somber & elegiac.

heinlein created a militaristic fascist world government one where young people can only become citizens if they serve in the military.

there is an ambient cruelty in this flick.  starting from the media coverage [earlier a condemned criminal's execution was advertised on TV for all networks to broadcast] to our heroes' bootcamp training where the DI smashes faces & breaks the arms of his recruits.

the troops returned to bug planet & vow vengeance!

again, why not just nuke bug planet for orbit, just to be sure?  heinlein was a hard science fiction writer so why not use nukes?

well, of course in this world people are as cheap as toilet paper so maybe nukes are expense & human life is cheap.

the bugs are pretty pissed & have innate bio-weapons like the ability to spit acid so the fight is pretty tough.

but really, machine guns vs. bugs?  & the bugs are giving the machine guns a run for its money?  really?!

so the troops have won a battle.  it's party time!!!  beer & steaks for everyone!!!

this is so american, as in old time classic western movies american, that there is even fiddle music playing at the celebration.

i know this is a prelude to some bad shit that is about to happen.

could this be the hero's journey as detailed by joseph campbell.  our hero, johny rico, played by casper van diem, had to reject home & hearth to enroll in the Fed Govt's military & he proves himself to be a natural leader.  am i expected to watch this story thru his eyes?  really?!

because he was told after a night of partying & lovemaking that he is gonna lead a troop on a dangerous mission on the bug planet!

i feel like beckett: i can't go on [watching this movie] i must go on [watching this movie].

what?! the bugs can fly?  these troops are fucked!!!

the troops are making a stand at their base under attack by land bugs & flying bugs.

this is kind of like a zombie movie.  i mean zombies are just malevolent bags of meat with teeth.  they win because of the size of their numbers.  these bugs too.  there are more bugs than there are guns & troops.

the troops are retreating.  they are outnumbered.

i am no military thinker but i would consider, if i were the soldiers, to take their assault to the skies & carpet bomb these bugs to the back of beyond.

it is wrong to root for the bugs?  the Fed Govt. did land on their planet.  well, the bugs did launch an earlier attack on beunos aires & destroyed the entire home town of johnny rico.

holy shit.  rico's lover just died from her bug caused wounds.

rico is at his lover's burial ceremony & giving the official definition of the difference between a citizen & a civilian.  i guess the citizen is the grunt who does the dying for the government.

rico is given command of fresh troops.  oh it is on like donkey kong!  he just gave his st. crispin day speech.  watch out bugs!

the bugs have a different theory.  they can launch their bio weapons, summoned by their thoraxes, like missiles into space.  the Fed Govt's orbiting ships are taking heavy casualties.

denise richards is a command pilot?  & a badass?  goddamn, i've been watching this flick for over an hour & i just noticed this fact.  or maybe i haven't been paying that great of attention.  but richards is not the epitome of kickass soldier.

well, she & her colleague patrick muldoon have just been taken prisoner by the bugs.  to become egg laying sacks for the bugs?

something like that.  muldoon's head's been pierced by the queen bug & she seems to be digging his brains.

but rico saved richards.  by some device that he held that made the bugs retreat.  i could rewind the movie to know what the hell he held in his hand, but why bother.

in all that excitement & richards saving rico & his troops have won the day.  they have queen bug in a net.

they call the queen bug the brain bug & is studying it to know the bugs' weaknesses.  & the media is using the victory as recruiting propaganda.

& that's it.  the movie ends.

i remember this movie was released when i just started grad school.  i was looking forward to seeing it.  but i didn't at the time.  it's been on TV a bunch of times.  but i haven't watched it to its finish until tonight.

i wouldn't say it was a job well done.