Starship Troopers

Movie review by Charles Cassady Jr., Common Sense Media
Starship Troopers Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

Gory, scary, violent sci-fi is too intense for kids.

R 1997 130 minutes
Rate movie

Parents say

age 16+

Based on 5 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 18 reviews

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate movie

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this combat-themed sci-fi flick uses hideously violent human-alien warfare, with people gorily impaled, scissored apart, slashed, whipped, crushed, and shot (there are "friendly fire" and mercy-killing casualties). One topless sex scene and a topless coed shower scene. Swearing is amusingly PG-level mild, given the ferocious mayhem. The heroine has a vomiting fit and beer is guzzled. The surface glorification of military life and culture here is satire; Earth's "good guy" Federation resembles a fascist state with Nazi-inspired regalia and public executions.

Community Reviews

verzatran
verzatran Adult
February 19, 2021
age 13+

Amazing sci fi

It is the best sci fi film that, I ever see. Monsters, bugs, brave soldiers and also starships. Many different kind of ships. From huge interstellar. to small boats that helps marines in hard times. Very beautiful actresses and actors. And of course mighty strong music!
Spyraker
Spyraker Adult
June 26, 2019
age 17+

An all time classic space opera.

Not one for kids or people with an aversion to gore and blood....and boobs and butts. Innocent and naive teen lives are shattered when war with an Alien race threatens. This is the only movie I can watch two different ways. One as an all out assault of sci-fi drama with solid action, amazing effects, beautiful people and cheesy nods to war propaganda of olde. Two as a terrific commentary on society, loss of innocence, horror of war, personal and emotional upheaval, fascism, freedom, cost of glory. It’s a shopping list. It’s fun and appeals to and indulges the little kid war fantasies - G.I Joe battles in the sandpit - but also the adult concepts of what war is. By those points, if this was PG, or animated like Robotech, it would be a good gateway film for kids getting into more mature fare. But it isn’t. The intensity is dialled up to 11 on everything- gore, limbs and torsos turn apart, adult humour, sex, nudity. No swearing that I can recall though. Come on you apes! You wanna live forever!?

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
Too much sex
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Robert Heinlein's densely philosophical 1959 novel Starship Troopers, based on the author's own thoughts serving in WWII, blitzed the big screen in this epic science-fiction action. A future Earth's space-colonizing triggers fights with "arachnids," vicious, giant alien bugs whose warfare techniques include bio-generated energy blasts and asteroids hurled by manipulation of gravity. School football hero Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) defies his wealthy family to follow girlfriend Carmen (Denise Richards) into the Federal Service, a bug-fighting space military. But ambitious star-pilot Carmen breaks up with Johnny in a humiliating video email, and a fellow cadet gets killed in a training accident on Johnny's watch. Johnny's decision to quit the "Mobile Infantry" changes when arachnids directly attack Earth, flattening his city (and family) with an asteroid. Johnny, Carmen, and others join a dangerous Mobile Infantry assault on the bugs' home planet.

Is It Any Good?

Older teens (whose parents aren't irked by the major gore and minor sex) are likely to enjoy this thrill-ride. By the time STARSHIP TROOPERS premiered, so many popcorn space-alien action-blasts had blazed across screens it seemed this was just another, with a literary basis and expectedly sensational f/x that raised the bar on crafts, creatures, and explosions. But the pace never slackens, and the actors grit their teeth in the fine fashion of stirring old John Wayne wartime propaganda flicks (the Duke never had so much CGI to work with). It's certainly not for everyone, but it has become something of a cult classic, and older teens may be interested.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about sci-fi movies. What is the appeal? Is all the violence and gore here necessary?

  • Can the war in the film be related to any true-life military conflicts in the headlines? Does the film make younger viewers feel any differently about
    the armed forces?

Movie Details

Our Editors Recommend

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate