COURTESY PHOTO On Planet Klendathu, Mobile Infantry troopers launch an attack on the hordes of giant alien insects. Movie: Troopers’ makes social commentary ■ Continued from Page 7 A citizens are willing to "jump and die” for the sake of a nation — in this case the Federal Alliance. The film opens with the Federal Alliance’s would-you-like-to know-more campaign, featuring propaganda sound bites designed to lure patriots into military service. Children gaily stomp out roaches in an attempt to "do their part” in die war against the insect-like ene my, known as "Bugs.” Federal sol diers distribute automatic weapons to youngsters eager to blast any thing with more than two legs. “Troopers” spends a great deal of time establishing the imperialistic uberculture, whose morals and be liefs trickle down through the gov ernment into the classrooms, and fi nally into the minds of the impressionable youth. The story revolves around three young adults: Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien), Dizzy Flores (Dina Mey er) and Carmen Ibanez (Denise Richards), who decide to enter mil itary service. Van Dien makes the perfect poster-boy trooper, plausibly trans forming from a fresh-faced kid into a haggard, combat-weary soldier. Meyer turns in the best performance of the film, and her char acter Dizzy is self-as sured and ultra-compe tent. Richards’ character is shallow, and when she is fi nally brutally assaulted by the Bugs, cheers ripple through the audience. These young men and women enter their respective branches of service, growing and changing through their experiences and the horrors to < which they are exposed. When Rico and the mobile in fantry finally descend upon Klen dathu, the Bug homeland, the situa tion quickly deteriorates into a frightening bloodbath. The Bugs are eight-legged monsters the size of Hummers whose razor-sharp limbs rip through any trooper who can’t fill it with 500 hundred bullets first. The combat is always frantic, in novative and, most of all, gory. Many may write off "Troopers" as a splatter flick, but the obvious so cial commentary makes the film’s violence more palatable. Critics have assailed “Troopers” for altering Heinlein’s work, but negative reaction is inevitable when any film adapts a well-re spected novel. “Troopers” did take some liberties with the original text — turning the novel’s gravity-defy ing powersuits into standard body armor in the movie version. Such inconsistencies, however, are not the kind that infringe upon the point of the book or the film. The chief difference between the book and film is the ethnicity of the film’s central character, Johnny Rico. Heinlein’s Rico is Brazilian, whereas actor Casper Van Dien jt apparently rents his genes from Luke Skywalker. This racial reloca tion is key, considering that the film does not change Rico’s hometown: Buenos Aires. As a matter of fact, this heavily Americanized setting further sup ports tlie presence of a global capi talist regime, without having to hit the audience over the head. Other changes, such as the soap opera escapades between main characters, are especially unne cessary. Still, "Troopers” succeeds because it maintains the author’s underlying theme. Heinlein’s novel was borne out of the Cold War-McCarthy era, making it more than coincidental that the adapted film is filled with subversive jabs at the pseudo Aryan empire that fosters unques tioning, homicidal nationalism. When the Klendathu campaign results in a body count of 100,000, no one holds the overly militant government accountable for rush ing blindly into a situation about which they knew nothing. The Al liance uses the event to intensify hatred of the species. “The only good bug is a dead bug!” It’s an amazingly successful venture, rallying both the characters in the film and audience members. Maybe the true strength of “Troop ers" is the air of genuine fear in the theater. This isn’t because the bugs I are scary but because these char acters the viewer has invested time and interest in may be killed off indiscriminately. | Verhoeven has constructed a powerful, two-pronged of ' fensive. Not only does “Troopers” offer a satirical look at modem sociopolitics, but it’s also overloaded with k unrelenting, full-tilt, shout k at-the-screen action. YwDocuwrt Student Projects Incorporated (formerly Footnotes)]*!^ Across from Coffee People @ 841 E. 13th Ave Lecture Motes for Uol 0 classes . .. . Fairing: sending and receiving _Copy services Resume design Typewriter rentals Word processing Editing Course packets 541-484-2266 541-484-2289 fc£_SUN\e Come support the only 30yr. old non-profit student run business at the U of O campus. PIZZA! One Large single topping only $9.95! FREE DELIVERY! Find out why our customers say it's "The best pizza in Lane County" call 334-5000 CHECK IT OUT!! Not valid with any other offer. Expires 12/15/97 2310 W. llTH (NEAR ClTYVIEW) CiF.N ADMISSION Th Si $6 • DISCOUNT SHOWS Su-Wf 14 M) Mabnrts S3 • Seniors 13.50 • kids 12