Paul Verhoeven – cinemescope

100 Word Review – Starship Troopers (1997)

August 19, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Sci FiTagged adaptation, dystopian, Edward Neumeier, Neil Patrick Harris, Paul Verhoeven, Robert A Heinlein, satire, Sci Fi, violence, war1 Comment

This is glorious in both its satire and its exploding giant bug aliens.

Set in a militaristic dystopian future, Earth is at war with a race of bug aliens. A group of friends work their way through the ranks in the hopes of destroying the alien threat.

Adapted from Robert A Heinlein’s novel by Edward Neumeier (Robocop) and directed by Paul Verhoeven (Total Recall, Robocop), upon its initial release the satire was missed by many who criticised it as a glorification of war.

It achieves the perfect balance between violence and politics, showing one up by use of the other.

100 Word Review – Total Recall (1990)

July 6, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Sci FiTagged 1990s, Arnie, Arnold Schwartzenegger, dystopian, future, Michael Ironside, Paul Verhoeven, Philip K Dick, Sci Fi, Sharon Stone2 Comments

Based on Philip K Dick’s story, We Remember It For You Wholesale, this is Arnie at the very peak of his brilliance.

Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) can’t afford to go to Mars, but he can afford to have an adventure implanted into his memory of being a spy on Mars. But is it really a false memory? Why are people trying to kill him. He must get to Mars!

Full of the paranoia typical of Dick, and the explosions and shouting you get in every Arnie flick, all tied together by the satirical vision of director Paul Verhoeven (Starship Troopers).