TriStar Pictures In 1997, director Paul Verhoeven and screenwriter Edward Neumeier, the makers of 1987’s “RoboCop,” reteamed to make “Starship Troopers,” a satirical take on Robert A. Heinlein’s 1959 novel. “Starship Troopers” takes place in a future where Earth has, for many decades, been at war with giant, intelligent insects from a distant planet. Human society, however, has devolved into a fascist state, and people have all become empty-headed, fist-pumping propaganda vehicles. Media has become bite-sized, and in-your-face. It’s no coincidence that the humans are all wearing very Nazi-like uniforms by the film’s end. “Starship Troopers” wasn’t fully appreciated in 1997. It got mostly negative reviews, and many critics didn’t seem to pick up on its more satirical elements. It was also only a modest hit, making $121 million on a
