History YMMV / StarshipTroopers

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Satire aside, Michael Ironside's character of Lt. Rasczak does make a valid point regarding his stance that war is a case of BlackAndGrayMorality and sometimes ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer. His stance is supported by the fact that, for all the problems with the Federation's war , it's never really indicated that a peaceful solution is on the cards, and the bugs are quite happy to commit brutal, indiscriminate violence against human civilians.

* DoNotDoThisCoolThing:
** Played with. The exciting battle scenes seem to undermine Verhoeven's supposed message, but most of the soldiers still die agonizingly horrible deaths. But the trope itself is also a large part of the message, the unsavory elements of the war and its reasons are referenced by people trying to downplay or distract from those elements.
** While the Federation is portrayed as a jingoistic and highly authoritarian power, it's still shown to be a society with egalitarianism along race and gender lines, a system where leaders are held accountable and ousted for bad decisions, ''some'' tolerance for dissenting opinions, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking co-ed showers]].

* BrokenBase: The book's portrayal of military service is a very hotly debated topic. Fans of the book defend it as not completely shying away from the horrors of war and portraying a system where military service is voluntary, while detractors believe the book's message still comes across as a militaristic WarIsGlorious and that it only pays lip service to other forms of civil service, with it only being referenced in a few sentences and overshadowed by the massive amounts of AuthorTract on how cool soldiers are.

* ValuesDissonance: The WarIsGlorious vibes and militarism date this book to the 1950s when the UsefulNotes/ColdWar struggle against "communism" (explicitly represented by the Arachnids in the story) was more popular than it is now. After UsefulNotes/{{Vietnam|War}} and UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror, as well as increasing criticism of capitalism's own flaws after the post-2000s financial crises, more people today might agree with Creator/PaulVerhoeven's opinion of the novel (as expressed by the film). Possible literary and animated "[[SpiritualAntithesis answers]]" to this book include Joe Haldeman's ''Literature/TheForeverWar''[[note]]Which Heinlein himself praised.[[/note]], John Steakley's ''Literature/{{Armor}}'' and Yoshiyuki Tomino's ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam''.

* DoNotDoThisCoolThing: Played with. The exciting battle scenes seem to undermine Verhoeven's supposed message, but most of the soldiers still die agonizingly horrible deaths. But the trope itself is also a large part of the message, the unsavory elements of the war and its reasons are referenced by people trying to downplay or distract from those elements.

* "YMMV/StarshipTroopersTraitorOfMars"

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: The script is a deliberate affront to Heinlein. ''But every single Bug is crazily cool.'' The practical effects by Kevin Yagher (man responsible for the effects of ''[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet3DreamWarriors Dream Warriors]]'', [[Film/ChildsPlay1988 Chucky]] and the [[Series/TalesFromTheCrypt Crypt-keeper]]) and Amalgamated Dynamics (the effects company founded by Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr. responsible for the [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Xenomorphs]] and [[Film/{{Tremors}} Graboids]]) are well integrated with Creator/TippettStudio's CGI bugs that manage to hold up surprisingly well over twenty years later, with the unearthly sheen of 1997 CGI actually enhancing the effect of their alien carapaces and incredibly great looking movement. The Fleet's spaceships realized with brilliant miniatures and model work by Creator/SonyPicturesImageworks and Creator/IndustrialLightAndMagic also hold up splendidly.

* FriendlyFandoms: Fans of the movie tend to get along well with fans of the ''VideoGame/EarthDefenseForce'' series (particularly since the actual video game adaptation of the movie [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames kinda sucks]]).

* FanPreferredCouple: In the DVDCommentary, Creator/PaulVerhoeven says fans wanted Carmen to die and Johnny to end up with Dizzy. Considering that in the original book Dizzy is ''male'' and Johnny and Carmen have at most a one-night stand together, this wouldn't have been such a bad change compared to most of the rest of the changes Verhoeven actually did make.

* ValuesDissonance: The WarIsGlorious vibes and militarism date this book to the 1950s when the UsefulNotes/ColdWar struggle against "communism" (explicitly represented by the Arachnids in the story) was more popular than it is now. After UsefulNotes/{{Vietnam|War}} and UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror, as well as increasing criticism of capitalism's own flaws after the post-2000s financial crises, more people today might agree with Creator/PaulVerhoeven's opinion of the novel (as expressed by the film). Possible literary and animated "[[SpiritualAntithesis answers]]" to this book include Joe Haldeman's ''Literature/TheForeverWar'', John Steakley's ''Literature/{{Armor}}'' and Yoshiyuki Tomino's ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam''.

** Johnny very nearly gets picked for the K-9 Corps rather than Mobile Infantry. The genetically altered 'neodogs' are mentioned as being capable of (rather garbled) [[SpeechImpairedAnimal speech]], having senses that even the MI suits can't match, and being ridden into battle by their handlers. However, ''this'' particular book is about infantry. They never really appear in the book in person, and we're told the Corps was almost annihilated at Klendathu.

** Also, some sources claim that the Bugs attacking Buenos Aires was cause of the war between the humans and Bugs. In fact, a lot of parodies, deconstructions and so on portray the military as claiming aliens attacked them for some ulterior motive. However in the actual book, the humans and Bugs went to war with each other because there is only so many inhabitable planets (with both species having similar environmental needs), which the military doesn't bother to hide and openly admits to. However, the book does mention the attack on Buenos Aires convinced a lot people to join the army.

* MisaimedMarketing: A [[http://www.figurerealm.com/checklist.php?action=checklist&seriesid=394 toyline]] was released by Creator/{{Galoob}} in 1997. Yes, a toyline based on an R-rated film that has lots of blood, gore, political satire, and nudity. Funnily enough, this is exactly the kind of thing the film would satirize.

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: The script is a deliberate affront to Heinlein. ''But every single Bug is crazily cool.'' The practical effects by Kevin Yagher (man responsible for the effects of ''[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet3DreamWarriors Dream Warriors]]'', [[Film/ChildsPlay1988 Chucky]] and the [[Series/TalesFromTheCrypt Crypt-keeper]]) are well integrated with Creator/TippettStudio's CGI bugs that manage to hold up surprisingly well over twenty years later, with the unearthly sheen of 1997 CGI actually enhancing the effect of their alien carapaces and incredibly great looking movement. The Fleet's spaceships realized with brilliant miniatures and model work by Creator/SonyPicturesImageworks and Creator/IndustrialLightAndMagic also hold up splendidly.

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: That's the one with the co-ed showers where everyone but Creator/DeniseRichards gets naked, right?

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Satire aside, Michael Ironside's character of Lt. Rasczak does make a valid point regarding his stance that war is a case of BlackAndGrayMorality and sometimes ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer.

* ValuesDissonance:
** The WarIsGlorious vibes and militarism date this book to the 1950s when the UsefulNotes/ColdWar struggle against "communism" (explicitly represented by the Arachnids in the story) was more popular than it is now. After UsefulNotes/{{Vietnam|War}} and UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror, as well as increasing criticism of capitalism's own flaws after the post-2000s financial crises, more people today might agree with Creator/PaulVerhoeven's opinion of the novel (as expressed by the film). Possible literary and animated "[[SpiritualAntithesis answers]]" to this book include Joe Haldeman's ''Literature/TheForeverWar'', John Steakley's ''Literature/{{Armor}}'' and Yoshiyuki Tomino's ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam''.

** Another odd element of the the book that American society eventually caught up on is that while the Terran Federation is heavily militaristic, none of its soldier are conscripted; the entire military chose to enlist. It's how free the choice is, since several rights are only assigned to veterans who served (Heinlein tried to retcon this), but it's a pretty startling contrast given the draft was in full effect at the time the book was written. Hell, one criticism of the book's society when it was released is that an entirely-voluntary army was unrealistic.

* CommonKnowledge: Military service is ''not'' the only way to earn the right to vote (in the original novel at least; [[AdaptationDisplacement the films are another story]]), ''federal'' service is. In other words, you ''can'' become a full citizen by being a civil servant in certain capacities ([[SpaceTrucker Merchant Marine service]] is said not to count, but AsteroidMining apparently does) -- the aim is to demonstrate a commitment to service over self.

*** There's also the novel's portrayal of Sanctuary as an Earth-like planet and populated backup military headquarters, much as [[VideoGame/HaloReach Reach]] is in the ''Halo'' universe. The novel even has a proto-version of the Cole Protocol from ''Halo'', in that naval officers and navigators are under enforced orders to keep Sanctuary's coordinates secret from any others at any costs.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Johnny very nearly gets picked for the K-9 Corps rather than Mobile Infantry. The genetically altered 'neodogs' are mentioned as being capable of (rather garbled) [[SpeechImpairedAnimal speech]], having senses that even the MI suits can't match, and being ridden into battle by their handlers. However, ''this'' particular book is about infantry. They never really appear in the book in person, and we're told the Corps was almost annihilated at Klendathu.

** Another odd element of the the book that American society eventually caught up on is that while the Terran Federation is heavily militaristic, none of its soldier are conscripted; the entire military chose to enlist. It's arguable how free the choice is, since several rights are only assigned to veterans who served (Heinlein tried to retcon this), but it's a pretty startling contrast given the draft was in full effect at the time the book was written. Hell, one criticism of the book's society when it was released is that an entirely-voluntary army was unrealistic.

* MemeticMutation:
** "Would you like to know more?"
*** And the spinoff, "Desire to know more intensifies".
** "They sucked his brains out."
** "The [X] cannot do [Y], IF YOU DISABLE HIS HAND!"
** "It's afraid. '''IT'S AFRAID!'''" This one is especially popular for photo edits, with Creator/NeilPatrickHarris' character standing in front of something else entirely while saying the line.
** "I'm doing my part."
** "I'm from Buenos Aires and I say, kill 'em all!"
** "...MEDIC!!!"
** "Come on, you apes! You wanna live forever?"

* NarmCharm: All over the damn place. Especially the Federation propaganda videos.
** The video showcasing Federation soldiers letting children play with their assault rifles and laughing together as the kids fight over one of the guns. Back to back with the video of children "doing their part" by stomping on normal cockroaches in a group as a nearby mother applauds ecstatically.

* UncertainAudience: Some people have criticized this movie for this. On one hand, it's intended to be a political satire, on the other hand, it plays itself straight like any other action movie to the point where one would be forgiven for not knowing it was satire. This may arguably be the reason for its MisaimedFandom.

** ''{{Franchise/Halo}}'' owes a lot to ST, especially with the armor and ODST's drop pods. Its spinoff game ''VideoGame/Halo3ODST'' featuring those shock troopers fighting the Drones.
** ''{{VideoGame/Starcraft}}'' has plenty of references to and points of inspiration from ST as well.
** Space Marines in powered armour fighting large bugs? ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}''.

** Distilled into a single act, no less--the asteroid [[ColonyDrop that destroyed Buenos Aires]] was claimed by the PropagandaMachine to have been launched by the aliens... [[FridgeLogic but there's no evidence aside from the claim made on the news to back this up]] and [[SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale it makes absolutely no sense in terms of physics]]. It wouldn't be the first time a freak accident was used to inspire people to go to war (the UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar being one example). Alternatively, the Federation did the ColonyDrop itself as a FalseFlagOperation to get support for the BugWar.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Satire aside, Michael Ironside's character of Lt. Rasczak does make a valid point regarding his stance that war is a case of BlackAndGrayMorality and sometimes ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: The opinion of the novel's fans. There's some overlap with WTHCastingAgency at the ''directorial level,'' since you don't hand ''Creator/PaulVerhoeven'' a novel that states that WarIsGlorious and say, "Adapt this into a movie! Change whatever you like." [[note]] Sort of. The script was written ''first'', as a ripoff of ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', and was retroactively turned into an adaptation of the novel to avoid accusations of plagiarism after some similarities were noticed. Verhoven himself claims to have given up on the book after reading only the first two chapters.[[/note]]

* WTHCastingAgency: Casper Van Dien, Creator/DeniseRichards, and Creator/NeilPatrickHarris playing Argentinean high schoolers. DawsonCasting aside, Verhoeven aimed for a DoNotDoThisCoolThing-baiting feel with the casting, going for stupidly beautiful people who would be far more at home in a soap opera--and then ''not telling them the film was a satire'', leaving them to play their roles deadly serious. Fans of the novel balk at the casting for other reasons. In the novel, Rico is also of an ethnicity one would not expect to be common in Argentina--''Filipino.''