Starship Troopers: Invasion (Movie Review)

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Starship Troopers: Invasion is the fourth movie release in the expanded universe of the Starship Troopers story by Robert A. Heinlein. Unlike the previous three movies which were Live-action films with CG elements, Starship Troopers: Invasion is a feature length CG film, like Sony's Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles. Due to the violence, gore and nudity, the movie is rated R, like the live-action films.

In this latest installment, a starbase has been infested by bugs. The Mobile Infantry has been called in to help evacuate the base while holding the bugs at bay.  During the evacuation, Dr. Carl Jenkins, comandeers the starship "John A Warden", captained by Carmen Ibanez. The troopers get out on a separate ship, the "Alesia", and, enroute to Earth, find out that something has happened to the "John A Warden". General Johnny Rico orders the Mobile Infantry and the "Alesia" to find the Warden.

What happened? Why did the ship go silent? What was its mission? and can the Mobile Infantry deal with the threat?

Returning to this movie are three characters from the original Paul Veerhoven Starship Troopers. Johnny Rico, now promoted to General in the Mobile Infantry. Captain Carmen Ibanez, captain of the "John A Warden". And Dr. Carl Jenkins, originally played by Doogie Howser's Neil Patrick Harris. They've all gone their own ways with their various careers in the military since the events in the first movie.

Gone from thisversion of Starship Troopers are the overtones of Veerhoven's Fascist Military system. This is just a plain and simple, action-based bug hunt. The plot is simple, the characters really don't get any time to develop. There is very little downtime as the scenes move from combat scene to combat scene with the MI always outnumbered by the nearly everpresent Warrior Bugs.

The CG of the movie is much improved over the presentation done for the cartoon series, but the attempt to make the faces of the people more realistic falls flat. The "acting" of the CG characters is much like that presented in the Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Most of the time the faces are neutral in appearance, but occasionally they try to show other emotions, but fall a little bit short.

Overall this is a great film, CG or not, if you're into Action movies or like the Starship Trooper's movies and shows. Add it to your collection and enjoy.