Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation

Plot synopsis:
On an unnamed planet inhabited by the Arachnids, a squad of soldiers find themselves pinned down and surrounded on all sides by Arachnid forces. Even with their new laser gun technology and assistance from psychic soldiers, the Arachnid assault overwhelms them and General Jack Shepherd (Ed Lauter) decides to make a last stand with several of his best soldiers, allowing the majority of his surviving troops to escape. The plan works, and the soldiers, whom include Sergeant Dede Rake (Brenda Strong), the psychic Lieutenant Pavlov Dill (Lawrence Monoson), Private Jill Sandee (Sandrine Holt) and her lover Private Duff Horton (Jason-Shane Scott), and Private Lei Sahara (Colleen Porch) escape. Despite reaching relative safety, the team is whittled down by deadly dust storms and Arachnid ambushes. Among these deaths is the only member of the platoon with a radio, Corporal Thom Kobe (Brian Tee). Lieutenant Dill finds himself unable to command his soldiers as he receives traumatic visions of utter annihilation. He takes his anger out on Private Sahara, who is revealed to have been psychic but lost reliable control of her psychic abilities as puberty took place, which seems to be rather typical.The remaining refugees find themselves sheltering within Hotel Delta 1-8-5, an old and abandoned structure containing Captain V. J. Dax (Richard Burgi), a disgraced (though with a fantastic combat record) soldier who had killed his commanding officer and was sealed in a furnace-like cell to be taken back to Earth to be court-martialled for his crime. As a deadly dust storm kicks up, the soldiers find themselves without communications or back-up for a lengthy period of time and protect themselves through the use of electric pulse fences with limited battery power to hold off the Arachnid warrior bugs. Dax takes command of the small group, much to the annoyance of Dill, and the two develop an instant dislike to each other at first sight. Dax sees Dill as an incompetent commander, while Dill sees Dax as a traitor to the Federation.Soon after defenses for Hotel Delta are set up, Shepherd and three of the soldiers return. While the troops in the outpost originally think that all of their comrades has reached safety, it becomes clear that, in fact, all their comrades died. But Shepherd was rescued by three of his fellow soldiers. In addition to Shepherd, the three troops include the near-catatonic Private Charlie Soda (Kelly Carlson), the odd acting Tech Sergeant Ari Peck (J. P. Manoux), and the medic Private Joe Griff (Ed Quinn). With the help of the newcomers, they solve all of their technical issues, including lack of communication. After General Shepherd manages to radio to the Starfleet, they now need only to wait for a Fleet dropship to rescue them, but it may take several hours due to the fleet being on the other side of the planet.Tempers flare at the base as Soda seduces both Horton and Sandee. In a rage, Soda finds a new significant other in Griff. However, both Horton and Sandee soon act strange, as do many other survivors. Sahara seems to have become ill as she has nightmares and wakes up vomiting. Accidentally brushing Griff's hands brings on a psychic vision in Sahara. Sahara goes to Rake for advice and tells her what really went on. Rake suggests that Sahara is simply pregnant and that pregnancy not only brings on the symptoms she describes, but makes girls temperamental and makes them think that "they know it all". Eventually, Sahara and Dax find themselves facing a new breed of Arachnid, a small bug that infests the human body by forcing open the mouth and propagating inside the brain. They come to Dill with their news and make amends with him, also learning that he only made bad decisions because of the visions he was receiving and that he felt incredibly guilty over the loss of men under his command in the escape. Sahara tells Dill that she has been receiving parts of the vision as well, and Dill reveals to Sahara that an occasional side-effect of pregnancy is the temporary return of the psychic abilities lost at puberty.Soon after making amends, Dill corners several infected soldiers and intends for them to be captured and studied, but as he insults them another infected soldier kills him with a knife that Dax gave him earlier. The assault is blamed on Dax (his name was inscribed on the knife) and he is imprisoned again in the cell.Eventually a dropship finally arrives but all of the troopers are infected including Shepherd, who, if returned to Earth, may infect the leaders of the Federation. Rake takes multiple adrenaline shots, wounding one infected soldier and killing another before freeing Dax, but kills herself because she has also been infected (Note: it is unclear why the parasite was unable to control her, perhaps because of the adrenaline shots).A soldier attempts to infect Sahara, but after several unsuccessful attempts to stop him, Sahara manages to kill him and escape. Sahara uses her restored psychic abilities to read the mind of the bug that had attempted to control Rake's mind and discovers the bugs plan: use General Sheppard to infest High Command allowing the bugs to wipe out the human race on Earth and cause Sahara's vision to come true. Sahara and Dax kill the rest of the infected troops, and make it to the roof of the structure to confront the infected Shepherd just as the pulse fences give way, allowing thousands of warrior bugs to swarm over Hotel Delta. Just as Shepherd is about to be rescued, Dax kills him with two rifles held akimbo. He gets Sahara onto the ship and tells the bewildered crew that she holds information vital to the survival of the Federation. He then refuses to get onto the ship ("Murderers don't go home!") and vows to give her time to escape. Dax goes down in a blaze of glory, fending off bugs as they overwhelm him.Planet Earth, one year later. Although Dax is labeled as a Hero of the Federation, his death is shrouded in propaganda as the Federation uses his end as a means of recruitment. Sahara and her newborn baby attend a lecture by a recruiting officer whom is encouraging visitors to join up in the continuing war against the bugs. Having received an honorable discharge from the military to raise her infant son, Sahara walks out of the recruiting station. The recruiting officer walks up to Sahara after the lecture and thanks her for attending, and then, after seeing her baby that she is holding, urges her to raise her son well for: "we need fresh meat for the grinder". Sahara, alarmed, flees the recruiting station. This act appears to have no effect on the recruiter, showing the movie's take on military idealism.

Tags: violence, flashback

Review:
STARSHIP TROOPERS 2: HERO OF THE FEDERATION has a budget of a around $6 million so naturally the special effects in this one look like crap.
The horror elements are derivative of several much better movies, and generally don't work like they're supposed to, for various reasons(bad special effects,bad acting, bad camera angle).
Review: I love it when I have exceedingly low expectations for a movie then it just ends up being so good that it just takes me by surprise just how much I am enjoying the movie that I'm watching....this is exactly what happened to me with Starship Troopers II.
But now with Hero of the federation, the budget has been sliced, the situation isn't as grand and the production values have gone way down...still the movie managed to maintain a level of quality that is very astounding.Phill Tippets a visual effects genius having worked on such films as Jurassic Park, The Star Wars trilogy and many others, so he puts all that knowledge to good use here.
All in all Id say this is a very well directed flick, there was nothing that got in the way of the storytelling and it had some pretty cool camera shots.The trick they used to bring down production costs was, basically the same trick that all small budget horror movies use.
Good stuff.The story will really grab you, I liked the twist the film takes and it goes into Invaders from Mars and Invasion of the Body Snatchers territory with the introduction of a new bug which makes from some really intense and gory sequences!
They make it to a mostly abandoned makeshift fort and succeed in holding the enemy at bay outside, only to discover that they may have enemies just as lethal amongst themselves.Phil Tippet may be a genius with visual effects in other films, but in his first turn as a director, he's made a mess of Starship Troopers 2.
No, Starship Troopers isn't really good, but at times it threatened to get a 3 out of 10, while the closer it got to the finish line, the more it started seeming like a 7 out of 10 to me.
At least until halfway through the film, when we begin to see some cinematography and lighting on the single set that we could call "almost competent".Even though I wouldn't subtract points for the difference in tone, it is quite a shock if you start watching Starship Troopers 2 expecting anything even remotely resembling the first film.
Even the tongue-in-cheek military/war advertisements shown on a computer-like screen from the first film fall flat here because they're presented more like television commercials with no window dressing or explanation for context.Starship Troopers 2 isn't a complete failure, but I can't recommend it beyond its curiosity value, or for die-hard horror fans who are slightly masochistic and don't mind sitting through the war material to get to something more interesting.
Firstly I have to make something clear I loved the first movie,it was a sci-fi masterpiece.This sequel does something no other sequel has ever attempted to do......and thats were it all went wrong,the plot has absolutely nothing to do with its predecessor it stumbles along at a very slow speed which becomes highly annoying due to the incredibly bad script which is badly performed by very poor actors who included BRENDA STRONG!
the reason i have placed an exclamation mark after her name is due to the fact that she died in the first film and played a completely different character.One thing this film is said too have going for it is the high level of quality CG effects but if you actually watch the first film you will notice that every good CG moment is repasted into this production and changed in no way whatsoever.OK lets talk about the directing,actually lets not because in my view this director seemed like he was trying to make a soft corr porno movie and not the sci-fi action film that most had hoped for,why do i say this you?well when you take in all the unnecessary nudity and cheesy as sin sexual innuendos it seems that the alien bugs have no interest anymore in getting into our galaxy and destroying our planet they seem too have more interest in getting into the Troopers pants.This film supposedly cost $3,000,000,Hmmmmmmmm it would seem to my that Glenn S.Gainor should learn to spend his money more wisely.
Please if you value your time and sanity avoid Starship Troopers 2 at all cost for watching the entire movie will leave you feeling like the enson from the SS Roger Miller after his encounter w/ a brain..
i picked this film up cheap on DVD not long ago, mainly down to the fact that the 1st movie was a blast, mindless gory sci-fi fun...iwas pretty much hoping the sequel would provide the same thrills...did it?
"Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation" is unlike your typical sequel to a big budget sci-fi action film.
You would think this movie would just be like the first "Starship Troopers:" excessive gore, gratuitous nudity and romantic subplots, but it is hardly any reflection on the first film.
I went into watching this movie with a open mind, because I knew it would not be better than the first "Starship Troopers." One thing I did like in this movie is the twist.
The titular "hero" is a murderer who hates the Federation but fights for the soldiers who he feel are betrayed by their superiors.The first one was brimming with satire, but the sequel tones that down, until the last scene (which is great and lifts the movie a notch).
Other reviewers of this film must have had their expectations set a little bit too high...Anyways, Richard Burgi does a nice job playing Captain Dax and Mr. Ed Lauter is always good to watch.
Nothing new there either.So, the movie is overall quite standard, not even close to the masterpiece that part one was, but it still is pretty nice - absolutely one you would want to rent in your local video-rental-store, if you are into SF horror (Alien, Pitch Black, Tremors, stuff like that).
And I really enjoyed it.Instead of thinking 'wow, this looks really cr*p', I was thinking more 'this looks fantastic, and a lot of it is DP-ed & directed so well that it doesn't look and feel like digital!'Well done to the cast too - no Hollywood 'stars', but good character actors, and even today (saw it last night) I can still remember the characters and plot etc.Special effects were cool too, thanks to Phil Tippet directing.Writing was waaay better than I expected for a film like this, with some great lines and really cool, well drawn 3D characters (not talking about CGI here).Most of the film, all I could think of was I wish they'd been given enough money to shoot on film, the rest of the elements were up to scratch and it deserved it.The only negative points I have were: The sandstorm as they were approaching the outpost seemed to be kinda arbitrary and not really fit.
Also really pleased to see the film kept up the intelligence of ST1 in it's treatment of the naivety of fascism, contrasted with over-the-top harsh blood&guts of real war.A lot of the lighting/sets reminded me of the approach David Fincher and his DP took with Alien3.Thought it was worth adding a comment since most will be 'this movie sucked'...
I wish it was like that all the way.The film had a much smaller budget than the original, but you could probably guess that since this was a straight to video movie.
Granted, it doesn't have the feel of the first movie and the original cast is absent from #2 (Brenda Strong returns, but in a different role), but it's still an enjoyable direct-to-video sequel.
the only thing a disliked about this movie was the brainbugs that took over peoples mind, and i dislike that fact that one of the actors that was killed off in the first movie was back playing a different role in the second movie (((but that isn't the first time we've seen that happen ...ala Harry Morgan as a drunken saloon cowboy in Walt Disney's Apple Dumpling Gang & then he was back as a totally different character as a Commanding Calvary Officer in Walt Disney's The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again))) None the less if you over look the the fact the one of the actors returned in a totally different role, and the brain bugs infesting peoples minds ..this becomes a decent (not great..but decent) movie.For a film that was filmed for less than $6MIL they did pretty darn good.
The special effect were decent (again, not great...but decent) the story line is actually good(or at least I thought so).And there were some very sexy women in this movie (some really hot nude scenes).This movie has very little in common with the first movie...but that's okay.I enjoyed this movie....granted its no Casablanca or Dr. Zhivago.
OK, you can tell straight away that this is a much lower budget, and the cast is about 1 or 2 dozen and no more, but this gives it a much more claustrophobic feel, which is good, the film focuses much more on one squad in one outpost on one planet, not the whole war like the first.
4 - New stuff: Yeah, lots of little 'infiltrator brain bugs', which give the movie a real 'The Thing and The Hidden' feel.
I was worried after the first ten minutes or so, but this movie ended up pretty darn good.It can't really be compaired to the massive budget original, which was an epic war movie, this is more like Starship Troopers 1.5.
Step forward director Phil Tippet who has been given seven million dollars and listen to the sighs and gasps as the fans realise this film will be going straight to DVD As it stands ST2:HERO OF THE FEDERATION is nowhere as bad as it could have been and at least it's recognisable as a sequel unlike American Psycho 2:All American Girl which had absolutely nothing in common with the original .
Low budget and quickly shot b horror movie, it may have clichés but this one does have a few memorable scenes and a good satirical' ending and not to mention one of the best "why we must kill the humans" speeches ever.
However, while the sequel is more compact, has a lower budget than the first film, and has no characters in common, it is in fact a better movie.
The conflicts are more suspenseful and psychological than action, and it's more akin to The Thing and The Hidden than either the first Starship Troopers or Aliens.The art is nothing special, but the special effects are good, which is expected, since the director, Phil Tippett, was the visual effects director from the first film.
The story has a nice twist relating back to the original Starship Troopers  movie and especially the end is rather unexpected.I think everyone with a brain  will appreciate it.
But it is a film that is fast paced has a good linear plot, some characters that are true to the feel of the first movie and will keep you entertained for the 1½ hour it lasts.Especially the (anti) hero Dax is perfect.
Also it contains just enough nudity to appeal to my basic desires as a man, some funny scenes that could be taken from some B-rated horror movies and of course plenty of action.The effects aren't spectacular but they are alright and don't really disturb the watching of this sci-fi horror action movie.If you liked the first Starship Troopers and found it funny you'll definitely like this one as well..
There are enough moments of gory violence, CGI bug action and gratuitous nudity to make it enjoyable enough to watch.The film in it's credit does feature one good strength that almost makes up for the much to dark cinematography and the fact they have shot on digital and not given in a proper film frame rate.
This film is a true modern day B-movie, meaning sometimes it's so corny it makes you laugh but provides just enough suspense, action and excitement, along with some particularly disgusting special effects, to keep you watching.
His eye for satire and gore are the things that I was missing the most.This movie and "Starship Troopers" have in fact very little in common.
The gore and violence in this movie are also typical horror like, not that is a bad thing of course, some of the scene's are actually quite good (ever seen a chopped-off head in a microwave?) but it's just that the style of gore and violence is so different from the original "Starship Troopers".Still the movie surely ain't as bad as people make you believe it is.
First of...I heard from three of my friends that this movie was sooo baad they could not finish it..I don't see why...it does not suck...its just not good.It is a fun 92 minutes,neat sub plots and story line,and I was really interested in a few of the characters survival to the point that i had to watch it to the end.A small budget is pretty obvious here,but still it has decent special effects and a few good actors...hey there is a drought of good sifi right now so I will take what I can get.Worth a watch..
I have just purchased the movie on DVD and I thought it was a good film, the storyline was original and action-packed (Didn't see it coming).
Starship Troopers 2 is a very cool movie, full of action scenes and great visuals.
Whilst the result is nowhere near as good as Verhoeven's excessively violent blockbuster, it's certainly better than many reviews suggest.Hero of the Federation sees a mobile infantry unit seek refuge in an abandoned military outpost; as a violent storm rages outside and an army of arachnids gather to surround the building, the war-weary troopers realise that being locked inside a fortress does not ensure their safety, for the bugs have evolved a new kind of creepy crawlya parasitic creature that can use a human being as a hostand several people inside the compound are already infested.With no message or satirical subtext to worry about, Tippet gets on with the job at hand: delivering OTT gung-ho action, some nifty CGI aliens, a touch of nudity (from blonde hottie Kelly Carlson), an effectively claustrophobic atmosphere, a touch of paranoia, and quite a large dollop of yucky gore.Such a markedly different approach is bound to upset many fans of the original, but personally, I was not offended at all, finding the change in style rather brave and quite refreshing.
Second; gore isn't scary either if its overdone and the actors are crap then it just falls flat on the ground (which is actually pretty funny).I am actually a fan of bad movies because I find it enjoyable to laugh at bad acting and silly dialog and Starship Troopers 2 has got both those things.
It's like their missing the big picture here: being a small picture, a fun picture, a cool little fun story to watch and enjoy and get off on more bug/trooper stuff.
I do like Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation very, very much.Is it different than the first movie?
I do like new species of bugs - it's nice to see intergalactic beasties that aren't too derivative of the titular menace from Alien.Yes you can see the movie was made on a lower budget than the first one, but it delivers anyway.The story is similar to that one in Thing, but there are some interesting twists.
I do like new species of bugs - it's nice to see intergalactic beasties that aren't too derivative of the titular menace from Alien.Yes you can see the movie was made on a lower budget than the first one, but it delivers anyway.The story is similar to that one in Thing, but there are some interesting twists.
The cast is far better this time, than those wooden actors from the original Starship Troopers.
The cast is far better this time, than those wooden actors from the original Starship Troopers.
(And she doesn't hesitate to show of her body too ;-) I do like that girl with pony-tail too.Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation is a strong, good movie, and it's an entertaining ride..
(And she doesn't hesitate to show of her body too ;-) I do like that girl with pony-tail too.Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation is a strong, good movie, and it's an entertaining ride..
If you watch it not really expecting a true sequel to the first Starship Troopers in terms of big budget, recurring characters and satiric tone, then you're more likely to enjoy it.
I don't believe it is, but that is just my opinion.Starship Troopers 2 never made any claims to being a great movie with millions invested in special effects, original music, or location filming around the globe.
Obviously, the movie does not stack up well against much more heavily financed films, but for a $7,000,000 budget it did very, very well.To the critics, yes, special effects, original music scores, and an all- star cast may have made it a better visual experience.
I think the visuals are BETTER than in the original movie.What I did not like about this was the facts it's not as long as the original.Hope they'll do Starship Troopers 2 someday..