Starship Troopers, 1997
Starship Troopers is a cult classic sci-fi satire flick that lambasts the military industrial complex, nationalism, and humanity in general. In the 23rd century, Earth is ruled by a singular force: the United Citizen Federation, a regime of which you can only become a fully fledged citizen (and be able to vote or have children) if you serve. Humans are colonizing the galaxy, but in their quest for galactic domination, they encounter highly intelligent insectoid aliens they call “bugs.”
The ensuing war is full of gory deaths and absurd patriotism. Yes, this film heavily influenced Helldivers, and yes, many people miss the point of it, but you can’t deny the hilariously dark and twisted power that is Starship Troopers—even if it bombed at the box office. — Alyssa Mercante
