I suspect farce-aspect of the film is impossible to avoid. Think of it this way: how many war-movies do you know that don't glorify war?
Yes, the majority of films do attempt to lionize war, rather than showing the far grimmer truth of the matter. And it is a crime that the entertainment industry doesn't get called out on nearly often enough. Of course, video games are guilty of the same behavior, possibly to an even more extreme degree. Verhoeven's work was an honest reprisal to a potentially destructive and disingenuous attitude that the entertainment industry, especially the United States entertainment industry, is guilty of adopting.
Did you notice how even their looks are one-dimensional? Much too young (although... actually not as young as the novel, I understand?) and perfect.
Oh yeah, I noticed. (whooof) The main character/protagonist Johnny Rico could have easily stepped out of a Nazi recruitment poster from the 1930s. Chiseled jaw, high cheekbones, light hair, the works. And the uniforms for the film's "intelligence" division were straight-up SS.
And I don't think anyone would make the mistake of confusing this movie with real military life. Except maybe the people who believe the way the military is portrayed in other movies is realistic too. If anything, the movie is mocking war movies, I think. But I don't know much about the real military, so I should say that with caution.
That's true. I honestly don't think most soldiers would take this film as directed at them personally. It's just far to exaggerated to take seriously. And I haven't really heard of any outcry from actual military personnel over it. Ultimately, my primary objection is the use of the Starship Trooper licence itself. They could have easily made a film with the same message based off of a more original story.
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