the most disappointing “Planet of the Apes” film borrowed technology from — exemplifies the genesis of a cult classic. Upon its premiere, Verhoeven’s movie was entirely misjudged by viewers, who simply weren’t prepared for a provocatively campy, incisively sharp, and unyieldingly brutal satire that utilized a conflict between enormous extraterrestrial insects and humans to present a new and inventive perspective on totalitarianism.
Inspired by Robert A. Heinlein’s 1959 novel, Verhoeven’s epic depicts Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien), a young man who joins the Mobile Infantry instead of pursuing higher education, accompanied by three of his close friends, and the battalion of his fellow soldiers under a militaristic regime in the 23rd century future. It’s a straightforward premise that somehow misled audiences in 1997 into thinking they were about to experience a traditional space opera rather than the extravagant, exaggerated, and overtly senseless bloodbath that “Starship Troopers” presented with fervent enthusiasm.
There’s a reason countless millennials raised in the ’90s became enamored with this R-rated masterpiece, even if they didn’t fully grasp its broader aspirations as a complete farce. It was basically a fantasy come to life regarding gory battles and extraterrestrials, accompanied by a deeper message. However, its stark and unrefined allure wasn’t a significant enough attraction at the time, leading the film to stumble commercially, grossing $121 million globally at the box office against an estimated budget of $105-110 million. It took several years before it received the well-deserved re-assessment, evolving into a celebrated cult classic praised by both critics and audiences. This resulted in the film generating a lengthy franchise (albeit without Verhoeven’s skilled direction) of numerous sequels, which ironically devolved into the sort of B-movie garbage that the original expertly sidestepped becoming.