Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation
Encyclopedia
Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation is the 2004 direct-to-video
sequel to the 1997 feature film
Starship Troopers
. It had a $7 million budget as opposed to the $105 million of the original. Even though the film received only a direct-to-video released in the United States, it was granted a theatrical release in Japan
and Spain
. It has almost no relationship to the novel Starship Troopers
by Robert A. Heinlein
, unlike the first Starship Troopers film, which was loosely based on the characters and storyline of the book (though much different in tone). None of the characters from the original film appear in this sequel (except for in recycled footage), although the actress Brenda Strong
appears in both films as different characters. The film was directed by Phil Tippett
, who is also the founder of Tippett Studio
, the visual effects
company that created the creature and miniature effects for the original film. A further sequel, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, has since been released.
, a squad of soldier
s 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, including Sergeant Dede Rake (Brenda Strong
), 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 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 refugee
s 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 killed his commanding officer and was sealed in a furnace. As a deadly dust storm
kicks up, they 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 batteries. Dax takes command, to the annoyance of Dill, and the two develop a grudge. 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 soldiers return. While the troops in the outpost originally think that all but one of their comrades has reached safety, it becomes clear that, in fact, all their comrades but Shepherd died, who was soon rescued by three marauding soldiers. These troops include the comatose Private Charlie Soda (Kelly Carlson
), the odd acting Technical Sergeant Ari Peck (J. P. Manoux), and the medic Corporal Joe Griff (Ed Quinn
). With the help of the newcomers they solve all of their technical issues, including lack of communication, and now need only to wait for a Fleet dropship to rescue them.
Tempers flare at the base as Soda seduces Horton, and Sandee 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 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 the female protagonist, Private Sahara, and the male ex-hero of the federation, Dax, find themselves facing a new breed of Arachnid, a 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.
Eventually a dropship 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. 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 Shepherd to infest High Command allowing the bugs to wipe out the human race 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. 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 goes down in a blaze of glory, fending off bugs.
Planet Earth, one year later. Sahara, now discharged from the military, attends a recruiting seminar with her newborn infant son to speak about her experience and of Dax's actions whom she credits with saving her life. 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. As Sahara leaves the recruiting station, the recruiting officer approaches her to thank her for attending and also tells her to raise her son well for: "We need fresh meat for the grinder".
Sahara, alarmed, flees the recruiting station. This act shows to have no effect on the recruiter.
was originally set to return as Zim, his character from the first film, but the actor was unavailable, having already committed to Carnivàle
; the part was thus heavily rewritten and became 'Dax'. Lack of returning characters is even more evident when the film is compared to the original Heinlein book. Instead of showing the Mobile Infantry as a cohesive force, they are shown to be a politically motivated group where officers send soldiers to their death for their own advancement. Many criticized the sequel as lacking any element of the humor and slapstick action of the original, and for taking itself "too seriously".
There are those, however, who champion the film for its ironic plot elements (i.e., an unrepentant murderer as the hero) and ironic tone similar to the first film. While not championing the film overall, "The Stop Button's" Andrew Wickliffe thought Neumeier's writing abilities occasionally surpassed the material. Still, Wickliffe found the film to be overcomplicated--"it's [just] a siege movie...you don't need to complicate a siege movie."
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
sequel to the 1997 feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers (film)
Starship Troopers is a 1997 American military science fiction film, written by Edward Neumeier , directed by Paul Verhoeven, loosely adapted from Starship Troopers, a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein. It is the only theatrically released film in the Starship Troopers franchise...
. It had a $7 million budget as opposed to the $105 million of the original. Even though the film received only a direct-to-video released in the United States, it was granted a theatrical release in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It has almost no relationship to the novel Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers is a military science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, first published as a serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and published hardcover in December, 1959.The first-person narrative is about a young soldier from the Philippines named Juan "Johnnie" Rico and his...
by Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
, unlike the first Starship Troopers film, which was loosely based on the characters and storyline of the book (though much different in tone). None of the characters from the original film appear in this sequel (except for in recycled footage), although the actress Brenda Strong
Brenda Strong
Brenda Lee Strong is an American actress and yoga instructor, known for her roles as as Capt. Deladier in the 1997 hit movie Starship Troopers and Mary Alice Young on the television show Desperate Housewives....
appears in both films as different characters. The film was directed by Phil Tippett
Phil Tippett
Phil Tippett is a movie director and an award-winning visual effects supervisor and producer, who specializes in creature design and character animation.-Early career:...
, who is also the founder of Tippett Studio
Tippett Studio
Tippett Studio is a visual effects company specializing in computer-generated imagery for movies and television commercials. Phil Tippett founded the studio in 1984, which employs effects artists who work with his partners Jules Roman and Craig Hayes....
, the visual effects
Visual effects
Visual effects are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shoot. Visual effects involve the integration of live-action footage and generated imagery to create environments which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or...
company that created the creature and miniature effects for the original film. A further sequel, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, has since been released.
Plot
Set on a planet inhabited by the ArachnidsBug (Starship Troopers)
The Bugs are an extraterrestrial race in the novel Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein, its film adaptation , sometimes also referred to as the Arachnids, although this is a misnomer, as the aliens are not related to Earth arachnids...
, a squad of soldier
Mobile Infantry (Starship Troopers)
The Mobile Infantry is a fictional military force in Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers and in the movies Starship Troopers, released in 1997, the 2004 sequel, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, the 2008 film Starship Troopers 3: Marauder and the TV series Roughnecks: Starship...
s find themselves pinned down and surrounded on all sides by Arachnid forces. Even with their new laser gun technology and assistance from psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
soldiers, the Arachnid assault overwhelms them and General Jack Shepherd (Ed Lauter
Ed Lauter
Edward Lauter is an American actor. He has appeared in numerous movies and was a stand up comic before getting into acting.Lauter was born in Long Beach, Long Island, New York...
) 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, including Sergeant Dede Rake (Brenda Strong
Brenda Strong
Brenda Lee Strong is an American actress and yoga instructor, known for her roles as as Capt. Deladier in the 1997 hit movie Starship Troopers and Mary Alice Young on the television show Desperate Housewives....
), psychic Lieutenant Pavlov Dill (Lawrence Monoson
Lawrence Monoson
Lawrence Monoson is an American film and television actor.His first film was the 1982 comedy The Last American Virgin, in which he starred as Gary. His other well known film roles are in the 1984 horror movie Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter as Ted, and the 1985 hit drama movie Mask as Ben...
), Private Jill Sandee (Sandrine Holt
Sandrine Holt
Sandrine Holt is a British-born Eurasian Canadian model turned actress.-Early life:Holt was born Sandrine Ho in London, England to a Chinese father and a French mother. At age five, she and her family moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which has remained her hometown. Holt attended St...
) and her lover Private Duff Horton (Jason-Shane Scott
Jason-Shane Scott
Jason-Shane Scott is an American actor.Scott was born in Southern California. At the age of two he moved to Reno, Nevada with his mother and older sister while making frequent trips to Los Angeles to visit his father. Scott attended Wooster High School and excelled at sports, playing baseball,...
), and Private Lei Sahara (Colleen Porch) escape. Despite reaching relative safety, the team is whittled down by deadly storms and arachnid ambushes. Among these deaths is the only member of the platoon with a radio, Corporal Thom Kobe (Brian Tee
Brian Tee
Brian Tee is an American actor.Tee was born in Okinawa, Japan, of Japanese and Korean descent. At the age of two, he moved to Hacienda Heights, California, and was raised there ever since. He attended Glen A. Wilson High School and was ASB president and a star captain of the football team. While...
). 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
Puberty
Puberty is the process of physical changes by which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of reproduction, as initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads; the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a boy...
took place, which seems to be rather typical.
The remaining refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s find themselves sheltering within Hotel Delta 1-8-5, an old and abandoned structure containing Captain V. J. Dax (Richard Burgi
Richard Burgi
Richard William Burgi is an American film and television actor. He's best known for the roles of Det. Jim Ellinson on The Sentinel and as Karl Mayer on Desperate Housewives.-Personal life:...
), a disgraced (though with a fantastic combat record) soldier who killed his commanding officer and was sealed in a furnace. As a deadly dust storm
Dust storm
A dust / sand storm is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Particles are transported by saltation and suspension, causing soil to move from one place and deposition...
kicks up, they 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 batteries. Dax takes command, to the annoyance of Dill, and the two develop a grudge. 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 soldiers return. While the troops in the outpost originally think that all but one of their comrades has reached safety, it becomes clear that, in fact, all their comrades but Shepherd died, who was soon rescued by three marauding soldiers. These troops include the comatose Private Charlie Soda (Kelly Carlson
Kelly Carlson
Kelly Lee Carlson is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Kimber Henry on Nip/Tuck. In 2001 she was listed on Tear Sheet Magazines 50 Most Beautiful list.-Career:...
), the odd acting Technical Sergeant Ari Peck (J. P. Manoux), and the medic Corporal Joe Griff (Ed Quinn
Ed Quinn
Arthur Edward "Ed" Quinn is an American model and actor who has appeared in several film and TV roles, including Eureka, Starship Troopers 2, Young Americans and True Blood.-Early life:...
). With the help of the newcomers they solve all of their technical issues, including lack of communication, and now need only to wait for a Fleet dropship to rescue them.
Tempers flare at the base as Soda seduces Horton, and Sandee 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 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 the female protagonist, Private Sahara, and the male ex-hero of the federation, Dax, find themselves facing a new breed of Arachnid, a bug that infests the human body by forcing open the mouth and propagating inside the brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
. 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
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
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.
Eventually a dropship arrives but all of the troopers are infected including Shepherd, who, if returned to Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, may infect the leaders of the Federation. Rake takes multiple adrenaline
Epinephrine
Epinephrine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter. It increases heart rate, constricts blood vessels, dilates air passages and participates in the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system. In chemical terms, adrenaline is one of a group of monoamines called the catecholamines...
shots, wounding one infected soldier and killing another before freeing Dax, but kills herself because she has also been infected. 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 Shepherd to infest High Command allowing the bugs to wipe out the human race 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. Just as Shepherd is about to be rescued, Dax kills him with two rifles held akimbo
Akimbo
Akimbo is a human body position in which the hands are on the hips and the elbows are bowed outward, or bent or bowed in a more general sense .-Origins:The term was recorded first in the English language around 1400 in The Tale of Beryn: "The hoost .....
. 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 goes down in a blaze of glory, fending off bugs.
Planet Earth, one year later. Sahara, now discharged from the military, attends a recruiting seminar with her newborn infant son to speak about her experience and of Dax's actions whom she credits with saving her life. 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. As Sahara leaves the recruiting station, the recruiting officer approaches her to thank her for attending and also tells her to raise her son well for: "We need fresh meat for the grinder".
Sahara, alarmed, flees the recruiting station. This act shows to have no effect on the recruiter.
Cast
- Richard BurgiRichard BurgiRichard William Burgi is an American film and television actor. He's best known for the roles of Det. Jim Ellinson on The Sentinel and as Karl Mayer on Desperate Housewives.-Personal life:...
as Capt. V.J. Dax - Colleen Porch as Pvt. Lei Sahara
- Lawrence MonosonLawrence MonosonLawrence Monoson is an American film and television actor.His first film was the 1982 comedy The Last American Virgin, in which he starred as Gary. His other well known film roles are in the 1984 horror movie Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter as Ted, and the 1985 hit drama movie Mask as Ben...
as Lt. Pavlov Dill - Brenda StrongBrenda StrongBrenda Lee Strong is an American actress and yoga instructor, known for her roles as as Capt. Deladier in the 1997 hit movie Starship Troopers and Mary Alice Young on the television show Desperate Housewives....
as Sgt. Dede Rake - Ed LauterEd LauterEdward Lauter is an American actor. He has appeared in numerous movies and was a stand up comic before getting into acting.Lauter was born in Long Beach, Long Island, New York...
as Gen. Jack Shepherd - Sandrine HoltSandrine HoltSandrine Holt is a British-born Eurasian Canadian model turned actress.-Early life:Holt was born Sandrine Ho in London, England to a Chinese father and a French mother. At age five, she and her family moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which has remained her hometown. Holt attended St...
as Pvt. Jill Sandee - Jason-Shane ScottJason-Shane ScottJason-Shane Scott is an American actor.Scott was born in Southern California. At the age of two he moved to Reno, Nevada with his mother and older sister while making frequent trips to Los Angeles to visit his father. Scott attended Wooster High School and excelled at sports, playing baseball,...
as Pvt. Duff Horton - Brian TeeBrian TeeBrian Tee is an American actor.Tee was born in Okinawa, Japan, of Japanese and Korean descent. At the age of two, he moved to Hacienda Heights, California, and was raised there ever since. He attended Glen A. Wilson High School and was ASB president and a star captain of the football team. While...
as Cpl. Thom Kobe - Kelly CarlsonKelly CarlsonKelly Lee Carlson is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Kimber Henry on Nip/Tuck. In 2001 she was listed on Tear Sheet Magazines 50 Most Beautiful list.-Career:...
as Pvt. Charlie Soda - J.P. ManouxJ.P. ManouxJean-Paul Christophe Manoux is an American actor.-Life and career:Manoux is the oldest of seven and a native of Fresno, California. He is perhaps best known for his work in multiple Disney series: as S.T.A.N...
as Tech Sgt. Ari Peck - Ed QuinnEd QuinnArthur Edward "Ed" Quinn is an American model and actor who has appeared in several film and TV roles, including Eureka, Starship Troopers 2, Young Americans and True Blood.-Early life:...
as Cpl. Joe Griff - Billy BrownBilly Ray BrownBilly Ray Brown is a former American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1980s and 1990s, and a current sportscaster for ESPN on ABC....
as Pvt. Ottis Brick - Cy Carter as Pvt. Billie Otter
- Drew Powell as Pvt. Kipper Tor
Reception
The film was largely panned by both reviews and fans of the original film and the book upon which they are based. Among the most common complaints are the low production values and the lack of any returning characters from the book or film. Clancy BrownClancy Brown
Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
was originally set to return as Zim, his character from the first film, but the actor was unavailable, having already committed to Carnivàle
Carnivàle
Carnivàle is an American television series set in the United States during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. In tracing the lives of two disparate groups of people, its overarching story depicts the battle between good and evil and the struggle between free will and destiny; the storyline mixes...
; the part was thus heavily rewritten and became 'Dax'. Lack of returning characters is even more evident when the film is compared to the original Heinlein book. Instead of showing the Mobile Infantry as a cohesive force, they are shown to be a politically motivated group where officers send soldiers to their death for their own advancement. Many criticized the sequel as lacking any element of the humor and slapstick action of the original, and for taking itself "too seriously".
There are those, however, who champion the film for its ironic plot elements (i.e., an unrepentant murderer as the hero) and ironic tone similar to the first film. While not championing the film overall, "The Stop Button's" Andrew Wickliffe thought Neumeier's writing abilities occasionally surpassed the material. Still, Wickliffe found the film to be overcomplicated--"it's [just] a siege movie...you don't need to complicate a siege movie."