1990s Sci-Fi Cult Classic Starship Troopers Now Free on Pluto TV

The 1990s sci-fi action film Starship Troopers, now regarded as a cult classic, is streaming for free on Pluto TV. Casper Van Dien leads as Johnny Rico, a recruit in the Mobile Infantry battling an alien race of Bugs. The ensemble cast also includes Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Neil Patrick Harris, Jake Busey, Michael Ironside, Clancy Brown, Seth Gilliam and Patrick Muldoon.

On the surface the film plays like a pro-military, war-as-entertainment action picture, but it functions as a satire of fascist and militaristic propaganda that brainwashes people into fighting an alien enemy. Released in 1997, critics were divided; Roger Ebert gave it 2/4 stars, and it grossed $121 million against a budget of around $105 million, not including marketing costs.

The movie is also remembered for its controversial co-ed shower scene, which director Paul Verhoeven defended as reflecting the United Citizens Federation’s values.

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