Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars

• Directed by Shinji Aramaki and Masaru Matsumoto
• August 21, 2017
• Based on Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein

Voice Cast

• Col. Juan “Johnny” Rico-Casper Van Dien
• Dizzy Flores-Dina Meyer
• Gen. Carl Jenkins-Justin Doran
• Capt. Carmen Ibanez-Luci Christian
• Sky Marshal Amy Snapp-Emily Neves
• Lt. Toshi Baba-Scott Gibbs
• One-Oh-One-DeRay Davis
• Tami Camacho-Juliet Simmons
• Dutch Cantor-Chris Gibson
• Private 2nd Class Geo Malik-Greg Ayres
• Sgt. Major Guy “Ratzass” Cunningham-Leraldo Anzaldua
• George Baba-John Swasey
• Bug scream-Ashley Forshaw
• Fed Net Official-Andrew Love
• Daniel-Kyle C. Jones
• Special Branch Chief Torek-Rob Mungle
• Sana the Ticket Agent-Maggie Flecknoe

An egotistical Sky Marshal plots against Mars as a bug invasion threatens to overwhelm the planet.

This movie is a direct sequel to Invasion. Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars is also much more in the style of the original film than its predecessor. Here they have re-introduced the “Want to know more?” interstitials that take on a sarcastic tone. With the return of writer Edward Neumeier this is as much satire as it is action.

Traitor of Mars takes jabs at superficial media coverage and maybe even the media having an unknowing complicity in pushing government narratives without digging deeper. The “reporter” we get is more personality than intrepid truth seeker. The man on the street comments heard are meant to get a reaction rather than inform. And the talking heads we see bicker like children. The media is all in on glorifying their latest political superstar while taking shallow looks at what really matters.

While the arachnids are the overarching threat, they feel more like a serious pest control issue rather than an opposing civilization. I am unsure if they are even intelligent anymore but rather just a predatory menace. The main threat of the film though is Sky Marshal Amy Snapp who feels like a mockery of the wannabe influencer more interested in getting likes than in anything else. There might also be a poke or two at a certain real world political figure by the heavy handed statements of the media fawning over her supposed intelligence. Unfortunately Snapp is the head of a vast military so her seeking popularity from total strangers as well as the media idolatry has serious consequences.

I could not help but notice the design of Amy Snapp looks like Emma Watson. No kidding. Was this accidental or some kind of joke on the part of the people animating this movie? I don’t know and don’t care, but I did find it entertaining. And Watson is not who I see Snapp being fashioned to mock. Anywho…

Johnny Rico finds himself once again in the middle of the action having been busted down all the way to squad leader for his inability to stop the arachnid incursion on Mars from the last film. He’s a political scapegoat and knows it and maybe he’s even a little more cynical this time around. Johnny Rico isn’t the only character return to return. Dizzy Flores (it makes sense), Carl Jenkins, and Carmen Ibanez all show back up.

The Mars Incursion is shown as a way for Snapp to destroy Mars with a Q bomb (introduced in Marauder) so I guess those movies are still can’t canonical. Her goal is to make Mars into a kind of example for what will happen to colonies that seek independence. She sways public opinion with media manipulation. 

And there is some real emotion in this. I’m not talking you’re going to be bawling your eyes out or have your heart moved in some way. Johnny Rico regrets the mistakes of his past, specifically those with Dizzy. Carl expresses concerns over having not been a better friend. Little more substantive stuff than one would expect from a direct to video movie.

The action is great. And the moments where the characters intentionally or unintentionally undermine the villain’s plan you’re cheering for them. A movie like this is only as good as the villain and the villain is very good. She is perfect for what they are trying to say in Traitor of Mars. 

I was rather surprised to find this movie does indeed have something to say. Maybe not perfectly. It’s satirical and cynical. It’s less an adventure film like Invasion was and more commentary with characters trying to gain personal power at the expense of others. This would’ve made a very good live action film. That is if they had the budget to put everything on screen in live action as they did here. There’s a certain level of freedom that animation provides over live action. You’re still restricted by budget, but not nearly as restricted as you are in the alternative.

Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars makes the most of what it has. It is an exciting story with more beneath the surface that if you don’t get it you’ll still get an exciting story. This is a worthy follow-up to the original Starship Troopers. Not as deep or sophisticated but very good.