10 Hated Movie Performances That Were Secretly Genius
8. Casper Van Dien - Starship Troopers
Although widely beloved today, Paul Verhoeven's 1997 sci-fi satire Starship Troopers has the honour of being the most "whoosh"-worthy film in movie history. An explicit commentary on fascism and jingoism inspired by the Nazi propaganda films Verhoeven saw while growing up in the occupied Netherlands, critics instead took the film to be an endorsement of those values - a pro-military indulgence whose first aim was to thrill instead of lampoon.
Truly, the most staggering reception a film has ever received. Watch Starship Troopers today, and it's baffling to think how any of it could have gone over the heads of critics - even more so when you bear in mind that Verhoeven's biggest hit, RoboCop, was widely heralded as a gripping takedown of Reaganistic greed and the militarisation of the police. From its propaganda broadcasts to its SS-inspired military uniforms, Starship Troopers couldn't possibly be more clear about its intentions.
At the same time, the film is a work of entertainment, and its cleverest feature is that it shows the allure of fascism while laying bare its insidiousness, exemplified by the casting of Casper Van Dien as lead protagonist Johnny Rico. Van Dien's performance - along with those of his fellow castmates' - was singled out for criticism as being all looks and no depth, but this was essentially Verhoeven's intent.
The blond, chiselled Van Dien was cast as his facial features reflected many of the attributes considered ideal in Nazi propaganda, while his story follows a similar structure to those wartime films; Rico joins the Mobile Infantry as a lowly grunt but rises through the ranks via a mix of bravery and those above him dying "valiantly" in battle. He's a caricature for the audience to imprint upon and - in a twisted way - aspire to be. That the young cast are all beautiful and devoted soldiers fighting disgusting, dirty bugs is exactly the point, and while that's not really a secret today, it remains impressive that it felt like that in '97.