It is the future and mankind is locked in a deadly conflict with the Klendathu system inhabited by giant insects. Enter into the fray four young recruits, who leave High School to enter the service and defend the Earth. However, when the Bugs attack and destroy a major city on the Earth, the conflict escalates to full on war and are heroes are thrown into a bloody conflict which leads them to the bugs' homeworld, and a deadlt conclusion.

SPLAT!

This is an action/sci-fi of the very highest quality. It has all the necessary attributes to keep you entertained through the length of the film. There are some glorious special effects - particularly in the space battles and some of the skirmishes with the bugs. There's lots of action, both bugs and humans splattered on a regular basis (sometimes in some quite gorey and novel ways!). And then there's the obligitary bad acting. You'll be forgiven for looking down the cast list, and not finding a name you recognise, and I suspect this will be the last you see of them. Denise Richards is so wooden, you think she's going to be eaten by woodworm before being attacked by the other bugs! The inane grin that accompanies most of her scenes does irritate slightly, but she's pretty, and she's the love interest, so who cares! All the others perform to just beyond the standard set by the John Smith's cardboard cut-out, but that not what this film is about. It has great special effects, great action scenes, some genuine tension and a good conclusion. It's the sort of film you put on to impress your friends with how good DVD really is.

Extras GALORE

As for the extras, it puts the Buena Vista region 2 release to shame. Apart from not being a flipper, it included a commentary, an interesting featurette, some amusing cut scenes (and thankfully they were cut), the test piece used to convince the studio to make it and some technical documentaries. The reason for Zulu being included in the "Similar Releases" section above, is because it shares similarities with the classic, with one scene is a shot for shot remake, as pointed out by Verhoeven. The commentary highlights a lot of the political undertones within the film, such as the exploration of facisim, but forget all that. Concentrate instead on the very good video transfer and the excellent soundtrack, the bug lava is radiant in colour and the explosions and shooting whizz around your head.

If you watch the film for what it is - a fun, linear, effect-driven, splatter-fest then you'll come back to time and time again. Probably not suitable for your Mum.

Simeon Brewer