Since its release more than 25 years ago, more and more people have come to realize that Paul Verhoeven’sStarship Troopersis actually something close to a masterpiece. (Well, except for oneTwitter user, who went viralwith his tone-deaf take on it.) The 1997 film, which is set in a future in which young army officers battle against massive alien bugs, is a hilarious send-up of the military-industrial complex and the ideologies that propel it.
Given its incredibly specific tone, though, it’s fair to say that there aren’t a lot of movies out there that are likeStarship Troopers. That doesn’t mean there are none, though, so we’ve done our best to come up with a list of threegreat sci-fisatires that will remind you of whatStarship Troopersis able to achieve.
Mars Attacks! (1996)
One of Tim Burton’s least hyped films,Mars Attacks!is a pretty straightforward story about what would happen on Earth if Martians invaded. While something likeIndependence Daytakes that story with a certain amount of seriousness, though,Mars Attacks!emplys the opposite approach.
The film is a camp comedy where Jack Nicholson has two roles,James Bond‘s Pierce Brosnan plays a scientist, and all of Washington, D.C. is totally destroyed by the end of the movie. It’s one of the very best sci-fi comedies of its kind, and one of Burton’s most underrated films.
Mars Attacks!can be rented or purchased onAmazon Prime Video.
Galaxy Quest (1999)
Ostensibly a parody ofStar Trek,Galaxy Questhas built up its own fandom thanks to its tremendous success. The film follows a group of actors who once starred in aStar Trek-esque series as they discover that real aliens exist — and that the aliens believe these actors are actually the characters they played on the show.
Thanks to brilliant work from a great ensemble cast, as well as a premise that lends itself to plenty of comedy,Galaxy Questis a sci-fi romp of the highest caliber, and it’s also surprisingly moving when it needs to be. Add in a dash of Tony Shalhoub’s expert comic timing and a healthy dose of Alan Rickman, and you have a genuine comic masterpiece.
Galaxy Questis streaming for free inPluto TV.
They Live (1988)
John Carpenter has long been a master of sci-fi satire, andThey Livemight be his magnum opus. The film tells the story of a working-class guy who discovers that the entire world he believed he lived in is actually run by aliens who look like people.
They Livecan be rented or purchased onAmazon Prime Video.
