Starship Troopers (1997)

SYFY, 10.00PM ★★★★

 At first glance, this Oscarnominated sci-fi action thriller looks distressingly silly: in the distant future, a group of American high-school friends join the armed forces to do intergalactic war with some malicious insectoid aliens. The whole of humanity is at risk. Thankfully, director Paul Verhoeven deftly underpins the whole thing with wicked satirical verve and no-nonsense action.