Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars

You don't need another "hidden gem sci-fi" list — Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars in the US on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel is simply a strong one. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 332 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Casper Van Dien's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Start it on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars earns its spot. What makes Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. Federation trooper Johnny Rico is ordered to work with a group of new recruits on a satellite station on Mars, where giant bugs have decided to target their next attack. Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer lead a cast that makes the ambitious moments land. It hit screens in 2017. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars a chance. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Casper Van Dien anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.

Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars was released in 2017, directed by Shinji Aramaki. The full 87-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.