It’s said that the best film adaptations of books find their inner core without ever feeling beholden to the details of the text. Which raises the question: Did Paul Verhoeven even read Robert Heinlein’s borderline crypto-fascist tale of power armor and interstellar war against alien insects? His version doesn’t have power armor or Heinlein’s imperialistic tendencies, instead relying on a bunch of rising stars in various states of attire and a seething attack on propaganda culture. But considering how many jingoistic and militaristic types unironically call it their favorite film, and how many tickets were just sold to see bugs go splat, did the satire work or did it just appeal to the same audience as Heinlein? Read the book, watch the movie, and take part in the discussion afterward. – Richard Whittaker