Yes, I’ve actually spent hard-earned money to buy this thing (strict Doper honesty compells me to further admit that I went ahead and bought the entire trilogy). As with the first, it is full of contrived, campy, over-the-top, subtle as a sledgehammer satire of the cheesiest kind.
In other words, I liked it in a turn your brain off sort of way.
There’s a big aspect that is making most of the reviews:
[spoiler]It’s treatment of religion – especially Christianity. A supporting character is an avid Bible-quoting Christian, and one of the leads does convert near the end, but to my way of thinking, it is merely a satire (not a good one, really) of the way politicians/nations/militaries of all creeds and views attempt to use “God” to bolster their agenda. “God is back, and He’s a citizen, too!”
The armor suits showed up for five minutes in the third act, though most of the advertising seems to try to sell the film on these “kewl” weapons. [/spoiler]
So, cheesy fun in one way, but just as dopey as the first.
I wonder why Heinlein did not get a “Characters/situations created by” credit on films two and three. Granted, were he alive, he would probably DECLINE credit, but certainly, his estate would have been paid. With the 2003 death of Ginny Heinlein, who is in charge of the Heinlein Trust? Anybody know?
Sir Rhosis