From the outset it's clear that writer/director Ed Neumeier gets it - something I'm not sure the makers of the rather disappointing Starship Troopers 2: Hero Of The Federation did.
Helped by the return of Casper Van Dien as Johnny Rico (where would Casper be without the Starship Troopers franchise?) and a widening of the satirical targets to, topically, embrace religious fanaticism, this latest release breathes new life into a series many thought long dead.
Fans of the original novel will also be pleased by the fact that we finally get to see Mobile Infantrymen fighting alien bugs while wearing powered battle armour - the "Marauder" of the title.
As with the original, Starship Troopers 3 is very much a part of the Federation universe - almost a recruitment film for the war on bugs - and, again, like the original the over-the-top jingoism and heroics are served with a slice of sexiness; this time in the form of the poor man's Angelina Jolie - and the only reason anyone watched Star Trek: Enterprise - Jolene Blalock as Captain Lola Beck.
Escaping from a front line massacre, Beck's ship - carrying Sky Marshall Anoke (Stephen Hogan), probably the most interesting character in the film - is shot out of the sky and has to escape to desert planet OM-1 and await rescue.
However, for some reason, the Federation don't seem that eager to rescue their stranded Sky Marshall, until Intelligence Officer Dix Hauser (Boris Kodjoe) sends in Johnny Rico and a squad of Marauders.
Obviously, for budgetary reasons, there were never going to be any scenes to rival Starship Trooper's Zulu-like siege by legions of bugs, but this second sequel has its fair share of action and excitement, as well as black humour and almost slapstick violence.
