Soylent Green

Starring: Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, Joseph Cotton, Edward G. Robinson
Directed by: Richard Fleischer
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller
1973

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A detective (Charlton Heston) in 2022 tries to solve a murder that has ties back to the powerful Soylent company.

Review:

Tim: This is a classic science fiction mystery film that proves far more impactful than you might realize. The movie does a good job of throwing us into this post-apocalytic world- one where cities are overcrowded, hopes are dashed, and horrifying secrets exist around every corner. In the middle of this dystopia, one police detective finds himself involved in a mystery that has terrible consequences for the country. Director Richard Fleischer does a good job of portraying this dark, desperate world. The rest of the movie works because of this setting.

Charlton Heston is quite good as the protagonist cop. He is a complex character- one who we like, but also feel hesitant about. His actions throughout the movie can be heroic, but they can also be very self-serving (stealing from dead people!?). This makes him sort of an interesting anti-hero. His roommate, played wonderfully by Edward G. Robinson makes an interesting partner to Heston. The movie's best scenes involve these two actors interacting (the feast scene is one of the film's best).

While the film is quite good throughout, the real punch comes near the end. Soylent Green features one of the most shocking endings in sci-fi history. While the shock doesn't come completely unexpected (anyone paying attention can figure it out 10 minutes before the big reveal), it is still so well done that we can't help but recoil when Heston utters those unforgettable words. The whole movie works up to this powerful moment. I highly recommend this classic film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Planet of the Apes, The Omega Man, Blade Runner