Soylent Green (1973)
74%RT Audience Score: 70%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Soylent Green, a film that has stood the test of time, is a gritty and depressing vision of the future that manages to hit you right in the gut. While some critics may find it uneven and slightly muddled, the film’s grounded reality and Edward G. Robinson’s endlessly appealing performance make it a must-watch for any cinephile. The film’s antipollution PSA gone berserk plot may not be the most well thought-out, but it still manages to be a frightening and convincing portrayal of a future that we hope to avoid. Soylent Green may not be a perfect film, but it’s a classic that deserves a place in any film lover’s collection.
“Soylent Green” is a classic movie that takes place in a future where food is scarce and people are forced to eat a mysterious green substance. The movie is a bit of a mixed bag, with some critics praising it for its gritty realism and others criticizing it for being too contrived. However, one thing is for sure: Edward G. Robinson steals the show as a man who remembers the world before it fell apart. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking sci-fi movie that will make you question the future of humanity, “Soylent Green” is definitely worth a watch. Just don’t expect to be blown away by the special effects!
Production Company(ies)
MGM Studios
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Vídeo Arte
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1973
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 37m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 9, 1973 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 25, 2008
Genre(s)
Sci-fi/Mystery & thriller
Keyword(s)
starring Charlton Heston, Edward G Robinson, Leigh Taylor-Young, Chuck Connors, Brock Peters, Paula Kelly, directed by Richard Fleischer, written by Harry Harrison, Stanley R Greenberg, produced by Walter Seltzer, Russell Thacher, sci-fi, mystery, thriller, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Matthew Rozsa, Alan R Howard, Chris Nashawaty, Don Druker, A.H Weiler, MPAA rating PG, dystopian future, overpopulation, murder investigation, Soylent Corporation, food shortage, conspiracy, dark vision, plausible, Charlton Heston’s performance, Edward G Robinson’s performance, social commentary, environmental issues, pollution, eco-system, special effects, set construction, futuristic NYC, aspect ratio, mono sound mix, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Vídeo Arte, Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Edward G. Robinson – Sol Roth
Leigh Taylor-Young – Shirl
Chuck Connors – Tab Fielding
Brock Peters – Chief Hatcher
Paula Kelly – Martha
Director – Richard Fleischer
Producers – Walter Seltzer, Russell Thacher
Writers – Harry Harrison, Stanley R. Greenberg
Director(s)
Richard Fleischer
Writer(s)
Harry Harrison, Stanley R. Greenberg
Producer(s)
Walter Seltzer, Russell Thacher
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (40) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (28) | Rotten (12)
Its greatest attribute is not that it accurately anticipated many things about humanity’s future. “Soylent Green” stands the test of time because it does these things while slamming you right where real anxiety festers and brews . . . in your guts.
April 24, 2023 | Rating: 4/4
Matthew Rozsa
Salon.com
TOP CRITIC
Soylent Green is Edward G. Robinson’s movie. As a man who remembers the wonders of civilization before it died, he is witty, cultivated and endlessly appealing.
April 23, 2019
Alan R. Howard
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
March 24, 2011 | Rating: B
Chris Nashawaty
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Uneven and slightly muddled futuristic horror story — not really science fiction, more like an antipollution PSA gone berserk.
June 5, 2007
Don Druker
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Good, solid stuff, assembled efficiently enough to be pretty persuasive.
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Their 21st-century New York occasionally is frightening but it is rarely convincingly real.
May 9, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/5
A.H. Weiler
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Not a terribly good movie, it’s nonetheless not a bad guess at a future…
January 15, 2022
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
Grounded in such a recognizable reality that the science-fiction elements are almost indiscernible.
August 31, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
It seems, for all its futuristic malarkey, as contrived and antiquated a melodrama as may be seen any night on the Late Show.
July 16, 2019
Bernard Drew
Gannett News Service
It’s a hard one to judge, and while I enjoyed watching it, I don’t see myself watching it again…I guess an average score then, but I am glad I finally watched it.
February 7, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
David Hogan
hoganreviews.co.uk
Not well thought-out and a genuine disappointment for all its visibility in the popular conversation
June 20, 2011 | Rating: 2/4
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central
Where so many science fiction visions of the era have dated, this gritty creation of a depressed (and depressing) future… looks all the more real.
April 1, 2011
Sean Axmaker
Seanax.com…
Plot
In a dystopian future, NYPD detective Robert Thorn investigates the murder of an executive at rations manufacturer Soylent Corporation, with the help of an elderly academic, and launches his own investigation into the murder when the governor mysteriously pulls the plug in Soylent Green.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t have any goofy or funny comments about the film Soylent Green.
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