Soylent Green

PG

Released May 9, 1973

1h 37m

Sci-Fi

Mystery & Thriller

List

71%

Tomatometer

41 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In a densely overpopulated, starving New York City of the future, NYPD detective Robert Thorn (Charlton Heston) investigates the murder of an executive at rations manufacturer Soylent Corporation. With the help of elderly academic Solomon "Sol" Roth (Edward G. Robinson), Thorn begins to make real progress -- until the governor mysteriously pulls the plug. Obsessed with the mystery, Thorn steps out from behind the badge and launches his own investigation into the murder.

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Critics Consensus

While admittedly melodramatic and uneven in spots, Soylent Green ultimately succeeds with its dark, plausible vision of a dystopian future.

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Penelope Gilliatt

New Yorker

This pompously prophetic thing of a film hasn’t a brain in its beanbag.

Mar 2, 2024

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Matthew Rozsa

Salon.com

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.

Rated: 4/4

Apr 24, 2023

Full Review

Alan R. Howard

Hollywood Reporter

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.

Apr 23, 2019

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The grittiness of early-70s cinema works well for this fatalistic tale.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 9, 2024

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Where so many science fiction visions of the era have dated, this gritty creation of a depressed (and depressing) future recycling the junk of the past, and where assisted suicide has become simply another social option, looks all the more real.

Oct 28, 2023

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Not a terribly good movie, it's nonetheless not a bad guess at a future...

Jan 15, 2022

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Logan T

While it can be uneven in spots and in my opinion the film would benefit from a more horror-sci-fi take Soylent Green does ultimately work due to its unique world and the uncovering of its central mystery

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/08/24

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Jelisije J

I was spoiled earlier so the twist didn't hit me as hard as it should, but still a great movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/30/23

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Gustavo R

This is a 1973 film. Depicts what happens in the near future of 2022 😹 in year 2022 the over populated earth , there's only Poor and the 1% are looking more like the .001% Theres also no meat nor fresh fruits nor veggies to eat. Only crackers made out of plankton or soy. Good news? in 2022 the whole world is vegan , except of course of the .001 % I give this movie the whole 🍿🍿🍿🍿/5 because this is what is going to happen if we don't take climate change seriously

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/27/23

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William Joseph B

Good classic drama film

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/15/23

Full Review

nick s

The production quality wasn't too bad, but I found the story predictable and silly. I really don't rate it as a sci fi classic.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/15/23

Full Review

Lorenzo M

Powerful Message That Holds Up – Using Earth's Resources – Where Do We Get Food? Circa 1973 – Spoilers ahead, directed by Richard Fleischer from a screenplay by Stanley R. Greenberg and based on Make Room! Make Room! A 1966 novel by Harry Harrison tells the story of what happens when earth loses it's resources like water, fuel and above all food. With a cast lead by #CharltonHeston, Chuck Connors, Joseph Cotton, Brock Peters and Edward G. Robinson, the story holds up and the consequences of society and the needs of humankind become brutal, dangerous and cannibalistic in a Sc-Fi way. Classic science fiction from a classic era of films that still is relevant today - Check it out! Lorenzo M.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/01/23

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Richard Fleischer

Director

Charlton Heston

Detective Robert Thorn

Edward G. Robinson

Sol Roth

Leigh Taylor-Young

Shirl

Chuck Connors

Tab Fielding

Brock Peters

Chief Hatcher

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Synopsis

In a densely overpopulated, starving New York City of the future, NYPD detective Robert Thorn (Charlton Heston) investigates the murder of an executive at rations manufacturer Soylent Corporation. With the help of elderly academic Solomon "Sol" Roth (Edward G. Robinson), Thorn begins to make real progress -- until the governor mysteriously pulls the plug. Obsessed with the mystery, Thorn steps out from behind the badge and launches his own investigation into the murder.

Director: Richard Fleischer
Producer: Walter Seltzer, Russell Thacher
Screenwriter: Harry Harrison, Stanley R. Greenberg
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Vídeo Arte
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: PG
Genre: Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 9, 1973, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 24, 2008
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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