Review of Soylent Green (1973) by Rick Q — 05 Jan 2013

This movie is about a dystopian 2022-era New York facing overpopulation, pollution, global warming, food, power and consumer goods shortages, poverty, riots and corruption. However, the sets do not look futuristic at all : the movie was released in 1973 and everything has an early 70's feel.

To enjoy the movie, the viewer must focus on the storyline. Basically, it's a police movie with film noir elements. Most actors perform very well. The directing is strong, as the viewer understands how the movie's universe works through events, actions and the way the characters talk (notably, understatements); there is just enough information to figure out what is going on without feeling overwhelmed by details.