Review of Soylent Green (1973) by Nick W — 11 Feb 2008

In the future in an overpopulated world, New York City is in perpetual heat, the haves are the super rich and the have nots are the masses in slums and anywhere there is room. Food wise, the masses live on Soylent, a synthetic foodstuff.

When one of the chief execs of the Soylent Corporation is found dead in his apartment, Charlton Heston, playing a hard-boiled, bitter and cynical cop, sets out to investigate and discovers a shocking truth about why the murder took place .

. . Great supporting roles from Leigh Taylor-Young as love interest and in his last movie, Edward G Robinson as Heston's housemate and 'book' who uncovers the dirty secrets and also goes to his death in a very memorable scene indeed.

One with lots of impact and also lampooned on The Simpsons! In fact, Soylent Green gets a mention a lot of Futurama as well, showing its cult status! You will know the ending, but like one of Heston's previous movies, PLANET OF THE APES, the fun is the journey there.

Watch out as well for the method of riot control when the local market runs out of Soylent and mob rule takes over!