Studio: Arrow Video
Release Date: 7/28/2026
Rating: PG
Film Grade: B
The Story: New York, 2022, the city is teaming with too many residents with too few resources. A stratified class of elites lord over the desperate poor. Detective Robert Thorn has graduated from riot patrol and finds himself tied to the murder investigation of one of those elites; a case that has much deeper reaches than he can ever imagine.
My Take: Based on the 1966 novel, Make Room, Make Room, by author Harry Harrison, the movie presents a dystopian future society. From the above recap, one might think that it’s remarkably prescient, but for as many things as it gets right, it gets more things wrong. For example, it doesn’t show any advancement in computer science, food supplies have failed to keep up with population growth, everyone lives in cities; rural areas are entirely devoted to food production, electricity is self-generated, and electronic surveillance is limited. The movie is best viewed as an investigative thriller built on the context of a cautionary tale.
As is the case for many dystopian tales, the story builds on current day concerns. Those ideas were part of academic thought prior to the novel, and at the time of the film’s production, books like Paul Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb was well within the public’s consciousness. Those fears provided enough context to the story so that it felt more like a glimpse of the near future rather than a far-off science fiction story. It’s worth mentioning that the shocking ending was not part of Harrison’s novel and tacked on to the movie.
Screenwriter Stanley R. Greenberg’s plot could almost be considered a noir detective movie, with a simple murder investigation leading to a possible conspiracy. The majority of his work was with TV scripts, and this almost feels like a big-budget version of a TV movie. Incidentally, that’s not meant as a knock, as there were a lot of solid stories told with that format during the time that period. Rising above their meager budgets, they often showed a good bit of style within a restricted format. During the course of this story, we see how the rich and powerful consider their fellow humans as little more than chattel. Attractive women are treated like possessions, while the remainder are left to fend for themselves. Curfews keep the commoners off the streets at night, but the lack of housing leaves them sleeping on floors or stairwells. The lucky commoners can afford to live in dingy apartments, which is where we find Thorn and his roommate and fellow investigator, Sol.
Corruption is rampant. While the majority of the populace gets their sustenance from the different Soylent products, including the newly introduced green version, the rich can afford products from the underground markets, including fresh fruits, vegetables, and even meat. That authoritarian abuse extends to the police, so when Thorn starts helping himself to some of the murder victim’s belongings, it doesn’t faze the witnesses. It’s a society that is constantly teetering on the edge of complete chaos, with an underlying threat of mass rebellion.
As the brains of the investigation, Sol has access to one of the few repositories of human knowledge - a makeshift library, known as The Exchange. With actual books, the contents are curated by custodians who remember the world when publishers still existed. They’re all part of a dying generation, with memories of real food, trees, and bucolic countrysides. This information proves key to Thorn’s ultimate revelation, all brought about by what seems like an insignificant item from his pillaging.
Eclectic director Richard Fleisher (Fantastic Voyage, The Jazz Singer, Mandingo, Doctor Dolittle, and Tora! Tora! Tora!) does a fantastic job with a diverse cast. Charlton Heston gives Thorn an unexpected amount of grit combined with moral ambivalence. This is not the typical heroic performance we’d expect to see out of him, as the character has no issue with taking what he wants. Yet we still see a caring and touching relationship with Sol. Leigh Taylor-Young portrays his female love interest, in a role that will make feminists cringe, rightfully so. As little more than a plaything for rich playboys, it’s a powerful representation of how women are treated in that society.
But the standout performance here is from Edward G. Robinson, in what would end up being his final film. Far from the gangster-like parts he’s most often remembered for, he gives Sol a touch of humanity and a tie to the past that grounds the viewer to the story. While the movie is best remembered for one of its closing lines, which I won’t repeat for the rare chance the reader hasn’t yet heard it, it’s the going home sequence that had the greatest effect on me when I first saw this on TV as a kid. Is this really what old people will have to look forward to in the future? Watching it some four decades later, the scene is still just as touchingly profound. It’s a tribute to both Heston and Robinson’s performances in the picture, as well as the scripting and direction.
There’s a bevy of other good acting talent here, including Chuck Connors, Brock Peters, and a minor appearance by Dick Van Patten, who delivers the line quoted below. Fans of the original Star Trek series will enjoy the brief, but impactful appearance by Celia Lovesky as the leader of The Exchange. Even the small players have a chance to shine in this movie; another credit to Flesher’s direction.
Visuals: Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging produced a new 4K scan of the original 35mm negative for this release and it’s a beauty. Grain is evident in some scenes but also remarkably clean in others, especially indoor shots. Cinematographer Richard H. Kline (Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Andromeda Strain, Body Heat) did a fantastic job of creating the atmosphere for the movie. There are good contrast levels and colors appear natural. The exceptions to this are the outdoor shots that have an intentionally green haze to them, the process for which is discussed by the director in his commentary. There’s also some magnificent matte painting work by the talented Matthew Yuricich, which help create the oppressive and dismal look of the film.
Audio: The disc carries the movie’s original mono soundtrack. While lacking the dynamics and spatial cues of modern productions, it features clear dialog that’s easy to follow. The musical score by Fred Myrow (the first three Phantasm movies) is intentionally low-key. In the extras, Flesher likens it to elevator music. This ends up giving more emotional impact to the classical music used during the going home scene.
Special Features: The director’s commentary track tells a number of reverential stories about Robbinson with one revealing his humility, even as one of the picture’s main stars. The other commentaries and printed booklet have varying takes on the film’s social aspects, which readers may or may not agree with. It’s packed with lots of other information about the film and its background. It’s yet another top-notch bunch of extras from Arrow.
- Archive audio commentary with director Richard Fleischer and star Leigh Taylor-Young
- Brand new audio commentary with film historian Michael Brooke and author Johnny Mains
- Charlton Heston at the BFI, an archive on-stage interview with the star of Soylent Green
- Richard Fleisher at the BFl, an archive onstage interview with the director of Soylent Green
- A Look at the World of Soylent Green, a vintage featurette
- MGM's Tribute to Edward G. Robinson's 101st Film, a vintage featurette
- Theatrical trailer
- Image galleries
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
- Collectors' booklet featuring new writing by Frank Collins and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
Final Verdict: Soylent Green hit screens more than five decades ago but remains both relevant and entertaining all these many years later. Fortunately, the world envisioned in the film didn’t come to pass even if there are some aspects that echo what we’re seeing today. Yet themes and warnings about elite rulers controlling society with little regard for humanity are still relevant, and likely always will be.
Aided by solid direction and strong on-screen talent, the movie remains engaging from beginning to end. Even knowing the shock revelation at the end doesn’t rob the story of its suspense or emotional impact. It’s a surprisingly refreshing visit to an old film. Fans will want to pick up this great looking new release, and benefit from the abundant extras included.
Wryly Cold Dialogue: “It’s truly unfortunate that you missed the overture.”
This review was written by a human without the use of AI.My Review System:JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
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JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
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Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
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