Soylent Green is typical of Hollywood liberal paranoia. They forecast the destruction of American society in fifty years. Far enough in the future that we are not likely to live that long, but close enough that we need to do something about it right now! In this dystopian tale there are forty million people living in New York City, in 2020. I don't think they will make it since there are fewer than 9 million there now.
The police are corrupt, people are on the edge of starvation and living in the streets and sleeping on the stairwells. Still, despite the depressing and inaccurate portrayal of the future, it's a good action cop drama. It's also fun to watch the vision of the future that the past had. The furnishings, the computers are all plenty of fun and the performances are solid by all concerned.
Edward G. Robinson died of cancer only 12 days after finishing this, his 101st movie. Charlton Heston said he was on time and ready every day for his role. A true professional actor. A very good movie and every science fiction fan should have it in his library. Plenty of near future wargaming scenarios here. Break into the Soylent factory. Quell the rioters with your police. Raid the food storage to feed the people. Assassinate the cop who is investigating the Soylent Corporation.
