High concept sci-fi that isn't lacking in interesting ideas, but is ultimately hamstrung by an uneven performance from its lead actor. Dern has flashes of brilliance as the isolated botanist trying to maintain a wayward space vessel with only the help of robot drones, but, overall, is just not capable enough to sustain believability. The script doesn't help either, forcing actions on his character in the 3rd act that don't feel natural given the groundwork established previously.

Typical 70s Science Fiction ideals are put on display in this film. It's filled with lovable droids, and a plot that makes your head spin. However, whats lacking is a sense of humanity. The conflicted protagonist doesn't leave you cheering for him, and his derangement only serves to alienate the audience. Overall though, an incredible character study on what happens when one man's life is destroyed at the push of a button.

Every time I heard Joan Baez' voice I cringed.

I think this movie is a lot more anti-environmentalist than it lets on. Generally confused and badly fleshed out, at least it entertains some serious ideas for its time.

"Silent Running definitely shows its age." - Ed Gonzalez

Eric Cartman's least favourite film, that is for sure.

Great Scott Billy! Plants need sunlight!

Very strange film. You wonder if it's supposed to be a film for tree-hugging hippies, or quite the opposite, a film exposing Greenpeace lovers for the murderous crazy loons they really are. For sheer attempt at doing something different this movie deserves an audience, but at the end of the day, the premise and story is plain silly: A highly trained astronaut cannot figure that trees need sunlight? If you think about it, almost a kinda precursor to the Alien 3 that never was. Acquired taste.

It's enjoyable in the way that you don't want anyone to know you liked it. Simple, could've been done better, but not terrible.

The nadir of post-Easy Rider new HW cinema, this heavy handed and glacial exercise in eco-wankery also stands as one of the worst sci-fis I have ever seen. This, mainly, is because it is the wrong kind og bad. Not that the film isn't ridiculous enough, but it's much too self-indulgent to fly as good camp and way too slow to pull off duty on a double bill with other pretentious, but funnier, sci-fiers like Zardoz. And while I am an advocate of shit cinema, this load just doesn't sit right with me

Preachiness (e.g. Joan Baez on the sdtrk!) becomes almost a non-issue as the focus turns 2 the mystery of what will become of Dern's isolated protagonist & 2 its credit, the film never excuses Dern's actions. It's also suprisingly prescient given that the utter indifference towards nature expressed by most of the characters seems profoundly less far-fetched than it used 2. It's a fair bet that plenty of today's Ayn Randian conservatives would find Dern's activist arguments completely w/out merit

This will not stand. This goddamn, tree hugging piece of hippie shit taking a piss in the face of my beloved sci fi genre. My beloved and versatile genre that has scared me to death with fierce creatures from the beyond, let me dream of galaxies far, far away and let me travel through time and dimensions. And the this: A Joan Baez scored movie with a 'must kill people to save forests'-message. It did introduce me to concept of circular pool though. Also: nice use of multiple-amputee actors.

Doubtless extremely flawed, but I can't help but find it charming.

Saygı duyulması gereken bir konu ama basit bir anlatım.

Highly disappointed.

The production design is very clearly influential to future science fiction works; the subject matter is not. Bruce Dern the Space Hippie (in a good performance) fights to protect the space bunnies and the space trees from the space rednecks to the sound of the two worst Joan Baez songs ever composed. The stuff related to environmentalism falls flat; the more inspired moments stem from Dern's lonely interactions with his robot friends. The ending is bad and accentuates the film's aimlessness.

Could have been an interesting film with a good setup and effects, but it never gets out of first gear. Not only is there little explanation of what's going on, the more things are revealed the less sense the whole film makes, right up to a finale that's surprising because it's so obvious that it makes no sense as a climax. Still, the mood is well done enough that it's not a total waste, and short enough that it's over by the time you decide to bail.

Hippies in space! Less a great sci-fi movie than it is a different one, this is worth catching for the adorable robots

Dern is fantastic in this '70s eco-friendly SF thriller. Bleak and ultimately defeatist, it's still a fascinating product of its time, and one of Freder's guilty pleasures. Certainly much different from and superior to most anything being done in the genre today.

Goofy '60's stuff.

Has some really interesting ideas and the robots are great, but it's just not quite enough.

I've always had a soft spot for this movie, but Doug Trumbull should have just stuck to visual FX instead of trying his hand at directing. Silent Running has an interesting premise that reveals the time it was made in and some of the visuals are outstanding, the robots are cute and all, but Dern just can't carry the entire movie on his own, not least due to the lack of a powerful script. And so this movie plods on and gets unintentionally hilarious at times.

Unique sf story about a biologist who kills his shipmates to save the last trees

Excellent.

Bruce Dern is outstanding in this ecology tale of robots, the last plant life and space truckers. Well thought out, as well as visually impressive

Quiet, gentle, and thought provoking, even if it's a little bit weird in places.

it's easy to tell this is a product of the disillusion popular in the end of the 60's with the views of lowell, and the whole plot in the first place, not to mention a soundtrack provided by joan baez. still, as a movie it lacks, saving forests in space is great and everything, but show me a little more entertainment man, and robots playing poker doesnt count.

Sci-fi with soul, even if the guy is a bit violent for a hippy

worth seeing if you have a sense of humor. if you are a sci fi purist, stay away. "In the sun......."

The whole movie could have ended in minute 18, but instead it was extended more and more to no end. Douglas trumbull has other talents, definitely not directing.

The intensity with which Dern engages this bizarre B movie is admirable, and the robots have unexpected character, but that doesn't save it from its vague message.

Tough to score this one...Took a somewhat good premise and butchered it to hell. Psychodude kills everybody to save plants and even takes out a handicapped robot for absolutely no reason. That and the CRAPPIEST soundtrack to a movie EVAR.

A very iconic film that, while great for the stuff it inspired (Wall E, MST3k) doesn't really stand on its own, but feels like a short story stretched to a full length movie.

Well-intentioned, perhaps, and a reasonable premise, but very poorly executed in nearly all departments.

Uninspiring hippie sci-fi with a confused environmentalist message. The main character is supposed to be this incredibly dedicated botanist, but his revelation at the end suggests that he's tremendously bad at his job. Dern has an interesting presence, but he's really not a very good actor. And Joan Baez is hard to stomach under any circumstances. The only thing about this movie that rises above average are the special effects. Everything else is pretty hokey, clichéd, or mediocre.