Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Thoughtful 1970s sci-fi has eco message, violent moments.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Silent Running
What's the Story?
In SILENT RUNNING, ecologist Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern) is tasked with maintaining a greenhouse in space after all plant life on Earth becomes extinct. When he's given unexpected orders to destroy it, his three fellow astronauts start preparing to blow it up, but Lowell is determined to take matters into his own hands.
Is It Any Good?
Conceptually and aesthetically, this sci-fi drama is incredibly impressive—especially given it was made in 1972. Where Silent Running falls down a little is plot momentum, not quite hitting the eerie existential silence of films such as Moon, yet not offering much urgency either. Dern is perfectly cast as the man so passionate about his cause that he'll stop at nothing to to fight for it. He seesaws between being a gentle, dedicated loner detached from those around him to spouting fiery sermons in the face of their apathy. The second half follows the trope of lone man in space, and while it's a story of survival, it's not his survival Lowell cares about, but nature's. His message is strong—an ecological warning that's perhaps more urgent today than ever. But it's not all serious doom and gloom. Adorable drones Huey, Dewey, and Louie offer welcome big bot cuteness long before the likes of the Star Wars movies and WALL-E gave mechanical sidekicks humanlike mischief and puppy-dog eyes. Four years before the release of this debut feature, director Douglas Trumbull acted as special photographic effects supervisor on Oscar winner 2001: A Space Odyssey and went on to work in the effects departments on classics like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Blade Runner. It's a shame then that Silent Running was the first of only two feature films with him at the helm.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of environmental conservation in Silent Running. What message did you think the film was trying to get across? Why is conservation important? Can you think of other movies with an eco theme? How do they compare? Are they generally hopeful or pessimistic?
How did Lowell display integrity during the film? Discuss what integrity means to you. Are there times you've shown it in your own life? Why is it important?
The movie is set on a space station cut off from life on Earth. How do you think that affected the characters' behavior? Can you think of other movies where characters are in a similar situation? Did it affect their behavior in the same way? What might you enjoy or struggle with if you lived on a space station?
Discuss some of the violent scenes in the movie. What impact did it have on the story? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 10, 1972
- On DVD or streaming : May 21, 2002
- Cast : Bruce Dern , Cliff Potts , Ron Rifkin , Jesse Vint
- Director : Douglas Trumbull
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : STEM
- Character Strengths : Integrity
- Run time : 89 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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