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This is one of those movies I had maybe already watched many years ago but could not be absolutely sure. Memory did its work of weeding out the unsignificant stuff maybe.

Silent Running feels like a Twilight Zone episode blown out to feature length (bad) and wide-screen expectations (good). The premise is really flimsy, nothing much happens because it is just a very naive idea that is not developed into something bigger. So Bruce Dern is here to help make it look more intense and intelligent than it really is, and the sets and cinematography are also very impressive for a low budget. Sorry to be blunt but in the end it just looks like someone with half the IQ of Kubrick was impressed by (and inspired by his work on) 2001. Those cute droids don't hold a candle to HAL and all this sentimentalism feels quite misplaced beyond the stargate.

I could not remember if I had already seen the movie. Maybe I tried some years back, or maybe I just read about it, anyway there is nothing much to remember. As a Sci-Fi endeavour it is quintessential, no doubt. Some reviewers here described it as a Sci-Fi procedural... that's precisely the point, or lack thereof. A procedural is interesting because it is anchored in our boring present. Conversely Sci-Fi has an obligation to tickle our imagination.

The Andromeda Stain might well be an interesting book but it certainly had zero potential as a feature length. There is basically no action, everything happens in the mind of scientists, so action relies on dialogue to blandly expose thoughts 95% of the time. Actors are just asked to play dead-serious scientists and further contextualizing editing just messes up with whatever tension could build up in the isolated base.

All in all it looks as if the Hollywood executives involved here had watched 2001 and thought movie goers could enjoy whatever Sci-Fi story with only clean-cut contemplative imagery and some scientifical grand scheme as a story.

The era of over-explicit storytelling was coming to a close. Thomas Harris's book might have been a page turner but the extensive intercut between the terrorists preparation and the authorities following the clues becomes quite boring on screen where every single detail is made 100% explicit and over-explained!

Sure we get to empathize with both sides. Terrorists' motivation, careful planification of an evil genius plan (Bruce Dern regretted that is popularized the concept of the use of an aircraft for a massive terror attack) and Mossad agents dedication and tiredness are nicely depicted. Which, on the other hand, further detracts from pure suspense.

It seems dumb now to think that in 1976 movies were made where the whole plot was drawn on the movie poster and that people flocked (before Star Wars disrupted the offering) to see that unmysterious story unfold during 150 minutes. I mean we all knew that the Titanic was going to sink but the screenpaly was not about the iceberg's inner motivation or an engineer's anxiety on board.