Editing Silent Running (section)

==Reception==
{{Anchor|Critics|Critical response}} 
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] the film has an approval rating of 71% based on reviews from 34 critics. The critical consensus states: "It doesn't fulfill the potential of its ambitious themes, but ''Silent Running'' stands as a decidedly unique type of sci-fi journey marked by intimate character work and a melancholic mood."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/silent_running |title=Silent Running (1971) |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=July 23, 2022}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]] the film has a score of 67% based on reviews from 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |title=Silent Running |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/silent-running |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=2021-02-26}}</ref>

[[Vincent Canby]], reviewing the film for ''[[The New York Times]]'', said that ''Silent Running'' "is no jerry-built science fiction film, but it's a little too simple-minded to be consistently entertaining."<ref name="canby72">{{cite web |first=Vincent |last=Canby |title=Silent Running: Science-Fiction Story With Cheerful Robots |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=April 1, 1972 |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9504E4DC1F31E73BBC4953DFB2668389669EDE |access-date=2021-02-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419105228/http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9504E4DC1F31E73BBC4953DFB2668389669EDE |archive-date=2014-04-19}}<!-- NYTimes archive link: https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/01/archives/screen.html?searchResultPosition=1 requires subscription --></ref> [[Carl Sagan]] criticized the "technically proficient" film for depicting a future in which people have forgotten the [[inverse-square law]], and that plants need sunlight.<ref name="sagan19780528">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/05/28/archives/growing-up-with.html |title=Growing up with Science Fiction |last=Sagan |first=Carl |date=1978-05-28 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2018-12-12 |page=SM7 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] awarded the film his highest rating of four stars and praised Dern as "a very good, subtle actor."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/silent-running-1971 |title=Silent Running |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |access-date=December 10, 2018}}</ref> [[Gene Siskel]] gave the film two stars out of four and compared it unfavorably to ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'', saying that it had "the same effects but none of the wit or intelligence."<ref>[[Gene Siskel|Siskel, Gene]] (May 8, 1972). "Silent Running". ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. Section 2, p. 19.</ref> Arthur D. Murphy of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' lauded the "excellent special effects" and "broadly entertaining script" but faulted the "crucial miscasting" of Dern, explaining, "Walking around often in robes which crudely suggest some kind of airborne vegetarian [[Noah]], and otherwise suggesting an out-to-lunch mentality, his characterization does not evoke empathy."<ref>Murphy, Arthur D. (March 8, 1972). "Film Reviews: Silent Running". ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]''. 24.</ref> [[Charles Champlin]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' praised the film for avoiding "the usual heavy hokum associated with the [sci-fi] genre" and called it "a solid and well-disciplined first film. The spaceries really are impressive and the movie is an ingenious family entertainment which offers something to think about."<ref>[[Charles Champlin|Champlin, Charles]] (March 10, 1972). "Man Alone in 'Silent Running'". ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. Part IV, p. 1.</ref> Gary Arnold of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' called the film "the most original and interesting science-fiction melodrama since '[[Planet of the Apes (1968 film)|Planet of the Apes]]' and a new classic of the genre."<ref>Arnold, Gary (May 1, 1972). "A Moving Elegy-in-Advance". ''[[The Washington Post]]''. B1.</ref> [[Penelope Gilliatt]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'' wrote: "The robots have endearing qualities, paddling about as if in galoshes, and they play a wonderful game of poker, but this is sci-fi with the soul of an editorial."<ref>[[Penelope Gilliatt|Gilliatt, Penelope]] (April 15, 1972). "The Current Cinema". ''[[The New Yorker]]''. 125.</ref> British film critic [[Mark Kermode]] has said that the film is a personal favorite and that he prefers it to ''2001''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/markkermode/2011/11/silent_running.html |title=Mark Kermode's film blog: Silent Running |work=BBC |date=November 1, 2011 |access-date=October 22, 2014}}</ref>

Nods and various [[Easter egg (media)|easter eggs]] to the film would make their way in numerous genre media, including [[Ronald D. Moore]]'s 2003 [[Battlestar Galactica (miniseries)|''Battlestar Galactica'']] miniseries and [[Steven Spielberg]]'s 2018 film adaptation [[Ready Player One (film)|''Ready Player One'']]. As testament to the film's cult status, a screen-matched costume jumpsuit worn by Bruce Dern originating from Douglas Trumbull's personal collection sold for {{US$|40,625}} in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Silent Running (1972) - Douglas Trumbull Collection: Freeman Lowell's (Bruce Dern) Screen-Matched Hero Costume |url=https://propstore.com/product/silent-running/douglas-trumbull-collection-freeman-lowells-bruce-dern-screen-matched-hero-costume/ |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=propstore.com}}</ref> In [[Super Mario Odyssey]], various steam-powered robots are upkeeping a biome in a wooded area, much like the film.

The picture won the 1972 Golden Astroid for best picture at the International Science-Fiction Film Festival in Trieste, Italy. <ref>{{Cite web |title=AFI catalog of feature films |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/54648}}</ref>

[[Joel Hodgson]] credits ''Silent Running'' as being a direct influence on the concept of ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'', with both ''Silent Running'' and ''MST3K'' featuring a single human aboard a spaceship accompanied only by robot companions. ''MST3K'' and its Joel Robinson character also occasionally reflected Freeman Lowell's [[hippie]]-like nature.<ref name="nytimes 2008">{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/arts/television/09dave.html | title = The Show That Turned the Mockery Into the Message | first = Dave | last = Itzkoff | date = November 9, 2008 | access-date = December 2, 2015 | work = [[The New York Times]] | archive-date = April 7, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170407225443/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/arts/television/09dave.html | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="art of the title">{{cite web | url = http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/mystery-science-theater-3000/ | title = Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1998) | website = [[Art of the Title]] | first1 = Jonathan | last1 = Dube | first2 = Will | last2 = Perkins | date = December 19, 2011 | access-date = December 2, 2015 | archive-date = December 8, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151208173324/http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/mystery-science-theater-3000/ | url-status = live }}</ref>