2001: A Space Odyssey
★★★★ out of ★★★★
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Runtime: 149 minutes
MPAA: Rated G for action violence.
I feel out of this world.
We've heard it. When 2001: A Space Odyssey was released, reviews ranged from highly positive to rather negative. We've heard of the film critic Pauline Kael, who called it 'unimaginative'. We've heard of Stephen Hunter from The Washington Post calling it 'A crackpot Looney Tune.' There are such criticisms for 2001: A Space Odyssey, including slow pacing, thin characters, stiff performances, and scarce dialogue, but they are invalid. Look into the bigger picture of 2001.
2001 begins with 3 minutes of black screen (I, in fact, fast-forwarded the movie on television to make sure that the screen was working) then numerous shots of the desert. We focus on a tribe of monkeys from 4 million years ago, who banter and wander around their surroundings. One day, they discover a monolith and are fascinated by it. Later on, a monkey learns how to use a bone as a tool. We cut to 1999, where the same monolith is discovered on the lunar surface, and its hints point to the planet Jupiter. What could this possibly mean? 18 months later, five astronauts board Discovery One on a journey to Jupiter. Astronauts Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Dr. Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood) man the ship, with the assistance of a supercomputer named HAL 9000, claimed to make no mistakes. Will they find the answers they're seeking for?
2001 moves at the slowest pace possible. I stand, amazed, as in how Stanley Kubrick managed to achieve two things: the mind-boggling special effects (which honestly looks better than Interstellar), and how the slow pacing doesn't feel boring. It is likely because even though the narrative is uneventful, the drawn-out scenes make us contemplate the image and appreciate it. This is particularly useful towards the final act, where the film embarks a darker tone. The imaginations in our mind of the unknown terrify.
Stanley's choice of classical music just suits perfectly in establishing the mood and atmosphere. The several slow scenes for us to appreciate its technical achievements are never interrupted, thanks to the soothing music. I remember several moments where David exits and enters the shuttle and the absence of music throughout. Chilling, the shots look so realistic that it feels like I was in that particular place at that time.
Halfway into 2001, HAL 9000 eventually picks up a plan from David and Frank to disable him, so HAL 9000 kills Frank. David requests entry into Discovery One (after a trip outside to fix a satellite), and we get some simple yet unnerving dialogue. Later on, as David resets HAL to factory settings, HAL creepily sings a song. That alone is petrifying. A simple red dot yet makes a convincing villain, and its intelligence attributes to an undercurrent of danger in the mission.
Another reason this film is worth four stars is that it doesn't leave questions unanswered. I was a little afraid the main reasons for the events wouldn't be addressed, but they were, for example: the trip to Jupiter was because the monolith hinted extraterrestrial life in Jupiter. One other reason to admire and love the film is the way you interpret the scenes. The monoliths represent human evolution; the first appearance marked the evolution of monkeys, who started using tools and weapons, while the second appearance marked yet another evolution, our curiosity to travel to the beyond.
It all concludes with the perplexing ending, where, following the breathtaking (and famous) stargate sequence, David stands in a room where he passes life with no sense of time. The monolith appears for the third time and marks humanity's discovery of these alien beings. Here's the strange thing: the aliens aren't exactly shown in the film, and they exist via monoliths as some form of a track record for the evolution of humans. David, now very old, lies on his bed and is transformed into a Star child. You might go "What did I just watch" upon first viewing, but what I think it means is our burning curiosity to explore and learn more. And the film concludes with our technological advancement.
2001: A Space Odyssey is a delightfully strange and complex film. It would be worth watching again for its monumental effects, long-drawn calming scenes, and the terrors of the unknown, in which the film leaves us, the viewers, to imagine.
We've heard it. When 2001: A Space Odyssey was released, reviews ranged from highly positive to rather negative. We've heard of the film critic Pauline Kael, who called it 'unimaginative'. We've heard of Stephen Hunter from The Washington Post calling it 'A crackpot Looney Tune.' There are such criticisms for 2001: A Space Odyssey, including slow pacing, thin characters, stiff performances, and scarce dialogue, but they are invalid. Look into the bigger picture of 2001.
2001 begins with 3 minutes of black screen (I, in fact, fast-forwarded the movie on television to make sure that the screen was working) then numerous shots of the desert. We focus on a tribe of monkeys from 4 million years ago, who banter and wander around their surroundings. One day, they discover a monolith and are fascinated by it. Later on, a monkey learns how to use a bone as a tool. We cut to 1999, where the same monolith is discovered on the lunar surface, and its hints point to the planet Jupiter. What could this possibly mean? 18 months later, five astronauts board Discovery One on a journey to Jupiter. Astronauts Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Dr. Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood) man the ship, with the assistance of a supercomputer named HAL 9000, claimed to make no mistakes. Will they find the answers they're seeking for?
2001 moves at the slowest pace possible. I stand, amazed, as in how Stanley Kubrick managed to achieve two things: the mind-boggling special effects (which honestly looks better than Interstellar), and how the slow pacing doesn't feel boring. It is likely because even though the narrative is uneventful, the drawn-out scenes make us contemplate the image and appreciate it. This is particularly useful towards the final act, where the film embarks a darker tone. The imaginations in our mind of the unknown terrify.
Stanley's choice of classical music just suits perfectly in establishing the mood and atmosphere. The several slow scenes for us to appreciate its technical achievements are never interrupted, thanks to the soothing music. I remember several moments where David exits and enters the shuttle and the absence of music throughout. Chilling, the shots look so realistic that it feels like I was in that particular place at that time.
Halfway into 2001, HAL 9000 eventually picks up a plan from David and Frank to disable him, so HAL 9000 kills Frank. David requests entry into Discovery One (after a trip outside to fix a satellite), and we get some simple yet unnerving dialogue. Later on, as David resets HAL to factory settings, HAL creepily sings a song. That alone is petrifying. A simple red dot yet makes a convincing villain, and its intelligence attributes to an undercurrent of danger in the mission.
Another reason this film is worth four stars is that it doesn't leave questions unanswered. I was a little afraid the main reasons for the events wouldn't be addressed, but they were, for example: the trip to Jupiter was because the monolith hinted extraterrestrial life in Jupiter. One other reason to admire and love the film is the way you interpret the scenes. The monoliths represent human evolution; the first appearance marked the evolution of monkeys, who started using tools and weapons, while the second appearance marked yet another evolution, our curiosity to travel to the beyond.
It all concludes with the perplexing ending, where, following the breathtaking (and famous) stargate sequence, David stands in a room where he passes life with no sense of time. The monolith appears for the third time and marks humanity's discovery of these alien beings. Here's the strange thing: the aliens aren't exactly shown in the film, and they exist via monoliths as some form of a track record for the evolution of humans. David, now very old, lies on his bed and is transformed into a Star child. You might go "What did I just watch" upon first viewing, but what I think it means is our burning curiosity to explore and learn more. And the film concludes with our technological advancement.
2001: A Space Odyssey is a delightfully strange and complex film. It would be worth watching again for its monumental effects, long-drawn calming scenes, and the terrors of the unknown, in which the film leaves us, the viewers, to imagine.
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