A landmark in science fiction that still holds up today.

Rating: 10/10 (10 February 2006)

As fantastic as 2001: A Space Odyssey is, it is truly not a movie for everyone. You either love it to death, or you pan it as the worst film you have ever seen. There really isn't any between ground, because it isn't necessarily the most audience friendly film on the planet (sorry). It has a long runtime, it's story is complex and somewhat muddled, it moves fairly slow, and there are periods in which nothing is said for 10 minutes at a time. However, if you're like me, you will truly appreciate the epic beauty and groundbreaking achievement that this film is. It is perhaps the most influential science fiction flick ever. Maybe even more so than Star Wars.
To people who can truly appreciate the poetic vision that Stanley Kubrick had, 2001 is an unforgettable film. You have the majestic theme song (one I had heard before I knew of the movie), a truly classic villain (HAL 9000 in all of his creepy glory), and special effects that still hold up today as out of this world and glorious visuals.
Though this film is fairly slow, I couldn't keep my eyes off of the screen for the whole runtime. The special effects have a look and feel to them that looks 100% believable, maybe even more so than most viz fx today. The imagery mixed with the lovely orchestral music create images that will stick with you forever. And, being that it was released before man even landed on the moon, it is a truly visionary look at the then-future. It's amazing to see how close our world today is to that in the movie.
The segment of the film with the astronauts with HAL 9000 is classic. The quiet atmosphere throughout the whole story sets the mood of a "so-tranquil-you'll-kill-yourself" feel. And once HAL 9000 gets some glitches, you really REALLY see the sh*t hit the fan. Everything about HAL 9000, the smooth and calm voice, the red light that always watches, and a computer with a desire to stay alive. Groundbreaking stuff.
Though the story is muddled and the ending almost incomprehensible, the theme of the movie can really be applied to today. How humans have remained dependent on technology, from the humanoids in Africa to the astronauts on Jupiter, and how eventually us humans will not be the most intelligent life form in the universe.
For anyone turned off by the ending, I would highly recommend reading the novel of the same name. It was released simultaneously with the movie and really sheds some light on the Monolith and the mission to Jupiter. It's as good as the movie, which is really saying a lot.
That being said, 2001 is either a movie that you will love or hate. I've heard claims that the film is boring pretentious art-house garbage, but I found it to be a fascinating, ground-breaking, sci-fi classic that will surely go into history as a monument not only in film, but in the way we look at the universe.