A symphony

Rating: 10/10 (11 July 2005)

I saw 2001 for the first time at the age of 11, and quit some time after the docking sequence. It was slow, didn't make any sense, lacked any form of action (dramatically or otherwise) and I couldn't relate to the characters. There wasn't even a single good line in sight.
I gave it another chance at the age of 18 and this time I was ready for it. It showed me that time could be just as impressive as the vastness of the universe. It told me about the nature of humans and life, about what is history and therefore, what is not. At the same time, it celebrated and mocked human intelligence and science.
But mostly, it made me realize humans are part of this universe. There's no clear division between us humans, what we call nature and the universe. Fairly basic, I admit, but everyday news often leads you to belief differently.
For the first time I watched a movie that wasn't about the plight of individuals or groups of people, but about the human race.
This must be one of the most pretentious movies and to succeed in such an enterprise is beyond comprehension. If compared with music, it didn't behave like a rock-song, but a symphony which has many layers and ways to appreciate it. And like a true classic, it stands alone.
Are there any mistakes ? Not a real mistake, but something that could have been done differently. The 'trip' bowman takes to his final destination seems very sixties-like, but that's about all I could find.
Only 3 movies received a 10 from me, this is one of them and without any doubt the most important.