Mankind's evolution and journey into the unknown

Rating: Null/10 (10 August 2013)

What more can I say about this film that hasn't been said by everyone else. Most cinema fans already know about this film or have at least heard of it. No doubt its one of the most famous and influential science fiction films of all time not to mention one of the most unique due to its unconventional storytelling, use of classical music in space scenes, realism in space travel and groundbreaking special effects that still hold up very well. Yet despite all that when I first watched this movie when I was in my early teens I hated it mostly because I was expecting something similar to "Star Wars". Instead what I got was a slow moving art house science fiction film with hardly any dialog and mostly visuals with little to no action. As I've gotten older I've come to appreciate this fascinating film since my taste in movies has changed a lot since I was a kid.
If there was any way to describe this movie it would have to be a "journey of evolution". Think about it. When you watch this film you're simply watching the evolution of humans into the people we are today and beyond. In the beginning of the film primitive human ancestors discover an alien object called the "Monolith" which causes them to evolve to a point where they can make the first weapon and kill in order to survive. In a famous flash cut from the simple bone to a complex satellite millions of years later we have evolved to a point where we can leave Earth and explore outer space and the moon. Computers have also evolved into complex AI's that can feel most notably HAL 9000. The rest of the film focuses on the journey into the unknown which we nor our main character can comprehend. Science fiction has always been used as an allegory for the human condition. "Where do we come from? Where are we going? What will we encounter when we get there?" are questions that "2001" asks us but leaves open to interpretation by the time that the movie is finished.
For its time the special effects were groundbreaking in that it gave us a realistic view of what space travel might look like.(This was before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon.) Not to mention the famous "Stargate" sequence that is a beautiful but creepy sequence of colors and scenery. Music was also used to great effect to represent the serenity and calmness of traveling through space or the creepy and scariness of the unknown. As for acting its good but the standout is Douglas Rain as HAL 9000 who gives him a creepy tone of voice that matches perfectly with the red electronic eye making him one of the most iconic science fiction movie characters of all time.
As I said before this is a slow movie and there is very little dialog so unless you are into science fiction films about the philosophical and the journey into the unknown you might be bored due to the lack of action. Its worth it to watch this movie at least once to understand its influence and impact on the science fiction genre and how it begged the question of what might happen if we journey into the unknown.