Great Film, Slightly Let Down By Pacing

Rating: 7/10 (9 July 2015)

It's really interesting to see a film that inspired half a century of Sci-Fi since it's release. Having watched several Sci-fi films that were made after this, it was easy to see where they drew their inspiration from. 2001 did for Sci-Fi what Orwell's 1984 did for the 'Dystopian Future' idea. The exposition in this film is immense; going all the way back to the dawn of man was a bold way to give the audience the set up. I really liked the stark contrast of ape killing ape in a barren desert to space travel. Needless to say, the way Kubrick shot this film is nothing short of astounding. The genius camera angles and the frankly dizzying, gravity defying one-shot takes helped to create a level of immersion I seldom find in films. The soundtrack is also fantastic. Mixing majestic Classical pieces and dark, ethereal choral singing helped build up a foreboding atmosphere that drew me right in from the moment the Monolith first appears on screen. Having said that, the one thing I feel lets it down is the pacing. I have no problem with a film that takes a while to get into gear. I love films that build up a world around the viewer and fully immerses me in the story. That's exactly what I look for in a film. But with 2001: A Space Odyssey, there were some scenes that really did drag on. I felt like some shots just really didn't need to be as long as they were. And a lot of the screen time was spent on things that didn't contribute to dialogue, plot, character development or immersion. These shots were simply there so Kubrick could bask in his own genius a little longer. Those scenes just killed it for me as I found my eyes wandering and my concentration waning. Otherwise, it's a film way ahead of it's time and the forerunner to countless Sci-Fi films and for that, it really is great.