Overrated waste of potential

Rating: 2/10 (18 January 2019)

2001: A Space Odyssey, with its near universal acclaim, is one of those films seems to itself define the meaning of what it is to be a great film. I must however break from this general opinion. 2001, in my opinion, is one of the greatest wastes of potential in film history. I wanted to like this movie so bad but I just couldn't.
First the movie treats you with a long black screen, then ancient hominids going about daily life around the mysterious Monolith, with no music and of course no dialogue. Once the spaceships are shown (with great Strauss music accompaniment I must say), it still takes forever to get anywhere. Eventually we meet Bowman and HAL 9000. Bowman is an incredibly dull character, but HAL on the other hand was intriguing as a villain. Sadly, the HAL storyline was anti-climactic and disappointing, as his defeat was insignificant.
Then Mr. Boring, I mean Bowman, gets in a pod and travels through space, seeing all sorts of colors and extra-terrestrial sights. A wonderful piece of art, at least it could've been if it had meaning. Then he ages significantly, only to touch the Monolith and turn into a fetus.
Some say you must "find what the movie means to you," but even though I have existentialist sympathies, I cannot excuse films that have no inherent meaning. 2001 is a visually spectacular yet absolute disaster of wasted potential and skill.