Impressive feat regardless of personal philosophy

Rating: 10/10 (15 August 2007)

2001: A Space Odyssey Very few films deal with humanity in an abstract verb very well, often despite trying to give a universal message about humans they end up giving a message about individuals. This is perfectly fine, and many of the truly great films deal with people this way, it is natural because we relate more deeply with individuals. However, Stanley Kubrick's crowning achievement is one of the best-regarded films at showing humans not in an individual sense, but rather as a species.
The film basically comes down to the core philosophy of evolution, about our need as a species to keep going, despite where we get ourselves. A short cut scene at the beginning of the film shows us as apes, wherein a black monolith (possible God allegory) reveals itself to us as we first begin to comprehend tools as hunting mechanisms. We proceed to separate ourselves from the apes that don't comprehend tools through harassing them and ultimately separate ourselves as unique. We then jump many years later to a theoretical 2001, wherein people have become lazy; they lack emotion and have mechanical usages for almost any regular job. What's implied is that we have evolved to a point of slothfulness due to a lack of this theoretical God. Most of the conventional story isn't the point; it is put in largely to begin the plot where the truly insightful message on human beings is revealed. An alien signal is picked up and a crew with a computer (Hal 9000) is sent to investigate. What is shown is that Hal 9000 is more human then the human beings, a creature stuck in a world void of life in a metaphysical sense. Ultimately he destroys all but one crew member in an attempt to keep things safe, through his own poorly figured sense of the situation. When the last member finally succeeds in unplugging him, he regains what it means to be human and what follows is one of the most impressive sequences ever revealed in any film.
What struck me at first with 2001 was its cold lifeless nature; though this comes off as the films nature it truly is only the coldness of space that gives it the sense. 2001 is a life affirming film because it shows that humans will keep going, we are still evolving and we will never really die. I don't connect with it like some individuals, because as a believer my theology is different, but the film is a moving sense of life and color, and it is affirming in many ways to know that were not done. We as a species have a long way to go, but we will ultimately make it.
2001 often lacks the philosophical qualities that make people connect with the cinema. It isn't easy relating to an abstract verb as oppose to an individual, but this quality alone separates 2001 as a truly significant piece of the cinema. Regardless as to how deeply anybody relates to the plot, the use of sound and color is unrivaled in any film, and lovers of the cinema will inherently appreciate this aspect alone. Truly nothing has ever surpassed it in terms of raw energy and beauty and any admirer of film will be impressed with this aspect regardless of philosophical merit to one's personal life.
Kubrick has left us with a masterpiece I think we will all grow to further appreciate in time, just as we will further evolve, our tastes will as well, and I see further recognition ahead of 2001. A true masterpiece and the film that defined a genius, I give 2001: A Space Odyssey a deserving 9/10.