From one thing to something else completely different.

Rating: 6/10 (11 April 1999)

It could be said that 2001: A Space Odyssey is really four separate, smaller films connected by a single object: the Monolith.
First off; The Dawn of Man. This must've really p****d-off a lot of people, who were expecting a space movie, but get out-takes from "One Million Years B.C." The scenery, however, is amazing.
The second part is really something. Even if you're not a classical music fan, the flight to the moon, aptly paired with Johann Strauss' 'The Blue Danube' is truly breathtaking.
The Jupiter Mission: The highlight of the film. Mixed with some great suspense is a look into the monotonous world of astronauts. And, of course, there's HAL 9000: A computer with a creepy monotone voice, a large motherboard, and kills of fellow crew members for kicks on a Saturday night.
And now we come to the ending.
'Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite' might go down in history books as the worst ending ever. Even if you understand it, it's still a waste, and the mystic wonder of Clarke's book is completely lost.
Over all, "2001" is a marvelously directed film, but an unworthy adaptation of the original book.