Kubrick's outer space masterpiece

Rating: 8/10 (24 February 2015)

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY is without a doubt the 'ultimate' space movie. Films like STAR WARS or ALIEN wouldn't exist without this, the first film to realistically portray what space travel is actually like. Yes, the film is incredibly slow, long, and extreme arty, but it's also a masterpiece and quite possibly Stanley Kubrick's greatest directorial effort.
After a lengthy introduction that quite wonderfully shows off man's pre-history (and includes THAT famous jump cut), we're transported to the interior of a spaceship, where protagonist Dave (Keir Dullea) must contend with the machinations of his computer, HAL 9000. Everything that happens takes place very s-l-o-w-l-y, but this was intentional and I don't think there's any better way of getting across just how elongated being in space really is.
HAL 9000 dominates the film and is my favourite computer creation in cinema; the most tragic too, I think. Dullea underacts to the best of his ability and is all the better for it, and of course Kubrick's direction is masterful, with incredible attention to detail. Yes, things get extremely psychedelic and trippy for the last half-hour's light show, but then it was the 1960s and you wouldn't expect otherwise. Great stuff indeed!