Breath-taking

Rating: 10/10 (29 March 2001)

Perhaps Stanley Kubrick's most famous film, "2001" left the majority of cinema-goers puzzled when it first hit screens back in 1968. Even today, the film leaves people bemused, confused and even disappointed. In my opinion, everyone sees the film as something different to everyone else. To me it is the definitive science-fiction film (Stanley Kubrick said he wanted to make "the proverbial good science-fiction movie") and it contains some of the most startling imagery ever captured on film. From the opening sequence which shows us the dawn of man to the final sequence of the space-child image in the sky, the film has everything...except, perhaps, a consistent plotline throughout. That doesn't really matter because this isn't really that type of film. The intention was to show, I think, the wonders of the galaxy and explore mankind's fascination with the unknown.
The most intense part of the film (and the only section with a strong plotline) is the manned mission to Jupiter, which features the malfunctioning computer HAL, which is probably well-known even to those who haven't seen the film. HAL tries to sabotage the mission and it is up to the two human astronauts on board to try and stop him.
Then we're back to the space imagery again and it is up to the viewer to make up his own mind on what exactly they are watching.
Make of it what you will but to me it was a classic the minute it hit screens back in 1968 and will continue to be so for all time in my opinion.